Every Math Problem Has a Type. Knowing the Type Is Half the Solution.

When students struggle with math, the issue is rarely arithmetic. It is classification. They see a problem and don't know which technique to apply. Professional problem solving starts with identifying the problem type, because the type determines the method. The classification tree Most math problems fall into a surprisingly small number of categories: Arithmetic - Operations on specific numbers. No variables. "What is 247 * 38?" The solution is computation. Algebraic equations - Find the value of an unknown. "Solve 3x - 7 = 14." The solution is isolation of the variable. Systems of equations - Multiple equations, multiple unknowns. "Solve x + y = 10 and 2x - y = 5." The solution is substitution or elimination. Polynomial problems - Factoring, roots, graphing. "Factor x^2 - 5x + 6." The solution depends on the degree. Calculus - Rates of change and accumulation. "Find the derivative of x^3 + 2x." The solution is applying differentiation rules. Statistics - Summarizing and analyzing dat