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Welcome to the Math Lab Canvas Page! Here you can find resources and information to help you in your math courses at Midland College.

Fall 2025 Hours:

Sunday: 2 - 5 PM
Monday: 8 AM - 9 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM - 9 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 8 AM - 9 PM
Friday: 9 AM - 12 PM

Location: Chaps Success Center: Math Lab - MHAB Room 125

Math Lab Features:

One-on-One Tutoring: Tutoring in Engineering and Math-Related Courses
Study Space: Need a place to study? We have it.
Computers: We have desktop computers you can use to connect to the internet.

Helpful Information & Resources

Calculator "How To's"

Click Here: Calculator Skills for Statistics (Multiple Calculators)

Calculator Tutorial - Intro to the TI-30XS Multiview

Math Anxiety Activity

What is Math Anxiety?

What is Math Anxiety?

Mathematics anxiety is more than just disliking math. Someone with math anxiety feels negative emotions when engaging in an activity that requires numerical or math skills.

This anxiety can literally cut off the working memory needed to learn and solve problems, researchers have discovered.

So if thinking about math -- let alone actually doing math -- stresses you out, you're not alone. The goal of this guide is to provide you with access to resources that can help you become more confident and knowledgeable about math and successfully complete your math courses here at Midland College.

Math Myths That Contribute to Math Anxiety
There are a number of erroneous beliefs about math that contribute to students' fears and anxiety about math.

Myth: Men are better at math than women.
Fact: Research has failed to show any difference between the sexes in math ability.
Myth: There is a single best way to do a math problem.
Fact: Most math problems can be solved in a number of ways.
Myth: Some people have a math mind and others don't.
Fact: Most people are much more capable in math than they believe they are.
Myth: Those good in math do problems quickly in their heads.
Fact: Even math professors review example problems before teaching them in class.

Now What?
Okay, so math anxiety is a thing that exists that has impacted my ability to do math for as long as I can remember. Now what?

The first step is to admit that it affects you. Congratulations! If you are still reading this, you have already completed that step!

The next step is to complete the Math Anxiety Scale to determine what types of math anxiety you may have. You may do this by completing the form below. Make note of the individual scores. Once you have completed the form, go to the discussion by clicking the "Next" button at the bottom of the page.

**This page has been adapted from JCTC Learning Commons.

https://midland.instructure.com/courses/1862923/discussion_topics/10314591

Math Anxiety Discussion

Click here to access the Math Anxiety Discussion.

This is an optional discussion post that any Midland College Student can participate in.

In this anonymous post, respond to one of the following prompts.

How do you feel when you think about doing math? Describe any physical reactions or mental processes that you experience.
How has anxiety affected you in the past? Did you avoid taking math classes, or do your best not to take "hard" math classes?
What was your math anxiety score from the survey? Does this surprise you? Is it higher or lower than you expected? What will you do now that you know about math anxiety?

It is often helpful to talk about such problems, and doing so in this anonymous public forum will, at the very least, let you know that you are not alone.

Reducing Math Anxiety

It is important to remember that math anxiety is a learned psychological response to math, which interferes with a student's ability to perform math. It is not a reflection of a student's true ability in math. There are a number of strategies a student can use to overcome the anxiety response.

