How Can I Prepare for a Math Exam? Tips You Can Use Now!
I’m going to demonstrate how to prepare for your math online exams today.
I’ve taught math for more than 15 years, so I know what approaches are most effective and which ones should be avoided.
So, if you’re interested in learning how to raise your grades and lessen your math anxiety, you’ll appreciate these ideas!
1. Who Else Wants To Score Higher? Avoid These Poor Study Habits Instead
You want to work smarter, not harder when studying for a math exam. So, when preparing for a math exam, there are some things you should steer clear of.
Utilise Various Resources
Don’t put it off until the last moment. While studying a little bit each night helps improve your memory and lengthen it, cramming doesn’t work in the long run. Later, I’ll have more to say about this.
Reading Your Textbook Again Just Creates The Appearance Of Knowledge
Avoid just reading. Reading your notes or textbook is not enough to understand the ideas.
You must actively interact with the textbook and lecture notes through working examples. You’ll discover that many textbook example problems lack steps. In other words, algebraic operations like simplifying expressions and reducing fractions will not be covered in the text. You must thus put the puzzle pieces together. Unfortunately, the secret to understanding many mathematical procedures lies in these skipped phases, which leaves many students wondering, “How in the world did they get that answer?”
Because of this, you have to do the examples on your own to figure out how to get to the right answer.
The Use Of Underlining And Highlighting Should Be Limited
Make no use of highlighting. Despite being a fantastic and successful study technique, highlighting is far too passive to be your first choice. Write your annotations and examples; only use highlighting to link concepts, assign colours, or bring attention to a specific portion of your notes or textbook. Keep in mind that underlining should never replace taking notes while you are studying.
Concentrating Only On The Response
Don’t just assume you know how to solve the problem by looking at the solution. One of the biggest mistakes you may make when studying is this.
You must work through the issue step-by-step and consider all potential solutions before you can find the best one. It is insufficient to simply turn to the back of the book, glance at the solution, and declare, “Oh yes, I know how to do that.” There is a difference between saying you can answer a problem and solving it; therefore, when studying for a math exam, you need to solve, not simply look.
2. Here's a Technique That's Enabling Students To Score Higher On Math Online Exams (Pre-Knowledge)
When we comprehend something for the first time, a sense of power and exhilaration seems to sweep over us. The big “a-ha” has occurred, and it feels fantastic!
When it comes to arithmetic, some people might feel like those “a-ha” moments are few and far between, but that doesn’t have to be the case. It’s all about prior knowledge.
The goal is to switch your study methods from constantly reviewing to gaining an offensive (offence) or defensive advantage. There is a time and place for both of these ideas, and they are both equally crucial to your overall performance in any math course. However, pre-knowledge is the best way to stand out and make your math journey simpler.
Consider this: All professional athletes are game-ready. They prepare for the regulations and abilities needed to compete before game day. They’ve been rehearsing and are prepared to perform. Come prepared for every math lesson and treat it like a game day.
begin by…
- Before seeing it in class, read the chapter of your assigned textbook.
- If there are any questions you don’t understand, list them and provide examples or definitions.
- Try to get together with a study group—we’ll talk about this later—and go over the lessons in advance. You may also review old notes to review previously taught ideas.
Now, I’m not saying you should work harder; rather, I’m saying you should work smarter. Even if you don’t fully comprehend everything you read, you will surely gain insightful knowledge, be better equipped to engage in class discussion, and discover that you can manage more complex material.
Additionally, if you are aware of the questions you have or the areas in which you were unclear when reading, you will have the fantastic opportunity to ask your instructor in real-time rather than labouring at home and frantically scouring the internet for the solutions you need.
Pre-knowledge increases “a-ha” moments and lowers math anxiety.
If you can’t handle the stress and anxiety, you can always look for online exam help from professionals like ExamsInsight.
3. Here's Why Memorisation Improves Your Grade Despite Being Difficult:
Math fact memorisation and comprehension go hand in hand.
Fact: While memorisation is more often associated with rote learning, fluency is the idea that kids can solve problems and use a range of tools and tactics to arrive at a solution. But it’s crucial to remember that both are necessary for success in mathematics.
As an illustration, when learning your multiplication tables, you start by learning techniques like:
- You get the 4s by doubling the 2s.
- By first determining the product of 88 and then taking away one set of 8, it is known that the product of 87 may be discovered.
With the use of these fact fluency strategies, one can increase their confidence and comprehend multiplication on a deeper level. However, understanding these techniques alone is not enough; at times, quick recall is required, and memorisation must be prioritised.
Why?
Students must digest material swiftly and sequentially in higher-level mathematics courses like algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Students must be able to recollect information while still understanding the bigger problem’s operations and processes. A learner is more likely to make mistakes in their overall calculations if they spend too much time memorising elementary math topics.
Students must identify factor pairs, for instance, when learning to factor in algebra (i.e., which two numbers multiply to produce the given value?). Students who can recall their multiplication facts rapidly are more competent than their peers because they feel more in control of the job and can go through the material more quickly.
Precalculus students should also memorise trigonometric identities because they will need them to solve challenging differentiation and integration problems in calculus. Numerous times in calculus, a student will be required to assess a trig integral; in these situations, the only option to move further is to first transform the issue using a trig identity. If the formulae and principles are not committed to memory, it will be extremely difficult to solve the presented problem. The key to success in these situations is memorisation.
You need to memorise facts to have rapid recall when preparing for a math test. All of this results from repetition and practice. Some students prefer homemade or internet flashcards to aid in their memorisation.
- Formulas
- Terminology
- Theorems
Others learn new information by rewriting their notes or solving practice issues. Whatever approach you find most effective, remembering your arithmetic facts off the top of your head will boost your chances of success.
4. Mr Calculator: A Friend Or Enemy?
Don’t put off using the technology until test day (i.e., Mr Calculator).
As technology in the classroom develops, more and more tests are allowing students to use computers and graphing calculators. So, it’s important to learn as much as you can about the equipment you’ll be using on test day.
For instance, your family makes dinner every night. Someone used the ingredients to make a delectable dish. You’ve probably been observing this phenomenon of cooking every day of your life for years and are intellectually aware of how it works.
However, the first time you make something, it’s anything but simple if you’ve never done it before. If someone has never cooked before, they might not know how to prepare, measure, or know when to stop.
The same goes for taking a math test: you wouldn’t offer to cook dinner for friends or family or host a party without first learning about the ingredients, methods, and kitchen tools.
A student might not have any trouble row-reducing a matrix by hand, but they might have trouble finding the right buttons or commands when they have to solve a matrix using a calculator.
The last thing you want to happen on exam day is to have difficulty utilising your calculator or make mistakes due to a lack of practice with your accessible tools.
Practice using the calculator before the test so you don’t lose time on the arithmetic test trying to find the right buttons. As technology has advanced, many gadgets now let you configure your calculator to assist in problem-solving more quickly. However, to take advantage of this time-saving technique, you must practise using the tools you already have.