Following are nine little math demons that plague all sorts of otherwise smart, capable folks like you. The good news is that they’re not as big and scary as you may think, and they can be dispelled more easily than you may have dared believe.Know the multiplication tableA sketchy knowledge of multiplication can really hold back an otherwise good math student.

To successfully study pre-algebra, understand that a specific order of operations needs to be applied. Also recognize some basic math principles, such as the ability to recognize and understand mathematical inequalities, place value, absolute value, and negation.Mathematical order of operationsThe rules for deciding the order to evaluate arithmetic expressions, no matter how complex, are called the order of operations.

Although improper fractions are great for solving math problems, the results may be easier for people to understand if you first convert them to mixed numbers. To convert an improper fraction to a mixed number, you follow two simple steps: Divide the numerator by the denominator. For example, suppose you want to write the improper fraction 19/5 as a mixed number.

It is easy to convert percents to decimals and decimals to percents. For example, to convert a percent to a decimal, you drop the percent sign (%) and move the decimal point two places to the left. That’s all there is to it. Remember that in a whole number, the decimal point comes at the end. For example, 2.5% = 0.

In algebra, a letter such as x that takes the place of a number in one or more equations is called a variable. Practices you need to know about how algebra problems are written: To add up many of the same variable, count the number of times that variable appears, and then attach that number (called a coeffici

A square root is the most common root operation. A root is the inverse operation of an exponent (which means that it undoes an exponential operation), and so a square root is an operation that undoes an exponent of 2. For example, You can read the symbol either as “the square root of” or as “radical.” So, read as either “the square root of 9” or “radical 9.

A lot of percent problems turn out to be easy to solve when you give them a little thought. In many cases, just remember the connection between percents and fractions and you’re halfway home. Solve simple percent problems Some percents are easy to figure. Here are a few. Finding 100% of a number: Remember that 100% means the whole thing, so 100% of any number is simply the number itself: 100% of 5 is 5 100% of 91 is 91 100% of 732 is 732 Finding 50% of a number: Remember that 50% means half, so to find 50% of a number, just divide it by 2: 50% of 20 is 10 50% of 88 is 44 Finding 25% of a number: Remember that 25% equals 1/4, so to find 25% of a number, divide it by 4: 25% of 40 is 10 25% of 88 is 22 Finding 20% of a number: Finding 20% of a number is handy if you like the service you’ve received in a restaurant, because a good tip is 20% of the check.