Who Are the Most Famous British Pianists

Who Are the Most Famous British Pianists Who Are The Best British Pianists? ChaptersAlan RawsthorneBenjamin BrittenBenno MoiseiwitschCipriani PotterDonald Francis ToveyBest British Pianists: Frederic Hymen CowenGeorge PintoIrene ScharrerJohann Baptist CramerPianists from the UK: John LillJohn McCabeJohn TaylorOther British Piano VirtuososVocabulary“You write to become immortal, or because the piano happens to be open, or you’ve looked into a pair of beautiful eyes.” - Robert SchumannThe piano is one of the most popular instruments for musicians to learn and its popularity never seems to waiver.  There’s always a piano within reach. Throughout the history of music, the piano’s played a hugely important role and many pianists can serve as a fine example to the younger generations.Both international famous pianists (Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Robert Schumann, Schubert, etc.) and British pianists have played their part in creating a musical landscape full of famous pieces.Forget about famous composers like Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Franz Liszt, Beethoven, Tchai kovsky, and Prokofiev, in this article we're going to talk about some of the greatest British pianists!Keep up with your piano lessons and make it to this list one day. LouisPiano Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlisonPiano Teacher £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErenPiano Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BarbaraPiano Teacher £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chi yuenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomPiano Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtiePiano Teacher £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAlan RawsthorneAllan Rawsthorne hailed from Lancashire and studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music. Throughout his career, he put together an impressive repertoire of music.If you want to become a great pianist, you have to first learn to play the piano. (Source: F ree-Photos)He wrote one ballet and a number of symphonies for the orchestra. Of all his works, Symphonic Studies, a concerto for orchestra, his viola sonata, and his two piano concertos are some of his most popular works.He was also responsible for the soundtracks for a large number of films during the 1940s and 1950s.Benjamin BrittenBritten attended the Royal College of Music and was heavily influenced by classical music in his early years since his mother wanted him to follow in the footsteps of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, by adding Britten to the list. That said, Britten claimed that his creativity was stifled by constantly studying and playing their work.Throughout his illustrious career, he created many a composition including operas, church parables, ballets, orchestral pieces, concertante, and instrumental music including solo piano pieces.He also founded the Aldeburgh Festival, an arts festival devoted to classical music which takes place in June in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.Benno MoiseiwitschIf you're thinking that Benno Moiseiwitsch doesn't sound very British, you'd be right. Moiseiwitsch was born in Odessa in the Russian empire in 1890 before moving to the UK in 1908.He regularly played Romantic pieces, including works by Rachmaninoff. In fact, Rachmaninoff himself said that Moiseiwitsch was his “spiritual heir”.Moiseiwitsch was given a CBE for his contributions during the Second World War as he regularly played to the armed forces.Unlike some of the other greats you find in lists of famous pianists, you can actually listen to recordings of the virtuoso himself as a lot of his performances were recorded.Cipriani PotterCipriani Potter is one of the older pianists on our list, having been born in 1792. He was a staff member of the Royal Academy of Music in London in its early days before becoming principal for nearly 30 years!He came from a musical family and was taught by two people who were students of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (one of them being his ow n father!).  He was accepted into the Philharmonic Society as an associate member at the age of 21 (he would later become a full member).He created a number of orchestral symphonies, concertante, and many piano pieces. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has produced commercial recordings of a couple of his piano concerti if you'd like to listen to his creations.Donald Francis ToveyAnother British pianists worth mentioning is Sir Donald Francis Tovey. In addition to his playing, he also extensively studied music and wrote essays on music. While he didn't compose as many pieces as the other pianists and composers in our list, his contribution to the study of music more than makes up for it.That said, he still wrote a number of piano pieces, chamber music, orchestral symphonies, an opera, and choral music.Best British Pianists: Frederic Hymen CowenCowen was actually born in Kingston, Jamaica, but moved to the UK when he was four. He came from an artistic family with one sister being an a ctress and another a painter.  