Course-Specific Support

Directed Homework Sessions

To get in the habit of doing your homework and to practice good learning strategies, come out to our weekly homework sessions (a modified form of Supplemental Instruction). A senior student will act as facilitator to provide structure to each 1.5-hour session, incorporating cumulative review, study techniques and time to work on current homework problems. It's a great way to keep up to date on course work – no cramming the night before your midterm!

Spring 2022

There are no sessions currently planned for Spring term; instead, please refer to our drop-in help sessions.  Homework sessions will return in Fall term.

In collaboration with the Department of Mathematics, the MaSt began offering weekly problems sessions for select second year courses in Fall 2020.  Much like our Directed Homework Sessions for 100-level courses, these weekly sessions are intended to help keep you on track, keeping up with course material and ensuring you understand the concepts as they are taught. 

A Ph.D. student will act as facilitator to provide structure to each 1 or 1.5-hour session, with the focus being to work through some of the current homework problems, as assigned by the course instructor and/or listed as suggested practice problems from the course text.  This should then help you when completing your WeBWorK assignments and other graded components of your course.

Spring 2022

Sessions will be scheduled for the following courses:  MA205 and MA250

MA205 (facilitated by Julian & Zhijia):

• T.B.A.

MA250 (facilitated by Manoj):

• T.B.A.

Mock Tests/Exams

We will be implementing mock midterms and exams, as well as follow up review sessions online, through our site on MyLearningSpace.

Please refer to the "Math & Stats Learning Support - Waterloo" page on MyLS. If you do not see the relevant MaSt support page in your list of courses on MyLS, use the Advanced Search link and then change the Semester option box to "None". If you still don't see the MaSt support page, then you can self-register for it: go back to your home page in MyLS and you should see a link for "Self Registration"; click this and then find "Math & Stats Learning Support - Waterloo" to enroll.

Participating in a Mock Test:

• optional, but recommended - create one page of study notes ahead of time, to use while completing the mock test
• the mock test will be made available at the date/time listed below, on the MaSt page in MyLearningSpace
• download a copy of the mock test - either print a paper copy of the test, or use a pdf annotator (or MS OneNote) and a tablet/iPad
• complete the problems under "test-like" conditions: 
  • restrict yourself to a 1.0 to 1.5 hour period to work on the problems (or a 2.0 to 2.5 hour period for mock finals)
  • attempt the problems without using any reference material, other than your page of study notes (of course, this "cheat sheet" is not allowed for your actual midterm/exam, but is allowed for mock tests to aid in your study process)
  • use only the specific model of calculator allowed for your actual midterm/exam (if a calculator is allowed!)
  • provide complete solutions to the mock test questions - regardless of the format for your actual midterm/exam, we use traditional types of problems for the mocks so that we can provide feedback on your understanding of the process involved
• scan the paper copy of your work (preferably using the method that has been outlined for your math labs), or save your electronic copy;  either way, your completed mock test file should be one PDF, PNG, or JPEG file
• submit your completed mock test file to the appropriate Dropbox on the MaSt page in MyLS, by the time noted below
• your completed mock test will be graded (grades will not be recorded), and linked in the Feedback section of your Dropbox submission

Participating in a Review Session:

• all students in the course are welcome to attend the takeup/review session, regardless of whether they submitted a mock test for grading or not
• students are strongly encouraged to have attempt all of the problems before the review session; this is to help you determine which topics/concepts you need to review - we may not go through the solution for every problem on the mock test
• the takeup/review sessions will be conducted either online and/or on campus

Schedule for Mock Tests: Spring 2022

The schedule of mock midterm tests will be posted late May, and the schedule of mock final exams will be posted mid-June.

MA101 Mock Midterm

MA101 Mock Exam

MA103 Mock Midterm

MA103 Mock Exam

MA104 Mock Midterm

MA104 Mock Exam

MA121 Mock Test 1

MA121 Mock Test 2

MA121 Mock Exam

MA122 Mock Midterm

MA122 Mock Exam

MA129 Mock Test 1

MA129 Mock Test 2

MA129 Mock Exam

MA170 Mock Exam