“I understood it in class, but I couldn’t do the homework.” We hear this from Class 9 and 10 students every week. It is the most common Maths problem we see, in both CBSE and ICSE, and it is usually not about intelligence. It is about method.
Here is the method we teach our students at TBTLC in Kharghar. It works for any chapter.
Step 1: Understand why before how
Before learning a formula, a student should be able to say what it is for. Why do we need the quadratic formula? Because some quadratic equations cannot be factorised easily. Why does the area of a circle involve π? Because π is the fixed ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
A student who knows the “why” can rebuild a forgotten step in an exam. A student who only memorised the “how” cannot. Ask your teacher, or look it up, until the purpose of each new idea is clear.
Step 2: Work through examples actively
Do not just read solved examples. Cover the solution, try the problem, then compare. Where your working differs, find exactly which step went wrong. This turns every textbook example into practice.
Step 3: Practise alone, in order of difficulty
- Start with the simplest exercise questions to build confidence and accuracy.
- Move to mixed questions only when the basic ones are correct without help.
- Do not look at the answer key until you have finished an attempt, even a wrong one.
Struggling with a problem for ten minutes is not wasted time. It is when real learning happens. Struggling for an hour is too long; mark it and ask the next day.
Step 4: Keep an error log
Use a separate notebook. For every mistake in homework or tests, write:
- the question,
- what went wrong (concept, calculation, sign error, misread question),
- the correct method.
After a few weeks, patterns appear. Most students find that a large share of lost marks come from a few repeated habits, such as sign errors or skipped steps. Those are the easiest marks to win back. Before every test, revise from the error log first.
Step 5: Write every step
Both CBSE and ICSE give marks for method. A correct final answer with missing steps can lose marks; a wrong final answer with correct working still earns some. Write formulas before substituting, keep units, and draw a figure for every geometry and trigonometry question.
What is different in CBSE and ICSE Maths
CBSE Class 10 Mathematics follows the NCERT textbook, with chapters such as real numbers, polynomials, pairs of linear equations, quadratic equations, arithmetic progressions, triangles, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, circles, surface areas and volumes, statistics and probability. CBSE papers draw heavily on NCERT exercises and examples, so finish those completely before anything else.
ICSE Class 10 Mathematics covers a wider range, including commercial mathematics (GST, banking, shares and dividends), matrices and more geometry. ICSE students benefit from extra practice with longer, multi-step word problems.
Because the syllabi differ, a student is best taught in a batch for their own board. At TBTLC, CBSE and ICSE students always study in separate batches.
A sample weekly routine for Class 9 and 10
- Monday to Friday: 45–60 minutes of Maths homework and practice, on the topic taught that week.
- Saturday: a mixed set of 10–15 questions from older chapters, timed.
- Sunday: 20 minutes revising the error log, and one hour off Maths entirely.
How parents can help
- Ask your child to explain one thing they learnt in Maths today. Explaining is a strong test of understanding.
- Do not solve their homework for them. Ask, “What have you tried?” instead.
- Watch for avoidance. A child who always leaves Maths for last may be stuck on an earlier topic.
Maths at TBTLC
Mathematics at The Banyan Tree Learning Center is taught by Jay Kothari, who came to teaching from mechanical engineering and teaches Maths and Science as things that can be built, measured and observed. Every topic follows our seven-stage approach, with homework after each class and doubts taken at the start of the next. See our programmes for Grades 8–12.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours should a Class 10 student study Maths every day?
Around 45 minutes to an hour of focused Maths practice on most days is more useful than long sessions once a week. Consistency matters more than total hours.
Should CBSE students solve books other than NCERT?
Finish every NCERT exercise and example first, because CBSE papers are based on NCERT. Additional books are useful only after that, for extra practice in weak chapters.
Which ICSE Class 10 Maths chapters are easiest to score in?
Commercial mathematics, such as GST, banking and shares and dividends, follows clear methods and formulas, so it is reliable once practised. Every student is different, though; let the error log show where your child loses marks.
My child understands in class but cannot solve problems at home. Why?
Following a solution and producing one are different skills. The fix is more independent practice, starting with simpler problems, and checking mistakes the next day with a teacher.
Talk to us about your child
CBSE and ICSE batches for Grades 8–12 at Sector 20, Kharghar. Admissions for 2027–28 are open.