Drowning in proofs

**DaGeek** · 11-20-2006, 02:58 PM

I'm homeschooled, and, this year, I'm taking Geometry. I use the A Beka Book curriculum, and, if anyone's used it, they know that the Geometry curriculum is insane. It likes to use a LOT of proofs. Recently, I had a day that the assignment was SIXTEEN PROOFS! I was smart enough to see this ahead of time, though. On the day before, I had an easy lesson, so I decided to do about eight of the proofs that day, too, so I wouldn't be swamped the next day... I am going to go insane from all of these proofs. It's nuts! How do I get out of this stress? It's killing me slowly! I don't normally have to do sixteen in day, normally eight-ten... And that's also killing me. What can I do to keep from getting so tired and stressed from all of this math that takes a while?

Edited for clarification of the issue.

bobthecockroach · 11-20-2006, 03:16 PM

Why do you have to do so much every day?

**DaGeek** · 11-20-2006, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobthecockroach

Why do you have to do so much every day?

It's in the assignment book that comes with the curriculum. If you'd believe it, I've got this much each day, and it'll still take 180 days to complete the stupid thing.

bobthecockroach · 11-20-2006, 05:43 PM

Ah, I hate curriculum.

In any event, that still doesn't really answer my question. Who is requiring you to that much? Parents? Some class? Some sort of program connected to the curriculum?

**DaGeek** · 11-20-2006, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobthecockroach

Ah, I hate curriculum.

In any event, that still doesn't really answer my question. Who is requiring you to that much? Parents? Some class? Some sort of program connected to the curriculum?

The actual curriculum we use... It comes with books and an assignment pad thing, sorta like a syllabus. I pretty much teach myself, as it were. Each day, I check the "syllabus" for my daily assignment, then I do it. It's homeschool, so I don't have a teacher.

ieatdirt · 11-20-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaGeek

I'm homeschooled, and, this year, I'm taking Geometry. I use the A Beka Book curriculum, and, if anyone's used it, they know that the Geometry curriculum is insane. It likes to use a LOT of proofs. Recently, I had a day that the assignment was SIXTEEN PROOFS! I was smart enough to see this ahead of time, though. On the day before, I had an easy lesson, so I decided to do about eight of the proofs that day, too, so I wouldn't be swamped the next day... I am going to go insane from all of these proofs. It's nuts! How do I get out of this stress? It's killing me slowly! I don't normally have to do sixteen in day, normally eight-ten... And that's also killing me. What can I do? I almost enjoy proofs, really, but there are too many each day to even think about liking it. I'm also having some difficulty just figuring out how to solve it. I have always had a problem with problem-solving, story problems, etc. If you show me how to do it, I can do it a lot, but I have some trouble unless things are explained very well or unless I have a teacher to show me. I do well with examples, mainly. But yeah, how do I combat this stress? Geometry generally takes several hours a day... I can't keep this up without going bonkers.

What exactly are you talking about? Is it problems that have you prove something? I had trouble with those.

**DaGeek** · 11-20-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ieatdirt

What exactly are you talking about? Is it problems that have you prove something? I had trouble with those.

No... I'm just spending several hours a day on them, and I'm getting really tired/irritable for a while after, and it's just a pain.

bobthecockroach · 11-20-2006, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaGeek

The actual curriculum we use... It comes with books and an assignment pad thing, sorta like a syllabus. I pretty much teach myself, as it were. Each day, I check the "syllabus" for my daily assignment, then I do it. It's homeschool, so I don't have a teacher.

I was homeschooled too. I never did every problem in a set. Heck, I've never done every problem for a set in my college math classes.

Peatrical · 11-20-2006, 08:26 PM

There are general strategies for proofs, if you post some examples I can try and show you quick ways to do them.

**DaGeek** · 11-20-2006, 08:30 PM

Proofs such as this give me trouble:

(a) Prove that from any point outside an acute angle perpendiculars are drawn to the sides of the angle, then the angle between these perpendiculars is equal to the given angle
(b) Suppose that the given angle is obtuse

Peatrical · 11-20-2006, 09:13 PM

A good place to start would be your definitions of acute angles and perpendicular lines. Also visualizing the problem would be a good idea, perhaps draw a cartersian mock up and pick any angle less than pi/2.