He published his first composition when he was just six years old and created an operetta at the age of eight.Many of the greats started tickling the ivories when they were very young. (Source: consorex)He won the Mendelssohn Scholarship in Germany, which would have paid for him to attend the Leipzig Conservatorium for three years. However, his parents sent him as an independent student in order to retain control over him. He eventually had to return following the Austro-Prussian War.He specialised in lighter orchestral pieces rather than serious pieces. LouisPiano Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlisonPiano Teacher £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErenPiano Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BarbaraPiano Teacher £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chi yuenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomPiano Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtiePiano Teacher £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGeorge PintoWhile there are very few records of Pinto's family life, there's a lot more information available on his music. He was born in 1785 and started learning music from the age of 8. By the age of 10, he was part of London's music scene. He also performed in Bath, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Oxford, and Paris.London is still home to a vibrant music scene. (Source: Free-Photos)While he usually played the violin rather than the piano, Pinto had stated that the piano was his favourite instrument. He was also a fan of J. S. Bach.He died at the age of 20 having fallen ill the previous year.Irene ScharrerIrene Scharrer studied at the Royal Academy of Music and, like many of the other pianists on our list, got started at a very young age. She first performed in London at the age of 16 and regularly performed until throughout her life.She woul d often play four-handed compositions with Myra Hess, another British pianist of note.  Her playing favoured grace over power and she was at her best when playing Romantic pieces.Johann Baptist CramerThough born in Mannheim, Germany, Cramer moved to London as a child and lived and worked there most of his life.He was a talented pianist and when impressed Beethoven when he visited Vienna. He was also friends with Haydn.  He was famous for his technical precision when playing the piano and wrote 200 sonatas for the instrument. He also a number of piano concertos.Pianists from the UK: John LillJohn Lill is one of the few living pianists still on our list since you usually have to have stood the test of time before you can be classed as one of the greats. However, Lill is certainly deserving of appearing in this list.He was born in 1944 and from a very young age was shown to be very talented. He attended the Royal College of Music and made his first performance at the age of 9.There are recordings of his playing available to those interested in hearing him tickle the ivories. He is particularly famous for his incredible interpretations of Beethoven's works.John McCabeJohn McCabe, who passed away in 2015, was dubbed as “a pianist of formidable gifts and wide-ranging sympathies”. He started composing at a young age and by the time he reached the age of 11, he had written thirteen sympnonies.Even though he regularly composed music, he initially became famous as a pianist who could play almost anything from Classical to contemporary music.John TaylorWhile the other pianists on the list mainly play classical music, John Taylor was a jazz pianist. In fact, he's also the only pianist on this list who's self-taught!You don't need an expensive piano to become a great pianist. (Source: Mariamichelle)He got involved in the jazz scene when he moved to London in 1964. He worked with a number of different acts and employed a style that was inspired by both jazz and classica l music.Take piano lessons online and make it to the list of the most famous pianist.Other British Piano VirtuososOf course, we can’t fit all the great British pianists into one measly article.  Here are a few more pianists that you might want to check out for their piano playing:Johnny PearsonJon LordJulius DrakeKaikhosru Shapurji SorabjiKathryn StottMichael FinnissyMichael NymanMike PinderMyra HessPaul McCartneyPaul WilliamsPercival MackeyWhether you’re looking for a classical or contemporary pianist or a composer or a jazz pianist, there are plenty of talented Britons to listen to.VocabularyThe piano has made a home for itself in the UK and, as a result, we have plenty of internationally famous pianists. Classical training has helped these pianists make a name for themselves. However, you won’t be able to join them if you don’t know what any of the words mean.In a number of our articles on music, we've included a short glossary at the end. If you want to become fluent in music, you'll have to read them all!CounterpointThis is when two distinct melodies are played over one another.RubatoThis is an Italian term which means that the piece should be played expressively and with freedom.See more famous piano players here.

#TBT to the 90s 5 Easy Guitar Songs for Beginners

#TBT to the 90s 5 Easy Guitar Songs for Beginners Sign up successful 1. Today by The Smashing Pumpkins One of The Smashing Pumpkins’ radio hits from Siamese Dream, this track features a powerful wall of guitars and a catchy chorus. It’s also a great way to get accustomed to two guitar techniques that defined 90s rock: two-string melodies and barre chords. Two-string melodies, like the intro guitar lick, rely on the player holding his or her fingers down over two strings at the same time so that both continue to ring out after they are plucked. In this case, use your index finger to hold down the eleventh fret on both strings. Then, use your middle finger for the thirteenth fret and your ring finger for the fifteenth fret. Intro Riff: Barre chords are based on a movable chord shape, which means you can use the same fingering to play a chord at any fret you want! They also require you to place your index finger down over all strings at the fret you are “barring.” For example, “Today” uses the following chords: Eb Major, Bb Major, Ab Major, C Minor, F Major, G Major Eb Bb Ab Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known Eb Bb Ab Can’t live for tomorrow, tomorrow’s much too long Eb Bb Ab Eb Bb Cm I’ll burn my eyes out before I get out F Ab C F Ab Cm I wanted more than life could ever grant me F Ab C F Ab G Bored by the chore of saving face Eb Bb Ab Today is the greatest day Ive ever known Eb Bb Ab Cant wait for tomorrow, I might not have that long Eb Bb Ab Eb Bb Cm Ill tear my heart out before I get out Eb Bb Eb Ab Eb Bb Eb Ab Today is.. today is.. today is.. the greatest. Eb Bb C Ab Eb Bb Cm Day hee-yay, oo oo ooo ooo ooo. Day hee-yay-ay, hooo Placing your finger down across the entire neck can be tricky at first, but keep practicing, and it will pay off! This technique is very common. If you can’t do it at first (and there’s no shame in doing this!), you can substitute the barre chords for power chords. Power chords are basically just barre chords that omit everything but the first two or three strings, resulting in an “open” sound that goes great with a ton of distortion. 