BACK-TO-SCHOOL PRINTABLES

As a university student whose course load is heavily math-based, I’ve had my fair share of encounters with math problems that seem unsolvable, and notes that make absolutely no sense. Fortunately, I’ve also come across a lot of useful resources that I thought I would share with my fellow math comrades! So here is my list of “life-saving” math resources that will hopefully make your math life a little bit easier.

Wolfram Alpha

Definitely the most used resource when I am doing math homework. It’s capable of solving basically any math problem. You have to pay to see the step-by-step solution, and I have a shared account with my friend, so that’s an option if you want to pay a little bit less!

Symbolab

Similar to Wolfram Alpha, but free! You can see the step-by-step solutions without paying, so that’s great. However, the downside is that if your math problem is quite complicated, it may not have the solution (i.e. crazy integrals)

Paul’s Online Math Notes

This website has notes on algebra to multivariable calculus, with plenty of examples and explanations. This is an actual life saver for my friends who are doing advanced/university level math. Especially if your professor has atrocious writing but can’t seem to stray away from hand written notes. 

Khan Academy

Has video lessons on elementary to university level math. Great for visual learners, since the lessons include a lot of graphs and diagrams. Not to mention this website offers video lessons on a variety of subjects!

Desmos

Graph functions (single and multivariable) and plot data tables!

Slader

Textbook solutions!!! You can probably find the solutions to most of the calculus textbooks used in universities. Really great for those who like to study by doing a bunch of practice questions.

Bonus: Scannable (not really math related, but still useful)

For those with professors who prefer digital submissions of assignments: turn your phone camera into a scanner without the bulk. The best scanner app I’ve come across - it will make your papers look like they’ve actually been scanned, even if you take the photo in bad lighting.

Good luck! (ᵔᴥᵔ)

How many types plot structures are there and how are they used?

Hiya! Thanks for your question! Plot structures are important for creating a good story.

There’s an infinite amount of plot structures depending on the story you’re telling. Some types are better than others within certain genres. Here are the most common plot structures, and how they’re used:

The Four Main Plot Structures:

Freytag’s Pyramid:

Also known as dramatic structure, this is the most simplistic of plot structures, and probably the one you were taught in elementary school. In this type of story structure, the climax falls in the middle, and the latter half of the story consists of falling action and the resolution. This was developed to analyze Greek and Shakespearian plays that use a five-act structure.

Why it’s good: It allows authors to explore the consequences of one’s actions. It’s also good for story analysis.

Why it’s bad: Long resolutions get boring fast. Modern novels don’t use this because no one wants to read a story where the villain is defeated in the middle.

When to use it: Children’s books and short stories

It’s good to use in children’s books because the goal of most children’s books is to teach kids a lesson. Using Freytag’s Pyramid gives writers the chance to teach kids the consequences of doing something wrong (lying, bullying, etc.). It works in short stories because the limited length prevents the denouement from being too long and boring the reader.

Examples: Any of Shakespeare’s plays

The Fichtean Curve:

This is what most modern novels use, no matter the genre. The Fichtean Curve features a varying number of crises (or mini-climaxes) within the rising action to build up to climax about two-thirds of the way through the story. The falling action is short and used to wrap up loose ends or establish a new way of life for the characters.

Why it’s good: Putting crises throughout the story will keep readers hooked until the end. It also helps to keep good pacing. Despite being frequently used, this structure is loose enough that anyone can use it and make it unique for their own story.

Why it’s bad: Too much action can be overwhelming. This structure also doesn’t work well with certain story types such as Voyage and Return, Rebirth, or Comedy.

When to use it: Action-packed stories, Overcoming the Monster plots, or Quest plots

Examples: Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, World War Z by Max Brooks, or Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

The Hero’s Journey:

Another common plot structure that is seen in modern novels (especially western literature), and can be combined with the Fichtean Curve. Often, modern novels are a combination of the two. What makes the Hero’s Journey unique is that the protagonist must go through a literal or figurative death that completely transforms them. The death is usually, but not always, the climax of the story. Another key difference in The Hero’s Journey is that the protagonist must atone for their past rather than overcome it or move on without going back.

Why it’s good: Allows for great character development in character-strong stories.

Why it’s bad: Nearly every western novel, film, or TV show (successful and unsuccessful) uses this plot structure. It’s a little overdone, but if you can put a good personal twist on it, it can work out just fine.

When to use it: First-person stories, stories with small casts, Voyage and Return plots, or Rebirth plots

Examples: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, or Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Media Res

Latin for “in the middle of things”, In Media Res is a unique plot structure. Rather than start with an exposition that builds up to the action, In Media Res starts right in the middle of the story. If you were to start your story at the second or third crisis point of the Fichtean Curve, you would get In Media Res.

Why It’s Good: Dropping people in the middle of the action will hook the right from the beginning.

Why It’s Bad: Starting with the action can be disorienting for readers. Make sure you fill in the backstory as the plot moves on.

When to Use It: Stories with small casts, Crime plots, or Mystery plots

Examples: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, or The Iliad by Homer

There are plenty more plot structures, but these are the main four, and all others are based off these in some way. Keep in mind that most stories use a combination of these plot structures, so you don’t have to stick to just one.

Thanks again for your question! If you need help with anything else writing related, feel free to send in another ask. Happy writing!

