MathDork Tips

Sleep. Want to get a better grade on you Math test? Math tests, unlike some other subjects, are highly dependent upon performance, rather than just knowledge. The best way to improve your performance is to get a good night’s sleep the night before a test. That means at least eight hours. Do not stay up late to study! Math is not crammable!

Work Problems. The best way to study for a Math test is to work problems. Go over your homework and quizzes and find some problems that you got wrong or were unsure of. Rework these problems, and then rework them again! Yes, the same ones. This will give you a kind of “framework” for working out new problems.

Social Pressure. If you have not done so well on your tests, and then you pull it together and get some better grades, you may find your friends teasing you about it. They may be genuinely happy that you are doing well, but feel a little uneasy their own performance. Just let it happen; it’s natural. If they feel threatened, they’ll get over it.

Strong Arithmetic. Very often a student will understand all of the Algebra concepts, but do poorly on tests. This can have a variety of causes, but one common cause is that there are gaps in his or her arithmetic skills. Do you remember how to add fractions? Divide decimals? You may need a review of arithmetic.