2. Wonderwall by Oasis Everyone’s learned this song at some point â€" it’s practically THE acoustic guitar song of the 90s. Central to the song’s playing technique is its exclusive use of G position chords in the verses. These are chords that revolve around the open G Major chord position. Basically, it means that your last two fingers don’t ever have to leave the third fret. G Major, A7sus4, Dsus4, Em7, Cadd9 This technique sounds really cool, and it makes the song easier to play since you only have to move two fingers! Oasis plays “Wonderwall” with a capo on the third fret, but this isn’t necessary. Play it wherever you think it sounds good! Em7 G Today is gonna be the day Dsus4 A7sus4 That theyre gonna throw it back to you Em7 G By now you shouldve somehow Dsus4 A7sus4 Realized what you gotta do Em7 G I dont believe that anybody Dsus4 A7sus4 Feels the way I do Em7 G Dsus4 A7sus4 About you now C D Em And all the roads we have to walk are winding C D Em And all the lights that lead us there are blinding C D There are many things that I G G/f# Em A7sus4 Would like to say to you but I dont know how Cadd9 Em7 G Because maybe Em7 Cadd9 Em7 G You’re gonna be the one that saves me Cadd9 Em7 G And after all Cadd9 Em7 G A7sus4 You’re my wonderwall 3. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana No 90s list is complete without mentioning this track â€" it should probably always be number one! “Teen Spirit” is all about power chords. They’re played with heavy distortion during the chorus, punctuated by the simplest possible, two-string melody during the verses. Power chords are notated with a “5” because they consist only of the root note and the note 5 scale degrees above it. Most players play these chords with three fingers: the index, middle, and ring, OR the index, middle, and pinky. Some, however, prefer just the index and ring fingers. F5, Bb5, Ab5, Db5, E5 F5 Bb5 With the lights out, its less dangerous Ab5 Db5 Here we are now, entertain us F5 Bb5 I feel stupid and contagious Ab5 Db5 Here we are now, entertain us F5 Bb5 A mulatto, an albino Ab5 Db5 A mosquito, my libido F5 E5 F5 Ab5 Hey! F5 E5 Db5 Bb5 F5 E5 F5 Ab5 Hey! F5 E5 Db5 Bb5 And the verse guitar melody: It’s actually that simple! Use your index finger to hold down both strings at the same time. Halfway through each verse, Kurt speeds it up into double time, so listen for the rhythm! Another plus â€" the guitar solo in this song is the same as the vocal melody! Try to sound it out as you play along. Getting used to hearing melodies as you play them will help you quickly improve your soloing skills. 4. When I Come Around by Green Day Like Nirvana, Green Day takes inspiration from their punk rock predecessors in the 1980s. This means power chords! “When I Come Around” is a very straightforward song, but it’s still so catchy! Also important when playing this song â€" the verses make use of extensive palm muting. Palm muting is a technique where you use the side of your right hand to slightly muffle your strings while you strum. Try to keep your picking hand as relaxed as possible, so that you can keep the mute on when necessary and then take it off to let the chord ring out. F#5, C#5, D#5, B5,  G#5 F#5 C#5 D#5 B5 I heard you crying loud F#5 C#5 D#5 B5 All the way across town F#5 C#5 D#5 B5 Youve been searching for that someone and its me out on the prowl F#5 C#5 D#5 B5 As you sit around feeling sorry for yourself G#5 B5 No time to search the world around G#5 B5 Cause you know where Ill be found B5 When I come around 5. Santeria by Sublime With equal parts reggae and punk rock, Sublime ruled the SoCal scene in the early 90s. This song is unbelievably fun to play and reasonably simple, too. However, this last technique may take a little while to get the hang of. It’s called the ska upchuck, and it’s what gives a lot of ska (and reggae) music its characteristic guitar sound. After each time the player strums a chord, the picking hand is brought up quickly on an “upswing” to hit the strings once again. This time, however, the strings are muted with your fretting hand, resulting in a “dead, scratchy” sound. Try it with any chord you like! Listen to Santeria to get the hang of the rhythm. This technique works especially well on the highest three strings, so try these chord positions first: E Major, G# Major, C# minor, B Major, A Major E I dont practice santeria G# I aint got no crystal ball C#m I had a million dollars but Id, B Id spend it all E If I could find that Heina G# And that Sancho that shes found C#5 Well Id pop a cap in Sancho and Id B Slap her down A B E Dbm All I really wanna know my baby A B E Dbm All I really wanna say I cant define A B E Dbm Its love that I need A B But my soul will have to wait You did it! You’re now a master of five 90s guitar classics! You also got firsthand experience with some of the techniques that defined a decade of music, including barre chords, two-string melodies, power chords, and the ska upchuck. Keep playing along to these songs, and you’ll quickly notice it becoming second nature! A guitar teacher can help you discover and learn even more fun songs that are right for your skill level and interests! Search for your guitar teacher now! Collin K. teaches in-person guitar and singing lessons in Brooklyn, N.Y. He studied Music Technology at New York University, plays in an instrumental rock band, and writes music for films. Learn more about Collin here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Matt Brown