- Mod Kellie

If you need advice on general writing or fanfiction, you should maybe ask us!

Hey guys :) I’m Bea, from Exohypernova.

I wasn’t sure if I would post this because it’s my first ever printables pack and it has that overall design that is very very common in the studyblr comunity, and I didn’t want to post more of the same, but I had done this a while ago and thought maybe you guys would like it.

This pack contains:

✖      A habit tracker

✖      A life planner

✖      A month planner with productivity tracker

✖      A project management sheet

✖      A exam prep cheat sheet

✖      A book review page

✖      A book character review page

✖      A book tracker

✖      A glossary

✖      A task list

✖      A quotes sheet

✖      A formulas sheet

If you want to download all of them, you can click here to access my google drive folder. Also, if you have photoshop, you can download a totally editable version of those printables in this link (fonts included). ♡

The year is 2018. Your bills are on autopay. You just got paid and you still have $1200 from the last check. When you want something, you buy it without moving money around. Your credit cards are paid off. You and your friends have 2 international trips planned and paid for this year. Your parents are in great health and you’re able to help if they need anything. You love your job. Your desired creative career is falling into place and you get to take your little cousins to Six Flags and Universal Studios over the Summer. Your relationships are healthy and supportive. All of the toxic energy from the past 6 years is gone. You going to concerts, eating good across the states and your crib has art and warmth throughout. 2018 is going to be so good to you.

Just a lil side note: i almost failed maths in grade 5-8. Now, I’m doing 2 Maths subjects (straight A+’s) and ranked the third highest in my class for the harder maths subject (out of 20 students). You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Be persistent. Happy studying! :)

1. Keep up do date with the class

Even if the teacher doesn’t set homework, there is always an expectation that whatever excercise isn’t finished in class, you do at home! My maths class moves very fast (we do about 3 concepts/excercises each class) and so its crucial that the first thing I do when I get home, is finish off my maths questions! This is particularly important in the learning process, because if you understand it when you learn it, you will be far ahead of anyone else in an upcoming test- all you will need to do is revise!

This means:

- don’t sit next to anyone distracting

- work efficiently in class

- the time that your waste in class, is the time you will have to spend at home

2.  Do ALL the practice questions in your textbook

In my harder maths class, there are about 20 questions per excercise/concept (100+ per chapter) and so we might only get told to do about half of that. But, I strongly reccommend doing all of the questions! It is great practice and really consolidates your learning! 

ALSO, as the questions go on, they tend to get harder. DON’T GIVE UP IF THEY’RE TOO HARD. Ask the teacher’s help, persevere, or look for a video on YouTube. These are the questions that will most likely be in your tests/exams.

If you can do the hardest question, you can most likely do all the questions!

If you get a question wrong, do AT LEAST 5 more of the same style, make sure you know it well!

3. Practice is everything

You cant really study for maths the same way that you might study for science. There is nothing to memorise (apart from formulas, but the best way to remember them is to practice). Studying for maths IS doing practice questions. That’s all there is to it.   

 - listen to some tunes (music with lyrics is fine for maths!)   

 - put on a movie ( just try to not get too distracted)    

- find a comfy space   

 - just start studying.

4. How to study for maths when you’re sick of it all

Humans are creatures of habit. We like routines and we stick to them. BUT, studying maths can become tedious if you are constantly doing the same thing every time.

CHANGE IT UP Y'ALL:

    - ditch the notebook and pencil. Buy some non-permanent glass markers and do some maths on your windows or mirrors! I do this ALL THE TIME! It’s actually really fun and it makes me feel like Russell Crowe from ‘A Beautiful Mind’ (haha). Alternatively, you could also use a whiteboard if you have one!   

    - study in the library or another part of your house! 

    - buy some different stationery (this is always so fun)

5. For an upcoming test…

do all the chapter review questions in your textbook. These tend to be a compilation of all the most important questions you will need to know. Take your time, don’t give up.

Seek external resources for questions. I own other revision books for maths that isn’t part of my school’s recommended material. These really help when you need more questions to test yourself on.

Do practice papers. THESE ARE CRUCIAL. Most of the time, the material that they test you on will be from past papers, the questions are the same, but they change the numbers!

Take a deep breath. Drink some water. Focus. Time management is the issue for most people (including me :)), so when you feel like a question is too challenging, move on, come back to it when you finish with a fresh mind!

reblog if ur mom is smart and beautiful

🎉2018 is near!!!🎉

Don’t dwell on what is now in the past. Move on forward to become a badass. 😎😎😎

2017 can now fuck off!!!  🖕 🖕 🖕

Have a good new year everybody!!! 🎉🎉🎉

reblog if u a lil ugly

✨  back to school printables bundle  ✨

back to school season has started, yay! As a ‘thank you’ to all 1000 people who followed me I made this printables bundle with everything you may need during your school year. I’m on uni so this is more of a ‘back to uni’ thingy, but I bet hs students will make a great use of it too! Anyway, thank you for following me and here goes!

Click one of the links below to download a PDF file:

▪️  grid note taking sheet  [prev] ▪️  lined note taking sheet ▪️  to do list ▪️  keyboard stickers ▪️  2017/18 school calendar ▪️  class schedule  [prev] ▪️  term+definition sheet [A BUNDLE DOWNLOAD] - a zip file including more colors & PNG files! Please reblog/like this post if you found this useful!