Strategies For Memorizing Quadratic Formulas

Some aspects of mathematics require memorization skills and doing so with quadratic formulas can be taxing without a practical method. A general quadratic equation can be written in a form that looks like this: ax^2+bx+c=0. This equation demonstrates that a, b and c are constants not equal to 0, while x represents an unknown variable. Having several strategies for memorizing quadratic formulas will help you retain the information.

The brain tends to have a better time remembering content that has a rhythm with a beat. Making a song about the points of the formulas either to the tune of a popular song or to the tune of one you make up can be a great strategy for retaining the information. The Oswego City School District in New York advises students to use this strategy and gives an example on their website. To help students memorize "x equals negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac all over 2a," the school district tells them to sing this equation to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" and even shows where to make the line breaks for the song.

Flash cards are one of the oldest traditional educational tools for memorizing content and continue to help students. Interviewed for the "Brainerd Dispatch," Dr. Jane Winter, a pediatrician at Essentia Health's Baxter Clinic praised math flashcards as being important tools to help kids remember mathematical facts and equations. Flash cards are effective because they train the brain to memorize information by providing the answers on the reverse side. The brain makes both a conscious and subconscious connection to the question/answer. Quadratic formula flash cards can be purchased from any online school supplies store but making your own can save money.

Being able to effectively memorize quadratic formulas requires having a healthy mind with high memorization potential. Supplements that appear to have benefits for enhancing memory include Ginkgo Biloba, Omega-3 fatty acid, Huperzine A, Vitamin E and Asian (or Panax) Ginseng. Taking these supplements won't hurt most people or cause any harmful reaction, but before taking any supplement students should first check with their doctors. Students also should be aware there are many memory boosters sold in pharmacies and wellness stores across the country many are packed with multiple substances that lack sufficient research to support their claims of enhancing memory.

By carrying your quadratic formulas written on a tiny spiral-bound flip notebook you can refer to them no matter where you are. These little notebooks easily fit into your back pocket and can be retrieved for studying when you are standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for a doctor's appointment or even while you are riding to and from school (so long as you are not the one driving). Having your quadratic formulas on hand to study in situations where you normally would be playing on your phone will increase your study hours and therefore your time spent in memorizing the materials.