Learning to Play Guitar for Free

Learning to Play Guitar for Free How to Play the Guitar without Spending Money ChaptersHow Can You Find Guitar Sheet Music?Music at GCSE or A LevelHow to Get Free Guitar LessonsThe Best Festivals for Discovering the Guitar“Sometimes the nicest thing to do with a guitar is just look at it.” - Thom YorkeScience has been shown to improve the productiveness of workers. Additionally, many people enjoy music and the guitar is one of the most popular instruments for people to learn.So how do you do it?Learning to play the guitar is easier than you might think, you just need to find beginner guitar resources, learn about finger placement on the strings, how to tune a guitar, learn some guitar chords, and start strumming.Whether you choose online guitar lessons, free tabs or sheet music, music festival, or different guitar techniques, you can learn the guitar for pennies!In this series of articles, we're going to look at how you can learn the guitar on a budget, find sheet music for free, get free lessons, learn more about guitars at guitar festivals and shows, and improve your guitar playing by studying music at A Level.If you're ready to start learning guitar for less, just follow our guide! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Find Guitar Sheet Music?Learning how to play the guitar without spending money is becoming easier and easier. Lots of musicians start by teaching themselves. You don’t necessarily need to attend group music lessons if you want to become a seasoned guitarist.You can find sheet music and tabs online. (Source: ElasticComputeFarm)However, you need to learn the basics of music theory in order to be able to get the most out of learning the guitar for free. You can choose either sheet music or tablature! Tabs are more and more common and can easily be found on the internet regardless of the artist you want to play.That said, more and more sheet music is being made available online. To work out how to read sheet music, there are a few things you can do.  You can start by going online. You can find tabs put online by another guitar player to help people learn to play the guitar. Whether you view them online or download them, you can easily find the best versions.You should be aware that there are always multiple versions of tabs for the same song. There are also simplified versions you can get. You need to choose the version that works for you.Word of mouth is also a useful way to find the best sheet music or tabs. Ask any of your friends who know how to play the guitar. It’s highly likely that they’ll have some sheet music know where to find them. By borrowing them, you can save a penny or two.Going to the library is another way to get your hands on printed music. A lot of them usually have a music section with books filled with sheet music. Whether you’re looking for rock, blues, classical, jazz, etc., you’ll be bound to find something. You just have to get a library card and borrow the sheet music you want to learn.Sheet music will help your guitar playing as long as you know how to read it. To learn more about music theory (notes, tempo, rhythm, etc.), don’t hesitate to borrow a book on music theory from the library, too.The sooner you get started, the better since these things take time!Music at GCSE or A LevelLearning the guitar for free doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to learn how to play the guitar on your own. You can also learn how to play the guitar at school by studying music at school.Studying mus ic at A Level might be the way to go. (Source: Pexels)That said, you have to learn how to play guitar to some extent before you take music at GCSE. In fact, each student studying music at GCSE or A Level will need to know the basics of their instrument including basic chords, barre chords, arpeggios, strumming patterns, fingerstyle, picking etc.Studying music is a good way to deepen your understanding of the subject and learn more about music in general. It’s not recommended if you’ve never played the guitar in your life or if you want to teach yourself how to play it.Studying music at GCSE and A Level will help you to improve your playing as you’ll have a better knowledge of music.  Of course, you can’t be shy as there are exams and performances you’ll have to do. You’ll have to compose your own music as well as perform it. You’ll also need to perform pieces written by other artists.If you study music at A Level, you can even play with your band as part of your perfor mance pieces.How to Get Free Guitar LessonsThere are other ways to enjoy guitar lessons without having to spend a fortune. GCSE and A Level music won’t necessarily teach you about guitar technique and playing the guitar. This is for learning more about the music itself, which can improve your playing.You'll also learn more quickly with a teacher helping you. (Source: SplitShire)To learn about where to place your fingers on the frets, you’ll need to start looking for guitar lessons.So where can you find these for free?There are music associations, groups, or societies. Look for local societies which may be open to members from any background.  In many cases, membership is quite cheap and certainly much cheaper than attending a music school or conservatoire. They may even offer free guitar lessons there. This is great for families on a budget.  