Page 156 - A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

SPACED REPETITION—USEFUL FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS!

“I have been advising my students to do spaced repetition over days and weeks, not just
in my analytic courses, but also in my History of Ancient Engineering course. When
memorizing strange names and terms, it’s always best to practice over several days. In
fact, that’s precisely what I do when I’m preparing for lectures—repeat the terms out loud
over a period of several days, so they roll easily off my tongue when I say them in class.”

—Fabian Hadipriono Tan, Professor of Civil Engineering, The Ohio State University

NOW YOU TRY!

Create a Metaphor to Help You Learn

Think of a concept you are learning now. Is there another process or idea in a completely
different field that somehow seems similar to what you are studying? See if you can come
up with a helpful metaphor. (Bonus points if there’s a touch of silliness!)

Create Meaningful Groups

Another key to memorization is to create meaningful groups that simplify the

material. Let’s say you wanted to remember four plants that help ward off
vampires—garlic, rose, hawthorn, and mustard. The first letters abbreviate to
GRHM, so all you need to do is remember the image of a GRAHAM cracker.
(Retrieve your cracker from the kitchen table of your memory palace, dust off
the vowels, and you’re good to go.)
It’s much easier to remember numbers by associating them with memorable

events. The year 1965 might be when one of your relatives was born, for
example. Or you can associate numbers with a numerical system that you’re
familiar with. For example, 11.0 seconds is a good running time for the 100-
meter dash. Or 75 might be the number of knitting stitches cast onto a needle for
the ski hats you like to make. Personally, I like to associate numbers with the
feelings of when I was or will be at a given age. The number 18 is an easy one—
that’s when I went out into the world. By age 104, I will be an old but happy