What if I get stuck?

So, you’re stuck.  What should you do next?

To start with, don’t assume that a state of being stuck is a negative thing.  We learn a lot more from getting ourselves “unstuck” than from never getting stuck in the first place.  On the other hand, you won’t learn a lot if you keep retreading old ground or trying random methods without reason.  Depending on how stuck you are, you can try any of the following.

	Put some parameters in place Consider whether there’s a “reasonable” initial guess you could make that will guide your thinking and help you understand what mathematics might be involved – are there some “unreasonable” answers that you can take off the table?
	Read the question again Make sure you’ve read the problem correctly and that you understand all the terms – if you don’t understand a term, you could try an internet search or ask someone else in the class (e.g. using the discussion board).
	Take a break Put it on the shelf for a day or two, or continue on to other parts of the topic module.  In some cases there will be hints available, or in some cases there are activities in Scratch or elsewhere that can help you verify or check your understanding.
	Ask a friend Doing maths together can be more fun than it might initially sound.  Find a friend who is willing to try to solve a problem with you.
	Research it online Conduct an internet search on the problem or concept.  For most of the problems we present and all of the mathematical concepts, there is an abundance of examples, analyses and commentary available online.  Improving your mathematical resourcefulness is also an important goal of any mathematical study.
	Give up Kidding!  But bear in mind that giving up is not the same as asking for help, leaving a problem aside for a few days, or even indefinitely shelving it.  So rather than thinking of these behaviours in a negative way, think of them as strategies toward fully understanding and being able to tackle the problem you’re stuck on 🙂

Download accessible table