Have a look around the town and find a musical association.The large majority of music lessons offer a taster session at the start of the year. The first class or two can be used to see if this style of teaching is right for you or whether or not the classes are what you expected.  Of course, you won’t master the guitar in these lessons, but you will get an introduction to the guitar.Perhaps you might decide that it’s worthwhile investing some money in a few hours of tuition to help you learn the basics. You might even decide that you want to teach yourself.  You can learn the guitar for free thanks to the internet. There are plenty of video websites that have guitar tutorials available for free.You just need to put the name of the song and “tutorial” into the search bar. You’ll find videos with guitarists explaining, step by step, how to play a certain song.Now it's over to you!The Best Festivals for Discovering the GuitarEach summer, there are thousands of festivals around the country. This is a great opportunity for families and friends to get together and share their love of music.Seeing live guitar perf ormances are a good way to learn more about the instrument. (Source: Pexels)There are more and more great festivals popping up everywhere. They all offer an opportunity to either discover new artists or admire those that you already know. For budding guitarists, this is a great opportunity to watch your favourite musicians playing.  Listening to songs may also give you ideas about your own music and ways to play the guitar.Going to music festivals will also motivate you to learn more about the guitar. By watching the great musicians play, you’ll feel inspired to put a bit more effort in. Motivation is really important when it comes to learning a musical instrument like the guitar.You should also know that there are also festivals dedicated solely to the guitar. There are luthier stands, musicians, and plenty of different guitars (acoustic guitars, electric guitars, etc.)Here are some festivals for discovering the guitar:London Guitar FestivalLondon International Guitar ShowLeeds/B radford Guitar ShowThe UK Guitar Show, LondonThe North East Guitar ShowThe North West Guitar ShowThe Merseyside Gitar ShowLearning and playing the guitar is an incredibly rewarding endeavour. We highly recommend you pick up an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar attend a guitar lesson or guitar course for beginners with an amazing private guitar teacher.With just a quick search on Superprof, you can find private guitar tutors who work near you and find guitar lessons for beginners and learn exactly the kind of lessons you want. With a private tutor, you get to choose exactly what you want to learn. Just tell your tutor why you want to learn the guitar, what you want to achieve, and how you'd prefer to learn, and they'll put together a programme that works for you and your learning style.Don't forget that you can also get online tutorials via webcam. This is when the tutor using video conferencing software like Skype to talk to their student. As long as both the tutor and student h ave a decent internet connection, you can learn digitally.

Online Maths Tutor Solving Problems Step by Step

Online Maths Tutor Solving Problems Step by Step Let Our Guide to Developing Your Math Skills Act as Your Maths Teacher ChaptersDefining Maths ProblemsMaking the Most of Maths LessonsReading the Question: Take your TimeExamining the CluesWhat About Harder Maths Problems?Checking Your Answers!Summing UpDeveloping your talent for maths problem solving is definitely one of the most important steps to take when you want to succeed in maths - and that's because, really, all maths problems are just puzzles and problem solving questions - that includes geometry questions, algebra questions, even the infamous calculus problems!To approach a maths problem, whether you're a primary school student, or studying for a masters degree in Mathematics, adopting a problem-solving frame of mind will go a long way in helping you get a handle on the problem.Lots of people get pretty apprehensive when it comes to tackling maths problems, and as a result they don't think as clearly as they normally would - which just compounds the issue! Follow our maths guides though, and you'll be able to boost your confidence in your mat hematics, and make quick work of tackling tricky maths problems. MyriamMaths Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £200/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr parikhMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KamalMaths Teacher 5.00 (9) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PetarMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GowsikaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RubenMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ConorMaths Teacher 4.75 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDefining Maths ProblemsBefore we get stuck in with solving problems with maths help, we should first be clear on what they actually are. Throughout your academic career, the only thing that changes about maths problems is their difficulty: the principle of each problem is the same, even when the content itself changes (the same thought process can be used for word problems, or calculus problems).Knowing what defines a maths problem is the first step to solving it! (Source: Pixabay Credit: Geralt)Here's what my handy dictionary has to say about maths problems:A maths problem is a question to solve through scientific meansWe can change this definition a little, though: making it more specific depending on where in your academic career you are:Primary SchoolYou should consider the problem like a puzzle to solve, using the information given in the question. In this stage of your learning, it's important to familiarise yourself with numbers, figures and counting. You first focus on the basics of arithmetic, multiplying, place values, the