Can you relate to the situation of staring at your computer screen, not knowing why the red ‘x’ mark is there on the MyMathLab solution? Most students will relate to this. On top of that, the frustration of the looming deadlines stresses you out. All these will obviously lead you to look for easy ways to find the answer, right?
We understand the frustration and the pressure to score good grades can make you look for sites to get the right answer. But that’s not how to go about it. Even if you get the right answers on the web, you will not be able to learn the subject well. The aim is not about finding the right answer, but to understand the question.
In this blog, we will dig deep and understand why understanding MyMathLab questions matters more than just getting the answers.
1. The ‘Why’: The Hidden Costs of Just Getting the Answer
To begin with, getting the right answer from the internet will not be helpful for you in the long run. Not only will you not be able to learn anything, but there’s no guarantee that the answers will be correct as well. In addition to these, there are many more problems that you must know about, such as:
A. The Illusion of Knowledge and the Forgetting Curve
When you look for an answer online, you are already taking a shortcut. You will not be willing to do the hard work when you know that you can get the answer easily. This way, you will not have to struggle, nor will you have to memorize any formulas.
The problem here is that you will automatically forget the information you went through, since you are not actively working to retain it. It is highly recommended that you learn how to solve the problems instead of looking for a MyMathLab answer key.
2. The Exam Day Reality Check
You must understand that homework and assignments are just a part of your online course. The real game is the midterm and final exams. You will not find the same questions you have answered in your homework or assignments. So, if you are not aware of the correct ways to solve the problems, you will lose grades.
If you have only mastered the ways to find answers for specific questions, you will end up staring blankly at the exam questions. The reason is that you never learned the method or reasoning to solve a problem. So, even if you get an ‘A’ in homework, you might end up getting a ‘F’ in exams.
3. Math Is a Building Block Subject
Unlike the theoretical subjects you study, math is a subject that you cannot understand without knowing the previous chapters. This is a major reason students who focus on just getting the answer struggle to keep up with others. They fail to relate the chapter they are studying now to the one they studied earlier.
As a consequence, students struggle to meet the expectations and struggle to answer the question. They are not clear about the basics. In such cases, instead of looking for answers, drop a ‘do my online class’ request to any class help website to get expert assistance.
4. Not Improving Your Skills
The goal is not to memorize formulas and apply them in real-life scenarios. Instead, it is about enhancing problem-solving and logical reasoning skills. When you stress over understanding a problem and solving it, you develop these skills automatically.
Both of these skills are essential in the long run, and you must not ignore working on the problems. Just finding the answer is not the right way forward. You need to work on the problems to stay relevant in the highly competitive job market.
These are the problems you might face if you search for answers and use them to get good grades. Also, the reasons you should not go for it have been discussed. The following section will guide you through the ways you can tackle these problems and answer all the problems on MyMathLab correctly.
The ‘How’ Guide: A Practical Guide to Understanding MyMathLab
There are ways to tackle the problems and learn the correct ways to find the answers. For those who get stressed when they get an answer wrong and start looking for answers online, these are the steps they need to follow:
1. Use the ‘Built-in’ Tools
MyMathLab has several built-in tools that can help students learn the ways to solve problems. Here are the tools you can use:
- View an Example - Shows a parallel problem without sharing the answers
- Help Me Solve This - Use this interactive tutor that forces you to engage
- Ask My Instructor - Don’t hesitate to use this to connect with your instructor and get the necessary help
2. Deconstruct the Problems
You need to understand what is being asked before you start solving the problems. The best way to do it is by deconstructing them. Here’s how you can do it:
- Slow down, read the question twice
- Ask yourself, what concept the question is testing, what information you have, and what is the ultimate goal
- Write down what you have and the goal you need to achieve to organize your thoughts
3. Work Backwards
When you get a wrong answer, stop and think. You must follow all these steps to get to the right answer:
- Don’t start trying another number
- Analyze your work to understand what you did wrong
- Go through the feedback on the tool; it often points to the right answer
4. Keep a Mistake Journal
You need to do a self-assessment and improve as you go forward. The best way to go about it is by creating a mistake journal:
- Keep a simple notebook (physical or digital)
- For tough problems, note down the question summary, where you went wrong, and a brief explanation of the correct process
- Use this as your personalized study guide before you sit for an exam
Conclusion: From Obstacles to Opportunity
The problem is not that you got an answer wrong, but the way you want to find the correct answers. The websites that share answers are not always the right source for students. It leads to poor overall performance. Instead, it is highly recommended that you work on the problems, learn the lessons to score good grades. Use MyMathLab and its tools to your advantage.
Understand that by working on MyMathLab questions, you are improving your skills to stay relevant and get the right opportunities in the future.