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Strategies to Boost Your Math Test Scores
Mathematics is one of the banes of every student’s academic life. Yet it is also considered one of the most important fields of knowledge that has contributed greatly towards the advancement of the human race. This ultimately leads to Mathematics gaining a sort of love-hate relationship among students.
But whether you love or hate Mathematics, there is no denying the importance it plays not only in an individual’s academic career but in their everyday life as well. This is why Mathematics is one of the subjects that are given great importance at schools. And whether you like it or not, you will inevitably end up answering a couple of Math tests.
So, it’s time to face reality and start studying to increase your scores for the Math tests to come. But a problem arises, you only have a slight idea as to how to improve your Math test results. Well fear not, for this article will tackle about key strategies that will allow you to boost your Math test scores.
Why Math tests are difficult
To determine how to get better scores at Mathematics exams, we must first address what makes these exams difficult to score perfectly. Here are a few common reasons as to why:
1. Takes too much time to answer
Most exams are given a time limit to make sure that students know how to manage their time well and work under pressure. And although the time allotted for Math tests can sometimes be longer than other subjects, it is still a challenge to finish answering all of the questions. Most questions in Math exams require a student to solve which takes up a lot of time to do. And unless you are allowed to bring calculators, then you can expect to take a lot of time to be spent on basic operations.
2. Trick questions
Teachers love putting trick questions into their tests to determine which students pay attention to detail and which ones are just carelessly solving for something. The inclusion of these trick questions makes grabbing a perfect score in your Math test very difficult as you will have trouble trying to figure out what to solve.
3. Word problems can be complicated
Math exams wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of the one and only word problems. The question type leads to the most confusion among students. Word problems are difficult to deal with because some ask for more than one answer which requires different formulas. Plus, there is the fact that there are often missing variables that make the process of solving these types of problems even more difficult.
How to increase your Math test scores
1. Be prepared
Let’s start with the obvious when we are talking about getting good scores in tests which is to study and prepare for the test. There is no secret routine that will allow you to magically get perfect marks on your Math exams. You will need to put in a significant amount of time and energy to achieve your desired results. So, prepare for your exams by studying the topics that will appear in the exams and practicing them at home. This is the most proven and effective way to get better results at every exam you take.
2. Master the basics
A good foundation leads to a strong building. This is saying is what you need to keep in mind when trying to get better scores on your Math exams. Have you ever wondered why as we progress higher into the academic ladder, the topics and operations taught to us get progressively more difficult as well? Yet, the basic operations that need to be done once the complicated formulas are broken down remain the same. The same four operations, the rule of exponents, and the rule of integers are present no matter how advanced the topic may be.
Mastering your basics is crucial if you want to get better scores in your Math tests as these are the very foundations of Mathematics and problem-solving. By getting better at the basics, you will be able to quickly arrive at the answer once you have broken down the formula into smaller bits and pieces.
3. Don’t get stuck on one question
One of the most frustrating experiences an individual can experience when taking a Math test is getting stuck on a really hard question. And this is only natural since different questions possess different levels of difficulty.
Once you encounter a situation like this, the smart move would be to leave the question for later when you have finished answering the easy questions. Most questions in a Math exam consist of the same amount of points regardless of difficulty (except word problems). You can then take advantage of this fact by answering the easy questions first to ensure that you make the most out of your time.
4. Make sure to read the questions carefully
One of the most common errors that a person makes when answering meth exams is falling for trick questions. Trick questions are placed by teachers in exams to determine which students really pay attention to detail. Make sure to read the questions carefully so that you can soak in what is being asked and not waste your time on solving for something that was never asked in the first place. Plus, the act of reading questions carefully is a really good habit that will allow you to score well not only in Mathematics but in other subjects as well.
5. Master the art of canceling zeroes
If you want to save time when answering Math tests to ensure that you can get the most out of the allotted time, then you might want to practice canceling zeroes. If there is a question asking you to divide 42,000,000 by 70,000, then save yourself the hassle of having to solve for every last zero and simply cancel the first four zeroes of the divisor and dividend then adding them later once the operation is finished. This will greatly increase your efficiency and speed when answering your Math test.
6. Use logical reasoning
One key tip we can give you once you are answering a Math test where there are choices to choose an answer from is to use logical reasoning at times. If the problem used a unit for temperature and is asking for the value of temperature as well but there are choices whose units are not related to temperature, then simply rule out those choices as they are already incorrect.
By utilizing logical reasoning to find out the answer to a problem as fast as possible, you will be able to greatly increase your scores as this not only saves time but brainpower as well as it will allow you to determine the correct answer without having to solve the problem at hand.
7. Try the plug-in method
If you ever truly get stuck on a certain question when taking an exam where the questions have choices, then this neat little trick will do wonders for you. However, this only works for questions that include Mathematical sentences and is useless once you do not know the formula for the specific problem.
The plug-in method is a method where you insert one of the choices into the equation to see if the Mathematical sentence is true or not. If the Mathematical sentence ends up being true, then that choice is the correct answer, but if the Mathematical sentence is false, then try out the other choices.
8. Work harder on your weaker areas
Everyone has something that they do well, but everyone also has something that they are bad at. However, there are certain ways to improve on the activities that one is weak in. This is to work harder on that area by studying and practicing those topics that one is weak in.
You can determine which parts or types of questions you are weak in by reviewing your previous Math test papers and looking for the questions you got incorrectly. You can then start to study harder in these areas and work towards improving your skills in answering those certain topics or types of questions. Knowing which areas you lack in and acknowledging your shortcomings by working harder on them is a great way to increase the scores you will get for your next Math exams.
9. Ask for some help
Everyone has something that they do well, but everyone also has something that they are bad at. However, there are certain ways to improve on the activities that one is weak in. This is to work harder on that area by studying and practicing those topics that one is weak in.
You can determine which parts or types of questions you are weak in by reviewing your previous Math test papers and looking for the questions you got incorrectly. You can then start to study harder in these areas and work towards improving your skills in answering those certain topics or types of questions. Knowing which areas you lack in and acknowledging your shortcomings by working harder on them is a great way to increase the scores you will get for your next Math exams.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
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