like. Later on, you'll look at word problems like the one below.Here's an example of a question you might see in school:It's 2PM. John and Tim are going to go for a walk in the forest. What time will they get back if their walk lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes?Secondary School Maths ProblemsDuring the first stages of your secondary education, you'll learn about expressions and fractions. Things are  getting trickier now, but it's still pretty manageable. Here's a problem for which you'd need to find a solution in secondary school:John has 10 sweets. He hands two to Sally, and twice as many to Jane as he gave to Sally. Finally, he gives Fred a third of the number of sweets that Sally and Jane have together. How many sweets is John left with?GCSE Maths Revision / A Level ProblemsHeading into your GCSEs and A levels is where things really start to get tricky, and where having a well-honed problem solving skill set can really come in handy. Every problem you come across at this level will require some thought and problem solving knowhow. They will also mix together topics you have previously studied: algebra and fractions may come up in the same question, for example.Here's an example of such a problem:Nick has 75 metres of fence. He wants to mark out an are a in a field with his fence, and this area must be rectangular. It must also be as large as possible, in order to fit as many sheep in as possible. What's the largest area that Nick can fence off, and how can he calculate this?The level of difficulty in each of the stages of academia differs, but the principle remains the same. We're given a scenario, some clues, and a question to answer.If you don't like thinking about maths, picture yourself as a private detective, given several clues to crack a case wide open!Making the Most of Maths LessonsYour maths teacher won't ever give you a piece of homework, or an exercise, that doesn't match up with something you've done before in class.Fun mathematics class with Einstein. (Source: yesofcorsa)Lessons normally work as follows: you will have a lesson on a particular subject, and then you have to practise by yourself (usually by attempting problems), and work out how much of the content you understand. Then, normally your teacher will set a test at some point on the content.As much as you might find the lessons a little dry at the time, they're the first step in improving your understanding of mathematical concepts, and it's essential you put the effort in and get it right.Before trying to tackle a math problem, make sure you've understood the concepts you were taught during the lesson, because they'll undoubtedly be linked in some way.So, summing up - to make the most of your maths lessons...Listen carefully to your teacher (for the whole lesson!)Test yourself with questions on topics you're uncertain of, so you can get some practise in!Learn off by heart important and simple concepts (for example: Pythagoras' theorem).Start making your own revision folder, detailing all of the concepts covered in class.If you want to go further in your studies, or maybe you're struggling a little in class, you could consider a maths private tutor, who can go through the content with you at home, at your own pace.Reading the Question : Take your TimeFaced with math problems, at home, in an exam, or in class, your first instinct should be to read the question. And then read it again. Maybe even a third time for good measure.Basically, missing one small detail could be the difference between getting the correct answer, and only being able to present witty doodles to the examiner!Fear not, though! Just follow these simple steps, and you'll have the maths cracked in no time:Keep your workspace as tidy and distraction free as possible: make sure everything is organised, and only have the essentials cluttering the desk.Make sure you read the question several times.If you can, draw a diagram or model of the problem.Highlight anything in the question you think will be key to solving it.Try and put into your own words what the question is asking.Follow these steps, and practise with them too, and you'll find yourself doing them out of habit when it comes to exam time. MyriamMaths Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free! Discover all our tutors MarkMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £200/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr parikhMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KamalMaths Teacher 5.00 (9) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PetarMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GowsikaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RubenMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ConorMaths Teacher 4.75 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsExamining the CluesThe text of a maths question you've been given is stuffed full of clues, you just need to assemble them correctly to work out how to solve the problem!Some people find this tricky, and that's where some maths home tuition might suit you. Having concepts explained to you at your own pace, within the comfort of your own home, works better for some people than sitting in a classroom with 25 other students!To get a feel for this, here's an example question about equations...When Gina was born, her mum was 30 years old, and her brother 4 years old. Today, the ages of Gina, her brother, and her mother, add up to 100 years.If we call Gina's age 'x', express the ages of her brother and mum as a function of 'x'.How old is Gina today?Have a read through of the question a few times, and try and pick out the key information. Once you've done this, here's a breakdown:We know that Gina's mum was 30 years old at Gina's birth.We know that Gina's brother is 4 years older than she is.We know that all of their ages added