Never Give Up — Keep Trying, a single moment will completely turn things around (The effect of Relative Motion on my Math Skills )
After finishing my G.C.E. Ordinary Level Exams in 2010, I started to attend A/L classes from the beginning of 2011. I chose physical sciences stream, because being an Engineer was my ultimate ambition since I was 7years old. I was attending the Math classes of Manoj Solangaarachchi, who was a brilliant and an inspirational character in A/L Combined Mathematics field at the time.
In my O/L days , Mathematics was one of the easiest subjects for me. But it was not the case when I started my Advanced Levels.
At the very beginning I was terrible at A/L Maths, I was good in Physics (mechanics) and those days I didn’t care about Chemistry. But Combined Mathematics was a real concern for me. In the beginning I was not good with Trigonometry — the first math lesson. I was able to prove L.H.S = R.H.S after trying several times for hours while in home. I was kind of depressed, and even thought of switching into Biology stream. What kept me going was my desire to be an Engineer and the positive thoughts I had because I was able to place 32nd in Sri Lanka Mathematical Olympiad competition in 2010 (when I was in Grade 11). I kept on trying and became slightly good at Trigonometry.
Then started the next lesson — Straight Line. It was even more struggling. I remember how I solved a past paper question after trying for one and half days. At that time Math had become my least preferred subject. I kept on trying the Straight Line tutorial, and there were some questions I couldn’t solve even after trying for hours. I highlighted them to try again later.
After Straight Line, the first Applied lesson — Relative Motion was started. I still remember how Solangaarachchi sir told that relative motion is a lesson which can train the brain to solve math problems. He even said that being good in relative velocity means that the future life is going to be good :D . It really hit me as I was trying hard to be good at Math. The Relative Motion lesson was kind of easier for me than the previous two lessons. I bought the “Relative Motion” book by K. Jayatilake who was a former vice principle of Ananda College (my school) and started to solve questions in that book. First I try to solve the given examples, and then went to solve the questions. I was getting really good at it and solving questions in that book has become kind of a passion. If my memory is correct, I was able to complete the whole book within a week or one and half week. Then I was among the first group of students who solved Relative Motion problems in Sola’s class.
After coming home finishing a successful day at the math class (with a mind full of positive vibes), I took the Straight Line tutorial and tried to solve the questions I have highlighted (the questions that I could not solve earlier). Unbelievably, I was able to solve those questions with very little effort and I was like “wow”. Then I became a fan of A/L mathematics and even scored well in term tests and paper classes. I didn’t become a math genius, but I was able to get an “A” for 2013 A/L Combined Mathematics paper, and also went onto get “A”s for Physics and Chemistry. Most importantly, I was able to get selected to the Engineering Faculty of the University of Moratuwa (Even though I have slightly lost my focus in the mid period of A/L life ;) ) .
I didn’t even remember whether there was a question from Relative Motion inthe Applied Mathematics paper that year (2013), but it didn’t matter because Relative Motion had already inspired me.
I thought of writing this story because I see a lot of guys who are doing A/L become depressed when they are struggling. Whenever someone asks what should he/she do to be good at A/L maths I tell them to try that Relative Motion book and also to solve the math problems in their own without looking at the answers (this is really important). Hope my story would be helpful at least for few guys who are doing A/Ls. In relation to my A/L experience, if someone becomes good at A/L mathematics, 90% of the time he’ll be good at Physics and Chemistry. Most of the people (except the exceptional geniuses) struggle at the beginning but keep trying, a single moment will completely turn things around.
