Calculus II For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 17

Ten Tips to Take to the Test

In This Chapter

Staying calm when the test is passed out

Remembering those dxs and + Cs

Getting unstuck

Checking for mistakes

I’ve never met anyone who loved taking a math test. The pressure is on, the time is short, and that formula that you can’t quite remember is out of reach. Unfortunately, exams are a part of every student’s life. Here are my top ten suggestions to make test-taking just a little bit easier.

Breathe

This is always good advice — after all, where would you be if you weren’t breathing? Well, not a very nice place at all.

A lot of what you may feel when facing a test — for example, butterflies in your stomach, sweaty palms, or trembling — is simply a physical reaction to stress that’s caused by adrenalin. Your body is preparing you for a fight-or-flight response, but with a test, you have nothing to fight and nowhere to fly.

A little deep breathing is a simple physical exertion that can help dissipate the adrenalin and calm you down. So while you’re waiting for the professor to arrive and hand out the exams, take a few deep ...