10 Common Mistakes When Preparing for a Math Test

Taking a math test is never an easy venture because math can be a difficult and complex subject. But most students do poorly on math tests not so much because the material is too difficult to understand as much as the student's study habits are poor. That is to say, poor test preparation is often the reason for underperformance. Of course, through reversing a number of common math test preparation mistakes the ability to perform better can be achieved. Here is a look at the ten most common mistakes to avoid when taking a math test.Studying at the last minute. Waiting until the night before the test to study is often a recipe for disaster as it leaves you with far too little time to study properly. Plus, if it turns out you need extra time in order to properly prepare, you are out of luck!

Studying for too long a stretch. There is only so much you can mentally and physically stand and forcing yourself to study for an extended period of time is self defeating. Instead, it is far better to break up your study time into shorter periods (say a half hour each) throughout the day.

Reading test material without practicing it. When it comes to math you have to actually work out the problems in order to become proficient. Math is not a course like history where you can simply read from the textbook. Math requires practice.

Studying haphazardly. What structure do you apply to your study session? If you try to study without any structure you may find yourself totally under-prepared when test time arrives. As such, a solid study plan should be devised and followed. Also, it is critical to be productive when you study and not waste time or cut it short. Such an attitude will prove self defeating.Taking an "I got it" attitude. In other words, do not get too confident in your supposed knowledge of the material. People use this attitude as an excuse to study less and it is a bad idea. Believing that you have solid knowledge of the material when y

ou don't will eventually bring a solid dose of unwelcome reality.Not taking advantage of resources. If you have access to study groups, extra help sessions or even a private tutor you should utilize these resources as they will dramatically increase the chances of performing well. Sometimes you really shouldn't go it alone particularly when certain partnerships can lead to higher scores.

Not identifying or concentrating on weaknesses. If there is a particular area that you are weak on then it becomes important to invest time in this area the most. Yes, this can be a little difficult to do at times but the end result is your weak points will not longer be weak.

Incomplete study materials. This is a close cousin of haphazard preparation. When you sit down to study be sure you have everything you need. This means in addition to your notebook and text book you should review prior homework, old tests and quizzes, handouts and anything else that may be part of the class work. By comprehensively studying all classroom material you will undoubtedly

Be sure to have adequate sleep. Staying up all night to cram will leave you mopey, dopey and sleepy when test time arrives. That hardly sounds like the way to boost peak performance.

Not knowing what is on the test. This little item was saved until last because it the easiest to avoid but many people make this fundamental mistake. If the test is on Chapter 4 then you shouldn't be studying Chapter 9!

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Solve Math Problems by Using an Outline: Plan of Action

Are you are having difficulties solving math problems? One alternative could be the use of an outline to help you plan your approach to solving the problem. A problem solving outline provides a strategy for solving even the most difficult problems. Once you have mastered this problem solving technique, math problems will be breeze to solve.

Let's take a look at a problem solving outline or plan. The first thing that you need to do is identify all the needed information in the problem. You can do this by looking for clues:

• Read the problem carefully
• Underline important words that provide clues to solving the problem (difference, sum, product, perimeter, etc.)
• What important facts are provided (divided equally, 14 of one type and 12 of another, etc.)
• What do you need to find out (how many will each have, the total will be, everyone gets a red, yellow, and orange, etc.)
• You may want to turn the specific words into mathematical symbols (difference is a"-," product is an "x," etc.)
• Identify any information that is no relevant to the problem

Other clues will help you when reading the problem. Addition uses clues like sum, total, in all, and perimeter. Subtraction uses clue words like difference, how much more, and exceed. Multiplication uses clue words like product, total, area, and times. Finally division uses clue words like share, distribute, quotient, and average.

Once you have done this, develop a strategy or plan how to solve the problem. This can be accomplished by:

• Drawing a model, table, diagram, Venn diagram, chart, sketches, etc.
• You may need to make a physical model of the problem using math manipulatives, such as base ten blocks, colored cubes, geometric shapes, geoboards, etc.
• Look for any patterns in the information to help sort he information
• If necessary, act out the problem with others to help you make sense of what is being asked
• See if you can make a connect to other subject areas, such as science, art, music, tech ed, etc.

Another option that you can use in this problem solving outline is rewrite the problem to help identify key terms, information, and words that will help you understand what is being asked in the problem. In addition if you can rewrite it and still have the same meaning, then you have a better understanding of the problem.

After you have completed your outline for the problem, then carry out the plan you developed to solve the problem. After you have solved the problem, carry out the next steps:

• Does the answer make sense with what is being asked in the problem
• If it does not then you guess and check the answer to see if it makes sense now
• If you are still coming up with an unreasonable number, work the problem backwards using the answer you calculated

All of these strategies will work when solving math problems using an outline. This plan of action will help identify everything needed to solve the problem.

It is recommended that you write this outline on a sheet of paper that you can follow every time you work on math problem solving. The goal of using a math outline to solve problems is to provide you with an organized strategy for solving any type of math problem. It will also provide you with an outline for solving life's problems. The more you use this outline the less that you will actually have to follow the actual written outline. It will just become second nature.

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