About Larry

Hi, I'm Larry Zafran.  I taught math at an underperforming public high school in NYC, and served as a math specialist for learning disabled students from grades 3 – 12 at a special school.  I also have many years' experience offering independent, private math tutoring to students of various grade levels.  

I have a Bachelors degree in computer science from Queens College with a 3.9 GPA.  I was one course short of obtaining a minor in math, and two courses short of obtaining a minor in psychology.  I have earned most of the credits toward a Masters degree in secondary math education, but I am no longer pursuing that degree at this time.

Prior to teaching math, I worked for various companies in NYC doing computer technical support and training.  I presently reside in Cary, NC.  I’m self-employed, and am no longer teaching, but I’ve returned to offering private math tutoring in my home with an emphasis on older students who are at risk of not passing the required math tests to earn a diploma.  Please see the Tutoring Information page if you are in my area.

I am a dedicated student of the piano. I enjoy watching science fiction and playing World of Warcraft and other computer games with my fiancée.  I am the organizer of an active strategy board gaming group in our area.  If you are an adult in the Raleigh area and would like to join us and learn some new games, please let me know.

Who This Site Is For

This site is intended for older students who need to learn math in order to pass their high school exit exam, or their GED, or to fulfill the math requirements to enter or graduate college.  This site is not intended for younger students, nor is it intended for students who are pursuing a career that involves advanced mathematics.

One reason for this is that much of the material on this site is only covered very superficially.  This is because there is so much material to cover, and most students have a limited amount of time and stamina to study it all.  More importantly, young children, as well as students who are pursuing math-based careers need to learn math in a setting in which they can explore the full scope and richness of the world of math.

Also note that I’ve presented the material on this site in a way that is too sophisticated for younger students.  Certainly many older students are very far behind in math, but it is of no benefit to present earlier grade math material to them in a manner which could be considered “babyish.”  Note that I make the assumption that my readers are on at least a third grade level in math, and that they do not have tremendous difficulty reading.

With all of that said, everyone is welcome to use this site, and hopefully students will find it of benefit.  I welcome any questions, comments, and suggestions from my readers.   

How To Use This Site

To obtain the most benefit from this site, I strongly suggest that you study the math lessons from the very beginning.  Some of them may seem very easy, but when studying math, it's important that you fully understand every topic before moving onto the next one.  If you move on to more advanced topics before you are ready, you'll just get more and more confused, which will lead to frustration. 

Study each lesson slowly and carefully, and return to the earlier lessons frequently to review them and to quiz yourself.  Try to make up your own variations of the problems shown, and see if you can solve them easily.  Don't move past a topic until you feel that you know it well enough that you could teach it to someone else. 

Many topics in math involve terms or procedures which simply have to be memorized, and there is just no other way around it.  I will include the word "memorize" in bold letters for these topics.  A good idea would be to rewrite these topics on index cards, and study them whenever you have a free moment. 

Finally, don't hesitate to ask math questions, or request additional information for a topic.  I want this site to be of most benefit to my readers, so it's important to send me feedback.