Right Angle Tutoring

Merry Christmas!

Fun Christmas-related math fact: Isaac Newton, the famous mathematician, was born on December 25th, at least according to the Julian calendar that was in use at the time. (We currently use the Gregorian calendar.)

Newton is well-known for lots of discoveries, but my personal favorite is that of what we now call calculus. It is an incredibly powerful tool that lets us use infinitely big and infinitely small quantities to give finite, real-world results that actually work. Its discovery was integral (pun intended) to Newton's later work on his famous Laws of Motion and eventually all of physics.

(Sidenote: Leibniz also independently discovered calculus about 10 years after Newton. Both are credited for its discovery.)

When you are taking standardized tests, you NEED to be reading the full question!

I can't count the number of times I've gotten a question wrong because of something I skipped over in the question itself. It might not seem like a big deal, but it's crucial to achieving high scores. Once you start reading the question--and reading the question well--you'll see an improvement.

If there are any topics you would like me to cover or questions you would like me to answer in a future reel, comment your ideas below!
I plan to make two reels a week, so I'll get to your idea as soon as I can.
It can be anything math- or SAT prep-related, but you can also ask me other questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

As we are in the middle of SAT season, it is important to know how to prepare for the test. While understanding the material naturally plays a big role in how well one does, the effect of good preparation and the right mindset cannot be ignored.

https://blog.cincinnatichildrens.org/learning-and-growing/help-teen-mentally-prepare-act-sat-test/
This article gives good insight on preparation for the test. I've summarized the article's key points (baked in with some of my own tips) below:

1) Choose a good test date. Make sure that the day before the test is free of any obligations that could interfere with your ability to take the test the following day. Even if you feel like you need to cram, don't stay up late. What you need most the night before the test is not more studying but more sleep. Get your cramming done two days before if you have to at all.
2) When going into the test, don't focus on the score you'll get. Focus on each question as it comes. If you are too concerned about your overall performance during the test, you are likely to become overconfident or anxious. Concentrate on just doing your best.
3) It is important to pick protein-rich foods to eat for breakfast the morning of the test. Needless to say, 3 hours of test-taking nearly non-stop is exhausting, so you'll need some energy to carry you all the way through. You should also bring a protein-rich snack to eat on the 10 minute break in between sections. Chocolate protein bars are my favorite pick, as chocolate increases dopamine levels and contains a small amount of caffeine; both of these chemicals can boost your ability to concentrate significantly.

Check out the article for more information.

Helping Your Teen Mentally Prepare for ACT/SAT Test Taking - Cincinnati Children's Blog When working with your high schooler on preparing for the ACT and SAT, here are helpful hints for approaching these college readiness tests.

Do you play chess? Have you ever thought about how many calculations go into a game?

I am on my way to a chess tournament this weekend and was struck by the sheer magnitude of the game’s complexity.

Did you know that there are approximately 10^40 legal chess positions? That is approximately the square of the number of stars that we believe to be in the universe and the square root of the number of atoms.

Perhaps I can find the right positions and come out on top tomorrow?

If you want to play chess with me, I play on chess.com under the username slvrfshston.

Had a great time today working with 20 students in the Tulsa area. We focused on the unique approaches necessary to be successful on their upcoming SAT and PSAT tests. Looking forward to seeing how they perform!

Thank you Augustine Christian Academy!

Connect with me to see how Right Angle Tutoring can support your students.

~Jonah