Chapter 19
Ten Tips to Take to the Test
IN THIS CHAPTER
Doing a memory dump and a quick read-through before you begin
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
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 few slow, deep breaths can help calm you down. If you like, picture serenity and deep knowledge of all things mathematical entering your body on the in-breath, and all the bad stuff exiting on the out-breath.
Start by Doing a Memory Dump as You Read through the Exam
When you receive your exam, do a memory dump: Write down all the formulas you’re worried you may forget before you begin the test.
Next, take a minute to read through ...
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