Why am I unable to perceive physics problems correctly with the "many" variations of accelerations?

I had an exam today which was over Momentum and Rotational Motion, we had an exam *68%* over unit 1 which covered Newtons laws, Forces, M, WOrk, Energy, Potential and Kinetic energy along with static friction and kinetic friction. Todays exam was just as bad as last exam, I could not intrepret the material as given. I studied my off and I felt that I was confident going into the exam, but then find out problems that I cannot begin to solve using my useless short term memory. We were introduced to the material a week ago, I am bad enough at math because I am a programmer, not a friggen math mathematician. I need help majorly on this! What is worse is I drive 2 hours for an 80 minute cl... practically forgetting the material by the time I get home, along with the concepts. The book lists multiple examples, but I don't understand what I am suppose to get out of a page full of different symbols that are angular acceleration, and velocity acceleration and force of acceleration or force of centriptial force centriptal accel, i just tangential accel and all that I dont get it, and Ive made the deans list ever since I could remember... This may be my only cl I will EVER FAIL IN MY LIFE due to the fact the teacher does not help me out at all the tutor is not available enough to get me to understand the material like I need to be able to do so and I dont know what to do, seriously.