Award-Winning 8th Grade Algebra Tutors

America's #1 Tutoring Platform

Who needs tutoring?

FOXNBCCBSUS NewsTIMEUSA Today

TUTORS FROM

  • YaleUniversity
  • PrincetonUniversity
  • StanfordUniversity
  • CornellUniversity

Award-Winning 8th Grade Algebra Tutors

Griffin

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Griffin

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering
Griffin's other Tutor Subjects
8th Grade Algebra
6th Grade Calculus
Middle School Math
Polynomials

I am a graduate from Kansas State University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I have worked professionally as a research assistant for KSU, a project manager for Cargill, and an auxiliary engineer with Black & Veatch. With recent experience in office, industry, and university, I am fully prepare...

Education

Kansas State University

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
34
Samantha

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Samantha

Associate in Arts, Political Science and Government
Samantha's other Tutor Subjects
8th Grade Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Polynomials

I am currently working towards a Political Science degree with a focus in Statistics, and I hope to go on to law school after I graduate. My favorite subjects are Statistics, Political Science, History, English, and French.

Education

Middle Georgia State University

Associate in Arts, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
SAT
1430
Aiden

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Aiden

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Aiden's other Tutor Subjects
8th Grade Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Elementary School Math

I'm a recent graduate from Reed College where I majored in Political science with additional concentrations in environmental science, sociology, philosophy, and 3D art.

Education

Reed College

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
ACT
33
Jack

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Jack

Bachelor of Science, Physics
Jack's other Tutor Subjects
8th Grade Algebra
6th-12th Grade Calculus
Polynomials
Linear Systems

I am a Junior in college at Northeastern University working towards my Bachelor of Science in Physics. I aspire to earn my PhD in Physics after college.

Education

Northeastern University

Bachelor of Science, Physics

Test Scores
SAT
1490
Jessica

Certified Tutor

Jessica

PHD, Medicine
Jessica's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Calculus
Algebra
Honors Chemistry

I am a licensed physician from Florida who is currently changing careers. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and have extensive tutoring and editing experience. While a student, I became a certified writing tutor through the Critical Writing Department. Since I completed my writ...

Education

Nova Southeastern University

PHD, Medicine

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelors, History

University of Pennsylvania

undergraduate

Test Scores
SAT
1540
Jai

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Jai

Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Jai's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Electrical Engineering
ACT Writing

I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'...

Education

Stanford University

Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Test Scores
SAT
1590
ACT
35
Kate

Certified Tutor

Kate

Masters, Environmental Engineering
Kate's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
College Algebra
Pre-Calculus

I'm available to tutor biology, chemistry, physics, math from Algebra up through AP Calculus, SAT test prep, and French. I've been tutoring students in science and math for 7 years. I also spent 8 months working and studying in France, and have tutored high school and adult students in French. When ...

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Masters, Environmental Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1580
Erika

Certified Tutor

Erika

Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Erika's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

I am available to tutor middle and high school math, history and test prep. I have tutored math and history in the past and I previously taught a test prep course at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam. I have a lot of experience teaching all the need-to-know tricks to doing great on the SATS/ACTS! When I am...

Education

Harvard University

Master of Public Policy, Public Policy

Test Scores
ACT
32
Rhea

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Rhea

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Rhea's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra

I am a current student at the University of Chicago. I am working towards a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and I am on the pre-medical track. I am extremely passionate about tutoring, and I have several years of experience tutoring students in my high school's learning center in various...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1550
ACT
36
Jeffrey

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Jeffrey

Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
Jeffrey's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Calculus
Geometry
Calculus
Algebra

I am enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering PhD program at Rice University which will begin Fall 2020, and I am hoping to return to academia as a professor after earning my PhD. In the meantime, I am looking to share my passion for gaining knowledge, specifically in STEM, by educating the up and com...

Education

University of Notre Dame

Bachelor of Science

Rice University

Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
34

Meet Our Expert Tutors

Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.

