Math for Chemistry

Math for Chemistry banner with math formulas, chemistry lab imagery, and instructional resource icons.

Chemistry and mathematics are deeply interconnected—quantitative reasoning underpins everything from stoichiometry and gas laws to kinetics, equilibrium, and data analysis. When students struggle with core math concepts, it can become a barrier to fully engaging with chemistry content.

This resource collection was developed through a collaborative partnership between math and chemistry faculty at the college, with the shared goal of supporting student success in chemistry courses. Math faculty designed these materials in consultation with chemistry faculty to ensure alignment with chemistry course contexts, expectations, and common student challenges.

The resources are intended to be plug-and-play and flexible. Faculty can integrate individual components—such as short videos, practice assignments, answer keys, and pre/post quizzes—directly into their courses to reinforce essential math skills at the point of need.

How to Use These Resources

  • Resources are organized by math topic commonly used in chemistry.
  • Materials are designed for in-class use, homework, review, or just-in-time support.
  • Faculty may use all or select components.
  • Self-enroll into the Canvas course and explore the materials OR review and use the resources on this site.
  • Employee email login is required to access the Canvas export files, practice problems, and answer keys.
  • Optional: Use the Canvas course export file to import the modules and/or materials into your course.

Please complete this brief survey after using any of the resources for each topic. Your feedback supports continuous improvement of the materials.

Place Value

This set of resources guides students to identify different place values and to use place values to read numbers and round.

There are two pre and post quizzes that you may import into your Canvas course: Place Value and Rounding. Need help? How do I import a Canvas course export package?

Identify Different Place Values

  1. Download and share the video guide with students.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Use Place Value to Read Numbers

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are three (3) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Use Place Value to Round

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are six (6) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Significant Figures

Start by importing the Canvas pre and post quiz into your course. Need help? How do I import a Canvas course export package?

Significant Figures

  1. Watch the video.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Simplify Fractions and Mixed Numbers

This set of resources guides students to simplify fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers.

Simplify Fractions

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are three (3) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Simplify Improper Fractions

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are three (3) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Simplify Mixed Numbers

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are two (2) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Percents and Decimals

This set of resources guides students to convert a decimal to a percent and convert a percent to a decimal.

Start by importing the Canvas pre and post quiz into your course. Need help? How do I import a Canvas course export package?

Convert a Decimal to a Percent

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are four (4) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Convert a Percent to a Decimal

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are four (4) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Operations with Integers

This set of resources guides students to add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers.

Adding and Subtracting Integers

  1. Download and share the video guide with students.

Multiplying and Dividing Integers

  1. Download and share the video guide with students.

Scientific Notation and Exponents

This set of resources provides and overview of scientific notation and guides students through exponents including exponential form, expanded form, simplified form, and using the quotient rule to simplify expressions.

Start by importing the Canvas pre and post quiz into your course. Need help? How do I import a Canvas course export package?

Scientific Notation

  1. Download and share the video guide with students.

Exponential Form, Expanded Form, and Simplified Form

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are eight (8) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Using the Quotient Rule to Simplify Expressions

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are three (3) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Algebra in Chemistry

This set of resources provides and overview of the application of algebra concepts to Chemistry.

Algebraic Manipulation

  1. Watch the video.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Proportional Reasoning

This set of resources guides students to apply proportional reasoning.

Proportional Reasoning

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are seven (7) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

Graphing

This set of resources guides students through graphing.

Using the Quotient Rule to Simplify Expressions

  1. Download and share the video guide with students. There are fourteen (14) videos in this playlist.
  2. Assign the practice problems to students.

This project was funded by MCC’s Title V SENDAS grant that was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.