Brought to you by Breakthrough Maths. 

Has algebra always been the part of maths that leaves you scratching your head?

If so, and you want to give your kids a better head start than you had, there’s a free online class this Sunday that’s worth checking out.

Breakthrough Maths is hosting a completely free Algebra Masterclass on Sunday, September 27th, aimed at students from 1st Year right through to 6th Year. The one-hour live class will revisit the core algebra skills students need to have down, before moving on to the types of questions they’re likely to come across in exams.

And there’s a good reason to start with the basics. When those building blocks aren’t quite there, algebra has a habit of popping up as a problem across almost every other area of maths.

TJ from Breakthrough Maths says the session will break algebra down step by step, show students the methods behind common question types and, importantly, help them work out what to do when a question looks unfamiliar.

It’s live, interactive and completely free

The Algebra Masterclass will run online, with different class times depending on the student’s year and level.

Students can interact with their tutor throughout the lesson, ask questions in the chat, and stay on afterwards for extra questions and one-to-one feedback. Every class will also be recorded and uploaded to the Breakthrough Maths platform afterwards.

The classes are being delivered by Breakthrough Maths tutors Diarmuid, Callum and Tom, who teach students across Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert levels.

Why algebra?

According to TJ, algebra can be one of those topics where a small gap becomes a much bigger problem later on.

A student might be comfortable with basic equations at first, but once algebra starts appearing in functions, graphs, trigonometry and exam questions, those missing foundations can make maths feel much harder than it needs to be.

That is exactly what Breakthrough Maths wants to tackle with the masterclass.

Rather than simply running through answers, the focus will be on helping students understand the method behind the question and build a stronger foundation for the rest of the year.

A Cork success story

Breakthrough Maths was founded in Cork by maths tutor TJ Hegarty and has grown from a small group of students into one of Ireland’s largest online grinds platforms

Earlier this year, thousands of students signed up to its free Back-to-School Course, which gave students a chance to get ahead before returning to the classroom. The company has continued to use free online courses and masterclasses as a way of helping students build confidence in areas of maths they often find difficult.

This time, the focus is entirely on algebra.

When is it on?

The free Algebra Masterclass takes place on Sunday, September 27th, with classes available for students from 1st Year to 6th Year, including both Higher and Ordinary Level groups. 

• Junior Cert class times:

11.30am – 2nd Year, 3rd Year OL, 3rd Year HL

1pm – 1st Year

• Leaving Cert class times:

11.30am – 6th year HL

1pm – TY, 5th Year OL, 5th Year HL, 6th Year OL

The session lasts one hour and is completely free to join. Parents can book a place here. For more information on Breakthrough Maths, visit the website.