Current highschooler taking here. I am taking Algebra and Trigonometry, and something that I have noticed about myself is I forget concepts right after the test. For example I learn about logarithms, ace the test, then 3 months later, have difficulty solving logarithm homework problems - problems that I previously could have solved with ease. Another example is when I took Geometry last year. I have forgotten pretty much all the theorems that I learned in Geo. Is forgetting math concepts after 3 months normal? What about one year?
Forgetting Concepts
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algebra-precalculus
geometry
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2If you don't use learned stuff after exam then yes, very normal. You can use spaced repetition software like Anki to keep learned stuff fresh in your memory. – 2017-01-12
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0It's normal to forget if you don't use it, or practice often. However, I believe it should be much easier to learn what you learned before. And this time, when learning, you probably reach an even greater level of understanding. – 2017-01-12
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1A good thing for keeping everything fresh in your memory is oftenly to force yourself to answer to question here. – 2017-01-12
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1It sounds like you might be memorizing the topics, not internalizing them – 2017-01-13
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0@jameselmore Very poetic, but that's romanticism, this "internalizing" thing. You can have very good understanding of something and still forget it later.... – 2017-01-13
1 Answers
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It's true most any skill will deteriorate if you don't practice it. You grow rusty with disuse. It can be a language (computer or human), playing an instrument, what have you; but it is definitely true for math in high school. A good curriculum will have a few review problems to keep students fresh on past concepts (this also helps if final exams are cumulative). But if you plan on studying math after high school, ask your teacher for review materials; engage a tutor to help you keep fresh; or start a math club to help others in your school with the same problem!