Sami

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +19 Subjects

I am a Duke University graduate in Economics and Computer Science. I am currently pursuing an MBA degree at the Yale School of Management. I have worked in the financial field, both at a management consulting firm and a fortune 500 company. My hobbies include playing and coaching soccer. Hobbies: reading, writing, art, books, music

View Profile

Sharon

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +29 Subjects

I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, and I will be starting a graduate program at Columbia in August. I am about to complete a year of service with City Year, an education non-profit that places young adults into under-served schools. As a City Year member, I worked full-time in the classroom with middle-school students who were in approximately the 10th percentile for math (meaning they score lower than 90% of students). One-fourth of those students were able to grow around 15 percentile points by the end of the year! Hobbies: reading, cooking, gardening, music, art, nature, books, writing

View Profile

Annie

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +28 Subjects

I am currently a second year medical student. I was a Physiological Sciences major at UCLA (class of 2015), and pursued research during my gap year between undergrad and medical school.

View Profile

Tony

Calculus Tutor • +28 Subjects

I am a recent graduate of Yale University and incoming first year medical student at Columbia University. Originally from the DC area, I have always had a passion for science and medicine and pursued a degree in Biology while at Yale. During the 2008-2009 academic year, I tutored science, math, English, history, and Mandarin Chinese part-time with a DC-based tutoring company. At Yale, I worked as a freshman counselor to provide academic and career advice to incoming freshmen. I have taken both SAT and MCAT test prep classes and am familiar with both tests as well as the preparation necessary to score well. My personal career goals include attending medical school to pursue either immunology/infectious diseases or psych/neurology, teaching biology at the university level, and working in public/global health with either the CDC or the WHO.

View Profile

Matthew

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +39 Subjects

I'm a highly creative person who works best with visual thinkers. Very recently graduated from Stanford University, I majored in Human Biology with a concentration in Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Science. Technical though my background may be, I am currently gigging as a singer/songwriter/composer in NYC and tackle even the most hard-science of problems with a top-down, big-picture, holistic approach. If you have a propensity to look at problems in a cross- or inter-disciplinary manner (or want to learn how to do so), I'm the tutor for you!

View Profile

Charles

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +25 Subjects

I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals! Hobbies: art, books, running, reading, music, writing

View Profile

Tiffany

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +56 Subjects

I am available to tutor a broad range of subjects, I am passionate about test preparation, Accountancy, and Algebra.

View Profile

MaryAnn

Calculus Tutor • +21 Subjects

I am a published author who has enjoyed “coaching” our daughter, as she navigated through high school, college and graduate school. I mentor college juniors who are seeking careers in financial services, and I serve as a peer resource to professionals who are transitioning from private industry to the nonprofit sector. Hobbies: reading, cooking, writing, books, music, art, travel

View Profile

Samuel

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +29 Subjects

I am a freshman at Caltech majoring in Applied and Computational Mathematics. My favorite subject to tutor is math because I find it very rewarding to simplify complex topics to aid in understanding. I have lots of tutoring experience. In high school, I ran and taught an SAT prep class and was vice president of my school's NHS chapter where I ran our tutoring program, and I, myself, tutored. I also was a teaching assistant in the summer of 2020 for a class in discrete mathematics through a program called PACT (Program in Algorithmic and Combinatorial Thinking). I love learning and hope to make the process enjoyable for you!

View Profile

Quinn

Calculus Tutor • +17 Subjects

I am willing to address any issue with an open mind and I try to develop strategies that play to a student's strengths. I would like to think I am very approachable and personable, and I have had very positive experiences with many students in the past using this philosophy. Outside of academics, I love playing basketball and watching sports, as well as chilling with friends, listening to music, and keeping up with politics and current affairs.

View Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

The biggest challenge for most 8th graders is the transition from concrete arithmetic to abstract algebraic thinking. Students often struggle with multi-step equations—especially when negative numbers and fractions are involved—because they lose track of what operation to perform next. Word problems are another major pain point; translating real-world scenarios into equations requires both reading comprehension and algebraic reasoning. Graphing linear equations and understanding the connection between equations, tables, and graphs also trips up many students. Finally, working with exponents and understanding why the rules work (not just memorizing them) tends to create gaps that compound later.

