5 Topics in Grade 11 Math that Ontario students struggle with

Struggling with Grade 11 math?! We get it! If your child is navigating the wild and wonderful world of MCR3U (Ontario's Grade 11 Functions), you might have noticed some areas that seem a little sticky. Don’t worry, we’ve got you! Here are five of the topics our Toronto math students struggle with the most and five tips our tutors have to help navigate them!

1. Rational Expressions

Rational expressions can feel confusing, especially when they show up in MCR3U instead of Grade 12 Advanced Functions, which is when many schools introduce them. Your child might struggle with simplifying, multiplying, and dividing these algebraic fractions. But with some practice and a few handy techniques (like finding common denominators), these concepts will become as familiar as the fractions they once struggled with in elementary school!

2. Functions and Relations

Functions and relations can feel super confusing, whether your child is in MCR3U or in the Functions and Applications course. Your child might stumble when determining if a relation is a function or working with inverse functions. But with a little creativity, function mapping, and graphing, they'll get the hang of these math relationships.

3. Trigonometric Functions

Trigonometric functions can be tricky, especially because in our humble opinion - they teach SOHCAHTOA at the wrong time and don’t introduce functions until too late - but hey, the good news is that they’re just like the functions your child has already learned in this course! Your child might find it challenging to work with sine, cosine, and tangent, especially when dealing with amplitude and period, but there are some quick formulas and cool patterns to help them find their way through the trig unit?

4. Logarithmic and Exponential Functions

Logarithmic and exponential functions can seem confusing, but again - they’re just functions, and once you’ve got a handle on the basic function equation, these will be a breeze! Your child might grapple with solving exponential and logarithmic equations or understanding the properties of logarithms, but a good tutor or a free resource like Khan Academy can help them discover how cool and easy these can be to understand!

5. Polynomial Functions

Many schools don’t teach Polynomial functions until MHF4U, but if your child is learning them in Grade 11, they may face challenges factoring polynomials or finding the roots of equations. But with the right tools (factoring techniques and the quadratic formula), these will become as familiar as the regular functions they’re already used to dealing with!

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Remember, MCR3U isn't about mastering math overnight; it's a journey filled with exciting challenges. Encourage your child to explore these math concepts with enthusiasm and creativity. You can even turn everyday activities into math adventures, like analyzing sports statistics or planning a budget together. If you’re panicking, am amazing tutor or a free online resource like Khan academy can help. Our Toronto-based math tutors love using services like IXL to help students get more practice with concepts they’re struggling with! With a pinch of fun and a sprinkle of perseverance, MCR3U can be a thrilling mathematical quest! 🌟📊🧩

Vanessa Vakharia is the author of 𝑀𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝐻𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 + 𝑀𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝐻𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝟚 , the host of the Math Therapy podcast, and the founder of The Math Guru tutoring studio.