Review and learn basic arithmetic principles and methods. Many students, perhaps because of early negative experiences, never really developed a solid foundation in basic arithmetic, particularly multiplication and fractions. A remedial course in arithmetic is often a significant first step.
If you are currently enrolled in a developmental course such as MATH 0482, 0232, 0242, 0414, or 0424, your teacher will do some work with you in this area.
If you are not enrolled in one of those courses or if you feel you need additional practice, Khan Academy Links to an external site. has extensive resources for reviewing this material.
Seek help! Math anxiety is learned and reinforced over a long period of time and, therefore, is not quickly eliminated. Visit the MC Math Lab online or in person to get assistance with problems, hire a tutor to help you individually, review self-paced tutorials online, or make an appointment to talk with a counselor. Learn the vocabulary of mathematics. Math often uses words in a different way than other subjects. The term factor is an example. Students often c
Confuse a lack of understanding of terms and vocabulary with math ability.
Work on having a positive attitude about math. This will build self-confidence and reduce anxiety.
Be aware of thoughts, feelings, and actions as they are related to math. Math anxiety affects different students in different ways. If you are aware of unrealistic or irrational thoughts, you can work to replace those thoughts with more positive and realistic ones.
Learn positive self-talk. Giving yourself positive self-talk helps to counter and overcome your belief in the math myths or to stop playing mind games. Positive self-talk is effective in replacing negative thoughts, which create anxiety.
Learn anxiety reduction and anxiety management techniques. Anxiety can interfere with concentration, clear thinking, attention, and memory.
Students can learn relaxation techniques to control the emotional and physical characteristics of anxiety that interfere with mental processing capabilities. Click the "Next" button below to view some of these strategies.

**This page has been adapted from JCTC Learning Commons.

Anxiety Reduction & Management Techniques

The following anxiety reduction and management techniques are short-term solutions like a band-aid. For more long-term solutions that address the cause of the problem, click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page to complete the Growth Mindset module.

Tensing & Relaxing

This method helps you relax by mimicking the physical action of relaxing your muscles. Where your muscles go, your mind will follow.

Sit in a chair such as an office or dining table chair. This will not work in a recliner! You want to relax, not go to sleep.
Put your feet flat on the floor.
Grab the seat of the chair with your hands.
Push down with your feet and pull up on the chair at the same time for five to ten seconds.
Starting from the top of your head, relax your muscles slowly downward.
Repeat this procedure several more times.

This method can be used at any time but is most effective if practiced regularly, not just used in the moment of need.

Deep Breathing

This method can help you stop the physical reactions you have once they begin. After practicing deep breathing, it should become a very natural process. A good practice routine is to complete two sets of five repetitions of the following steps.

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose by filling up the bottom of your lungs first.
Stop and hold your breath for a few seconds.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, pretending like you are whistling out the air. Be sure to exhale fully and let your whole body relax.
Wait a few seconds and then repeat the process.

**Note** If you start to get light-headed while practicing, stop for a few minutes. You were probably breathing in and out too fast and need to slow down. It may be beneficial to breathe in and out for a count of five to seven.

This method can be used at any time but is most effective if practiced regularly, not just used in the moment of need.

Visualization

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming when you were supposed to be doing something in which you were not particularly engaged? What happens when you daydream? The most common answer to this question is that your mind leaves the room and the body thinks it is where the mind has gone. If this is true for you, then what would happen if you daydreamed about something relaxing? Your mind would tell your body to relax. This is visualization. It is commonly used by athletes to reduce their anxiety and improve specific aspects of their game performance.

Find a comfortable place to sit. Again this should be a place you typically sit, not sleep!
Close your eyes and think of a relaxing place. This can be real or imaginary.
Imagine yourself in that place, making sure to see it through your own eyes, not seeing yourself from afar.
What do you hear in this place? Smell? Do you feel sand between your toes, a cool breeze, or warm water? Make the scene as real as possible.
Spend one to two minutes in the scene.

While this method can be used in the moment, it is not terribly effective if not practiced regularly. To get the most benefit, develop two scenes in the manner specified above and practice them every day.

Palming Method

The palming method is a combination of visualization and a physical action that you can take to reduce anxiety.

Close your eyes and cover them using the palms of your hands.
Take care to prevent your palms from touching your eyes by resting the lower parts of your palms on your cheeks and placing your fingers on your forehead. Do not rub or touch your eyes.
Think of some real or imaginary scene. If you have developed a scene as described above, it is best to use this one.
Visualize this scene. Picture it as if you were actually there. Do this for one or two minutes.
Slowly remove your hands from your face by lifting one finger at a time before lifting your palms. Then open your eyes.

This method is ineffective if not practiced on a regular basis.

**This content if from Winning at Math: Your Guide to Learning Mathematics Through Successful Study Skills by Dr. Paul Nolting.