Math Counts Tips

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test-taking-strategies Top 15 Test-Taking Tips, Suggestions & Strategies

  • Get a good night’s sleep, and eat a good breakfast. Eat protein that morning-for the brain benefits.
  • When feeling anxious, take 5 deep breaths every once in a while.
  • Plan fun socialization after the test.
  • Bring water.
  • Bring candies that enhance brain awareness, such as mints, lemon drops, and dark chocolate. 
  • When faced with a reading passage, read the questions first and then read the passage.
  • Listen carefully to directions: Make a point to listen closely to any test directions that are read aloud.
  • Read through written directions at least twice before starting on a test section to ensure that you do not misinterpret them
  • Perform a ‘brain dump’. At the start of the test, write down on a sheet of scrap paper any facts or key information that you are afraid that you might forget. This ‘brain dump’ will help you to feel less anxious about forgetting important information.
  • Skip difficult items until last. On timed tests, you should avoid getting bogged down on difficult items that can cause you to use up all of your time. Instead, when you find yourself stumped on a tough test item, skip it and go on to other problems. After you have finished all of the easiest test items, you can return to any skipped questions and try to answer them.
  • If you finish a test early, use the remaining time to check your answers.
  • Create Mnemonics or silly sayings to memorize: Example: Long Division Dad-divide Mother -multiply Sister -subtract Brother -bring down Sometimes Rover -sometimes remainder
  • When skipping questions box the number and go back later.
  • Cover up the answers and see if you can answer the question on your own first.
  • Use a hi-lighter to highlight KEY words in the directions. Verbs and descriptive words that follow the verb are usually important key words.

MATHCOUNTS RULES TO REMEMBER

 Form of answers:

  • All answers must be expressed in simplest form.
  • Ratios should be expressed as simplified common fractions.
  • Radicals must be simplified.
  • Answers to problems asking for a response in the form of a dollar amount should be expressed in the form ($) a.bc, where “a” is an integer and “b” and “c” are digits.
  • Units of measurement are not required in answers, but they must be correct if given.
  • Do not make approximations for numbers.
  • Do not do any intermediate rounding.
  • Scientific notation should be expressed in the form a x 10n where “a” is a decimal and “n” is an integer.
  • An answer expressed to a greater or lesser degree of accuracy than called for in the problem will not be accepted.
  • The plural form of the units will always be provided in the answer blank, even if the answer appears to require the singular form of the units.

 MATHCOUNTS RULES FOR EACH ROUND

Sprint Round

  • 30 Problems
  • 40 Minute Time Limit
  • NO Calculators, Books or Other Aids

Target Round

  • 8 Problems presented in Pairs
  • 6 Minute time limit per Pair
  • Calculators and Scratch Paper are acceptable but no other aids

 Team Round

  • 10 Problems
  • 20 Minute Time Limit

 And above all…GOOD LUCK!

 

 

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