Don’t lose silly points for not following directions. For example, your teacher may have instructed you to circle all your final answers in pen. If you skipped reading the instructions, you wouldn’t see this, and you’d lose points that you otherwise would’ve gotten.
Also briefly write down the situation you would use the formula in. Instead of just writing “Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2,” add “Find the sides of a right triangle” so you know what the formula is for. If there isn’t room for extra writing on the test, ask your teacher if you can use a blank piece of scrap paper. Show the teacher that there is nothing on the paper. Then write all your formulas on this paper and use it as a reference.
Put the word problem into mathematical form to make it clearer. If a problem says, “Johnny has 5 apples and Sarah has 3 times more. How many apples does Sarah have?” Write out 5 x 3 to put the problem in mathematical form. It probably makes a lot more sense that way. If you get stuck, break the question down to its components. Cross out words that aren’t important. Then translate words into math terms. For instance, the word “of” usually means you have to multiply, and “per” usually means division. Keep an eye out for words like these that you can turn into math terms. [4] X Research source
For example, you might know that a problem requires the Pythagorean Theorem, a2 + b2 = c2. First write that equation out without plugging any numbers in. Then plug the numbers you know into the correct place. This demonstrates to the teacher that even if you get the wrong answer, you know which processes you’re supposed to do. You could earn partial credit from that. Showing your work also helps you even if there is no partial credit. With a neat rundown of your work process, it’s easier to spot any mistakes. If you are stuck on a problem, go back through your work. See if you made a mistake somewhere or if you set up the equation incorrectly.
If there are 20 questions and you have 40 minutes for the test, that means you have 2 minutes to spend on each question. If a minute has gone by and you don’t know where to start with a question, skip it. You risk running out of time if you keep mulling it over. As a reverse strategy, you could go through the test and do all of the ones you know right away first. Then you have plenty of time to work out harder problems.
Also be careful with positive and negative numbers. If a number should be negative but you forget the negative sign, the answer is wrong.
Remember that math works in two ways. Check your answers by doing the reverse operation. For example, if you find in 8x = 40 that X = 5, try multiplying 8 by 5. If you get 40, the answer is correct. If in the same equation you get X = 6, multiplying 8 by 6 would produce 48, so you’d know the answer was wrong.
Do some deep breathing to relax your heart rate and release your anxiety. Close your eyes and focus on relaxing each muscle group if you’re feeling tense. Stretch your arms a little to get your circulation flowing again.
If it’s a numerical problem, think about what formula you might need. Go back to your list of formulas and see which one this problem corresponds with. If it’s a word problem, break the question down to its components. Cross out words that aren’t important. Look for words that tip you off to which operation you have to use. For instance, the word “of” usually means you have to multiply.
There are a few ways to tell if an answer seems wrong. For example, if the result you’re getting is close to 3 answers but nowhere near the 4th, eliminate that one. If you can narrow the answers down to 2, run your calculations again. If your result is closer to one of the 2 answers, pick that answer.
For a multiple-choice test, choose the answer that seems the best. If this isn’t a multiple-choice test, write down the answer that you got. It may be the correct answer after all.
Participate in class discussions and ask questions if you need any clarification. [14] X Expert Source Daron CamAcademic Tutor Expert Interview. 29 May 2020. Take effective notes so you have good material to study from. Review your notes regularly. Eliminate distractions while you’re in class. Don’t browse on your phone or talk to your friends.
Get comfortable, but not too comfortable. Doing homework on your bed tempts you to take a nap. Remove distractions, turn off the TV, and sit in a quiet room to do your work. If you were stuck on a problem during homework, ask the teacher for an explanation the next day. This question just might be on the test.
Focus on questions you got wrong in your classwork or homework. Examine why you got this question wrong and how you can improve. Use any review aids or prep material your teacher gave you. If your teacher told you something would be on the test, listen to them.
Have a specific list of problems you’d like to discuss with the teacher because they will probably ask “What don’t you understand?” Try to be more specific than “I don’t understand anything!” Ask for help at least a day before the test. Don’t ask the day of the test because you won’t have enough time to study.
