Why is 8th grade crucial for a CBSE student?

8th grade is a bridge between Upper primary & High school.

WHY 8TH GRADE MATHEMATICS IS CRUCIAL TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS

Jump back onto the mathematics train at the right time

Mathematics till the 5th grade is mostly fun and interactive learning. It can be mastered even on the day before the exam. By 6th grade, conceptual learning becomes deeper and can only be mastered through problem solving. Here, it is a continuous process, where students have to spend quality time daily to cover what is taught in school and tough questions over and above the syllabus during weekends. Now, if you haven’t gone through this process in 6th and 7th grade and managed to get admission to 8th grade with scores that do not match your performance till 5th grade, this is the right time to take Mathematics seriously.

In the coming grades, 9th and 10th, the subject will take on a new level and will come across in your life when you are given leadership opportunities in various positions in your school. And today, schools give great importance to extracurricular activities, which are very relevant in excelling in a socially connected and creativity-driven world we have.

Importance of a good teacher

When we are planning towards excelling in 8th-grade mathematics, solving questions from guides like R.D. Sharma is key. Here, you need a motivated teacher to explain the concepts repeatedly through problem-solving. Otherwise, this entire process will be frustrating. Now, since the emergence of IT and opportunities for Engineers, most of the bright minds opted for Engineering in good colleges since 2000, unlike the previous generation who took up higher education in Mathematics. Hence, we have a gap in the availability of good teachers in schools teaching Mathematics in cities and the ever-rising demand for the same. This is due to the high rate of urbanisation. Hence, getting your perfect teacher is the first important step.

Importance of Problem-solving

A time allotted for problem solving in a systematic and dedicated manner helps with two very important aspects towards being a good student in Mathematics

Problem solving helps to master the language of Mathematics, Mathematics is just the universal language to express the concepts in any subject when study is taken at the highest level. This is crucial to solving chapters on linear and quadratic equations in the next grade, and most importantly, Trigonometry, which is dealt with only in 10th grade. Two chapters of Trigonometry in 10th grade can be demotivating for anyone who is looking to score high marks in all subjects in their first public exam.

Secondly, only solving problems around different perspectives and difficulty types around a particular concept can help retain them when you prepare to solve around deeper concepts in the coming grades.

Spending quality time on the subject

Only quality time spent with utmost focus and dedication can help you be a good student in this subject, especially if you are planning to take Mathematics in Senior school.

You should pick the right time when your mind is sharp on a systematic basis, whatever may suit you. It can be daily or at any intervals that match your total study pattern.

You have to train your mind to apply logic and reasoning to solve problems before going to your teacher.

Consult your teacher with a set of problems so that he/she can guide you on the particular concept or chapter in totality

Start enjoying the subject

Once you are through with your textbook problems and questions suggested by your teacher and find that you are able to apply your mind for a considerable amount of time without being distracted, explore tough problems from recommended experts on the internet.

Sometimes you might have to meditate on a problem for long periods, but if you can solve it, you will slowly start enjoying Mathematics better than any other subject.

There is nothing much to learn in a chapter of Mathematics conceptually, it is about learning the art of problem solving. This is the basis for employment at the highest level in any organisation today. The reason why students from IIT+IIM end up in high positions in big corporations around the world.

Do this now, so that you will be able to apply this process in 9th grade, when the syllabus becomes very extensive.

Excellence in Mathematics helps build your confidence

Excelling in Mathematics does not mean that you are a confident person in totality. Though in most universities in India, education till your Bachelor's degree today is merely to train you on “Learning how to learn”

Those who excel in Mathematics in 10th grade are confident to take up Physics and Chemistry also in senior school. Even if you fail to make it into the best Engineering colleges, you stand a better chance of excelling in any other stream. This is the power of problem solving in the world around us, where we are constantly adapting to changes that are happening at an unprecedented pace.