together is equal to 100 years.So, from these facts, we can fairly easily determine an equation:We call Gina's age 'x'.The age of Gina's brother is 'x + 4'The age of Gina's mother is 'x + 30'Really, we're looking at some fairly basic math problems, just dressed up as a fancy word problem.Learn how to graph functions or discover the list of  unsolved maths equations.What About Harder Maths Problems?Th is example was pretty simple, but it shows you how you can extract information from a worded question and turn it into figures used to solve a problem using concepts you learnt in your math lessons.For a harder problem, you might have to take the clues you've identified and then test a few different theories and see what works.This is when all the practise you put in earlier really counts, and listening to your math teacher pays off. Have a repertoire of mathematical concepts and theories you can call upon to work out how to solve the problem really makes finding the solution easier.If you're still stuck, try thinking back to questions you've done before. Particularly in exams, the questions often follow some sort of format or pattern, and being able to recall a previous question of a similar style might help you solve the one currently in front of you.Checking Your Answers!Make sure to double check your solutions. Perhaps ask a friend? (Source: Pixabay Credit: Leo Valente)Of course , all of the hard work you just put into answering the question is in vain if you didn't get the correct answer - this is why it's so important to check the answer you got! This is especially easy in questions involving equations, which is helpful, as it's quite easy to slip up while factoring.Check through your calculations again, making sure you didn't slip up anywhere and make a small mistake - especially early on, where any mistakes made will cascade into later parts of the question.It's also worth reading the question again, to check you haven't made any assumptions about the question accidentally, or didn't miss any key facts.Finally, remember that not all maths questions simply require you to throw any old number in as the answer. Some (particularly in exams) require you to justify your answer, or add some detail to it in some other way. And yes, this may (gasp)  involve writing a small paragraph. This is especially true with math word problems, where the question was given a s a paragraph.If this is the case, make sure you do fully answer the question, and make sure you write legibly, and that your answer makes sense, and is free of spelling or grammatical errors.Summing UpSo, to sum up, solving maths problems is all about having a sound and simple method for approaching problems, and rigorously practising applying this method. From kindergarten through to college, the same processes can be used to work out the answer to a maths problem. Simply follow logical reasoning and you'll get the solution in the end!If anything above sounded a bit tricky to you, or maybe you just want to gain an extra edge, consider taking up some private maths tuition. Private tutors can work at your pace, and target their teaching approach towards what works for you personally - they can really make a difference when it comes to boosting your grades! Search for 'maths tutors near me' at Superprof. :)

English questions with How and the first Apple computer

English questions with How and the first Apple computer Many questions in English begin with the interrogative word how. How do you use it? Read the story, then see the series of questions below for some examples.The Christies auction computer.Like a lot of people these days, Im a geek for Apple computers. Every computer Ive purchased since 1992 has been an Apple. If I had a cell phone, itd be an iPhone. So I was interested when I found out that later this month Christies will auction Apples first product, the Apple I personal computer, for an estimated $160,000-$240,000.Many consider the Apple I to be the first personal computer. It was also Apples first product offering. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak built 200 Apple I computers by hand, in Steve Jobs parents garage. They sold for $666.66, which would be $2,500 adjusted for inflation. Although it doesnt look like much by todays standards (see the photos to the right), the Apple I helped to spark the home computer revolution when it was released in July 1976.Christies auction house is sel ling a superb example of the Apple I. They estimate that the price will now be between $160,000-$240,000 after bidding.If you should be lucky enough to win the Christies auction, youll get the Apple I in its original box with the Apple I cassette interface, and a signed letter from Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.The original Apple I had to be mostly assembled by the buyer, except for one important part, the motherboard, which Wozniak put together in the garage.Ok, and now the grammar!The interrogative word how can be used in several different ways:To ask about the quantity of uncountable English nouns:How much did the first Apple I computer cost?The Apple I, after assembly.How much will the Apple I sell for at the auction?How much do you think it is worth?To ask about the quantity of countable English nouns:How many Apple I computers did Steve Wozniak make?How many are left?To ask in what way, or by what manner something was done:How did they build a computer in a garage?How did Apple b ecome such a big company?To ask about the condition or quality of something:Apple started selling computers in 1976. How is the company doing now?How was your trip to the Apple store?To ask about the extent or degree of something:How old is the first Apple computer?How long did it take the company to move out of the garage?As a substitute for why, when used with come:How come Apple got so popular?

