How to Get a Good Grade on a Math Test

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Many students find that math is the hardest subject in school probably because you learn a lot of things in a small amount of time, and because numbers are “another language” and your horizons on this language are constantly expanding.
A few tips for improving your grade in Math are listed below, so read on!

Steps

1. Go to class. Especially if you’re in college, you may find it tempting to skip a class now and then. While you can get away with that in some subjects, math is like a ladder. If a rung is missing, or if you don’t get a good grip on it, you’ll struggle to reach the next rung. If enough rungs are missing, it will be impossible to climb higher. In addition, teachers often emphasize the most important topics in class, so come test time you’ll know exactly what to study.
2. Sit in the front row and participate in class. By sitting in the front row, distractions are minimized and performance heightened. Asking questions or providing answers helps the student to stay engaged in the learning process, this improving attentiveness and retention of materials learned.
3. Do your homework. Homework may seem like torture, but it’s really designed to help you learn. The key to learning math is repetition: do enough problems with the quadratic formula, and you’ll eventually be able to recite it in your sleep. Plus, as you do your homework, you’ll be able to identify concepts you don’t understand. It also doesn’t hurt that test questions are often based on the homework assignments.
4. Ask questions. OK, so you did your homework, but you still don’t understand how to factor a polynomial. Go ahead and ask your teacher, TA, professor–even other students may be able to help. There’s no such thing as a stupid question, and if you think it’s embarrassing to ask a question imagine how you’ll feel when you get a big red “F” on the exam. Everybody has questions about math; successful students ask theirs.
5. Review before the test. Good job! You went to class, did your homework, and got your questions answered. Now, the test is tomorrow. Do you a) breathe a sigh of relief and go to bed; b) turn on the TV and watch The Simpsons; or c) review what you’ve learned? That’s right, it’s time to review. This is not the time for cramming, however; you’re better prepared than that anyway. Go over your notes, take practice tests, and make sure you have important formulas memorized. Of course, you could just watch The Simpsons, but don’t be surprised if your grades turn out more like Bart’s than like Lisa’s!
6. Relax. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before the test. You’ll feel better and think more clearly if you’re well rested. Right before taking your test, look over the important formulas one last time, but other than that, you’re done preparing. Remember, you’re ready for this, and no matter what happens it’s not the end of the world. I find chewing gum helps – if your school allows it, of course.
7. Pace yourself. Once you have your exam in front of you, look it over to see how many questions there are and what kind of questions are included. This will give you an idea of how much time you can spend on each problem. If you get stuck on a question, move on to the next one and come back later. Sometimes a later question will even jog your memory so that you can answer the one you skipped. Most importantly, don’t rush yourself.
8. Pay attention to neatness. Any math teacher will tell you that sloppy work is the test-taker’s worst enemy. Even if you know the material cold, a smudged digit here or a forgotten negative sign there can ruin an entire problem. If you make a mistake, use your eraser–that’s what it’s there for.
9. Check your work. Great, you finished the test with plenty of time. Don’t turn it in yet, though! Good test-takers make mistakes all the time, but they find them and fix them before they hand in their exams. I can’t stress this enough – you will always find a mistake somewhere. Anyways, depending on what kind of problems you’re doing, your teacher will probably give you some hints on how to check your work. In general, though, carefully reread each question and ask yourself if your answers make sense. You still may not get every problem right, but you’ll increase your chances of success exponentially. Always verify your answers one or two times after writing exam.Read the question two/three times before writing the exam.Do not make tensions in your mind while writing an exam.This will lead to forgot your answers

Tips

• Ask questions even if you’re embarrassed! Somebody is bound to have the same question, so ask!
• Never give up on yourself. Always try your very best.
• Make sure you know how to work problems without a calculator, and be sure to check your calculated answers for accuracy.
• Do not rush! If you make a mistake, erase the problem completely.

Things You’ll Need

• Sharpener
• Eraser
• Ruler
• Protractor (for geometry)
• Calculator (if allowed)
• Paper, if needed
• Compass (for geometry)
• A few pencils (in case one breaks)

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• How to Differentiate Polynomials
• How to Understand Linear Equations
• How to Factor a Number
• How to Do Long Multiplication
• How to Calculate Your Age by Chocolate
• How to Add 5 Consecutive Numbers Quickly
• How to Factor Second Degree Polynomials (Quadratic Equations)
• How to Do Grade 9 Mathematical Processes
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