Showing work isn't just about getting the right answer—it reveals your thinking process and helps identify exactly where mistakes happen. In algebra, a student might get a wrong answer because they distributed incorrectly, made a sign error, or applied the wrong operation, and without visible steps, it's impossible to pinpoint the error. When a tutor can see each step, they can help you understand *why* a mistake occurred and teach you the correct process, rather than just telling you the answer. This builds genuine problem-solving skills instead of relying on guessing or memorizing procedures.

Procedural understanding means you can follow steps—like 'subtract 5 from both sides'—but conceptual understanding means you grasp *why* you do it and what it represents. For example, a student with only procedural knowledge solves 2x + 5 = 13 by following memorized steps, but a student with conceptual understanding sees the equation as a balance scale and recognizes that subtracting 5 from both sides keeps the scale level. Conceptual understanding helps students tackle unfamiliar problems, catch their own mistakes, and remember skills longer. Tutors focus on building both, because conceptual understanding makes procedures stick and transfers to more advanced algebra, geometry, and beyond.

Graphing requires students to connect three different representations—the equation, the table of values, and the visual graph—and many 8th graders haven't yet built that mental bridge. Students often memorize 'slope-intercept form' without understanding that the slope tells you the rate of change or that the y-intercept is where the line crosses the y-axis. They may also struggle with negative slopes or fractional slopes because the visual doesn't match their intuition. A tutor can help by starting with concrete examples (like plotting points from a table first), then showing how the slope and y-intercept appear in the equation, so the three representations click together and feel less abstract.

Word problems combine reading comprehension, problem setup, and algebraic solving—and students often get stuck on the setup phase. A tutor teaches you to break down the problem systematically: identify what you know, what you're looking for, and what the relationships are. For example, in a 'two trains' problem, a tutor helps you define variables clearly (like 'let x = hours traveled') and translate the scenario into an equation step-by-step. Many tutors also teach you to check your answer in the context of the original problem—does a negative time make sense? Does the answer seem reasonable? This approach demystifies word problems and builds confidence by showing that they follow a logical process, not magic.

Negative numbers are abstract—students can't hold three negative apples in their hand—so they often rely on memorized rules like 'negative times negative equals positive' without intuition. When solving equations like -3x + 7 = -2, students lose track of signs across multiple steps and make careless errors. The confusion deepens when combining like terms with mixed signs or distributing a negative across parentheses. A tutor helps by using visual strategies (like number lines or color-coding positive and negative terms) and connecting negatives to real contexts (like temperature or debt). With repeated practice and clear explanations, students build the mental models they need to handle negatives confidently.

Math anxiety often stems from feeling lost or embarrassed about asking questions in a classroom setting. A tutor creates a judgment-free space where you can ask 'why' repeatedly, work through problems slowly, and make mistakes without pressure. When a tutor explains a concept in a different way than your teacher did, and suddenly it clicks, that builds real confidence. Additionally, tutors help you develop problem-solving strategies and recognize patterns, so algebra starts to feel logical rather than mysterious. Over time, as you solve problems correctly and understand *why* your solutions work, anxiety decreases and you develop the resilience that comes from genuine mastery.

A strong 8th Grade Algebra tutor understands not just the algebra itself, but the common misconceptions and 'sticking points' that trip up students at this level—like why students think -5 is 'bigger' than -2, or why they forget to distribute the negative sign. They can explain concepts multiple ways and recognize when a student needs a visual representation, a real-world example, or a different approach entirely. They're also skilled at asking guiding questions that help you discover the answer rather than just telling you, which builds deeper understanding. Finally, they track your progress, identify gaps from earlier grades (like fraction operations) that might be blocking algebra understanding, and adjust their teaching to match your learning style.

Connect with 8th Grade Algebra Tutors

Get matched with expert tutors in your subject