I suggest you jump straight into EOC or any other practice questions you can find. You will find yourself helpless and unarmed in front of a biblical monster. Do your best to answer the question. Spend some time manipulating figures, think actively. Ask yourself, what do I need to solve this? Soon the monster kills you. Don’t worry, you have more lives left.
Go to the answer. See the approach used and compare to your approach. Does it help fill in a few gaps? Any aha! moments? If you pick up at least one positive idea, you are doing well. In your second attempt you will have a shield with you, or a sword, or comfortable shoes, or a leather jacket. Something to enable you to inflict the slightest damage to the monster. You will be marginally closer to beating the monster compared to your first attempt.
Reiterate this process during a week or month if necessary. Pick up small clues every time you are stumped. Then jump to questions again. Don’t try to understand the whole topic in one reading. One idea per day. One component of the formula per day.Slowly you will understand all aspects of the topic (i.e. monster) and you will be able to react appropriately no matter what tricks it uses against you.
The key is to think actively and find at least one small grip, don’t be lazy.