FIVE important Tips for Studying Smarter

FIVE important Tips for Studying Smarter If you or your child have an impression that studying should be intense and time consuming to be effective, guess again. Studies show that the most successful students dont necessarily study harder, but smarter. How can your child learn to embrace strong study habits? Here are a few tips to make the very most of study sessions: Plan ahead. Cramming is the enemy of the strong student. Encourage your child to plan ahead so that study sessions are spaced over time. Repeated reviewing of material is more effective at helping students recall and remember information. Your child will be more successful if he or she studies once a day for seven days prior to a test as opposed to just one seven-hour study session the day before. Read the right way. Most classes involve reading, and some might require a lot. Your child can retain what he or she reads by practicing active reading, or reading with purpose. That means previewing a text for information, writing down any questions or ideas before diving in, identifying key terms or information while reading, recalling information and self-checking at natural stopping points along the way (such as the ends of sections or chapters), and reading summaries carefully at the end of each session. Reading in this way helps children absorb things and it also guides them toward improved comprehension and retention. Practice self-testing. Taking periodic quizzes and tests while studying new material helps students remember information, and particularly by continuing to test information after it has been learned. Children can jot down questions as they read their text or notes to assemble a self-test to take later. Encourage your child to always draw from information that the teacher has noted as important (rather than random or obscure passages in the textbook). Dont waste time on futile practices. Certain popular study techniques have actually been found by researchers to be largely ineffective. Highlighting is a tool that many students rely upon to identify important information, but if a student highlights too much or too little or focuses on the wrong information, it can be counterproductive. The use of keyword mnemonics to memorize information is another study trick that has been proven to be unproductive, especially for the level of effort required. Bottom line: your child should embrace study practices that yield results and do away with those that do not. When in doubt, turn to the teacher. Memorizing notes or chapter summaries is not the best way to learn information and certainly not the best way to review it either. If the teacher doesnt initiate such a conversation in class, your child should arrange a time to talk with the teacher about what is most important to focus on while preparing for a test. Studying does not come naturally to every student, and while your child might have good intentions, these strategies will help him or her prepare for tests more efficiently and more effectively. As your child gets closer to high school, he or she will especially appreciate having reliable techniques for learning. If your child could use assistance improving those study skills, call Huntington. We can customize a program that will improve your childs methods and approachand result in academic success.

Facebook Good for Your Health

Facebook Good for Your Health Photo Via: http://www.techspot.com According to a recent study conducted by a doctoral student at the University of California, San Diego, the amount of time that we spend on social media is actually associated with a longer life. The study was published in the journal PNAS this Monday, and implied that the health effects of spending time online can actually mirror the benefits of living a busy life outside of social media. According to the paper, “We find that people with more friends online are less likely to die than their disconnected counterparts. This evidence contradicts assertions that social media have had a net-negative impact on health.” Of course, it’s easy to be a little skeptical of the study. However, three university and state review boards approved the study. That being said, two authors of the paper had pasts at Facebook, so I’d take the study with a grain of salt. Authors William Hobbs and Moira Burke worked at Facebook previously. But Mr. Hobbs actually said that Facebook didn’t interfere with his study in saying, “We had some things in writing that they couldn’t interfere with the publication of the research no matter what the result was.” That being said, Mr. Hobbs also noted that members of Facebook felt “pretty confident that we were going to find this result.” And a news release that was released by the University of California stated, “The research confirms what scientists have known for a long time about the offline world: People who have stronger social networks live longer.” The study followed a total of 12 million social media profiles and records from the California Department of Health. So what exactly did the study find? For one thing, it found that “moderate use” of the social media site was associated with the lowest mortality rate and friend requests were also associated with reduced mortality. It also found that sending friend requests was not associated with reduced mortality and those with large/average social networks actually lived longer than those with smaller accounts. And the study subjects were all born between 1945 and 1989, so it is taking into consideration multiple generations. According to the paper, the finding was “consistent with classic studies of offline relationships and longevity.” That all being said, the paper also acknowledges that this doesn’t necessarily mean that using Facebook can directly affect your health. Basically, if you’re diagnosed with cancer, using Facebook isn’t going to cure you. Professor of public health and political science, James Fowler, claimed to be surprised at the association between requesting friendships online and longer life spans. According to him, “I had hoped we would find that reaching out to others was associated with better health.” Mr. Fowler claims that this surprise could in part be because researchers that previously correlated friendships with health could have mistaken the relationship between “sociability and health.” According to him, “The reason why people with more friends are healthier is because healthier people have more friends … it may be harder than we thought it was to use social networks to make people healthier.” Basically, the correlation is only there if the good health is there to begin with. Nathan Jurgenson, sociologist and researcher for Snapchat, pointed out that the study viewed the internet vs. real life as binary, even though there was evidence throughout the paper suggesting the opposite. According to Jurgenson, “All of the conceptual and linguistic back flips being done here in trying to explain that the virtual world interacts with the real world could be circumvented by instead taking for granted that digital connection is new and different but that it’s also part of this one social reality. And that being said, this positive outcome is a first for Facebook. Three years ago, a paper that was published in PLOS One journal actually claimed that in a two week span, the more the subjects of the study used Facebook, the worse they rated their own happiness. According to that paper, “On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection. Rather than enhancing well-being, however, these findings suggest that Facebook may undermine it.” But whether you believe the study is accurate or not, it’s another important turn in science that will result in many more studies to follow. According to Mr. Hobbs, “At this point, we’re not making any recommendations on how people should use social media. It’s good to have a long track record of finding these relationships again and again before we start giving recommendations.” That’s probably best.