Practice Quizzes. If you can’t prepare adequately, then there’s no point in going through the trouble of studying for an exam that’s not going to go well. Training for a mathematics exam is basically like running a marathon – you can’t just study the theory behind it, you have to perform as many practice tests as possible. This is probably the number one strategy for preparing for an actual exam, but it is also true for any type of exam, including those that deal with the arts or sciences.
You’ll need to be able to use the theory correctly, but also be able to explain it in a clear and simple way so that the exam can follow it. This doesn’t mean that you have to be an essay writer, although that will help. It’s just a general guide, and these types of questions usually cover a wide range of topics.
It’s a good idea to study for your exam on your own time, so you can be sure you’re doing everything correctly. Doing your homework ahead of time will also give you a better idea of how many questions you’re likely to encounter, and which questions are going to make the exam more difficult for you.
Taking the practical exam will give you an idea of what questions are likely to occur during the actual test. If you get a hang of the format, then it shouldn’t be too hard, but if you don’t, then it will give you a good idea of which areas of the exam you’re going to struggle with.
Practice by using the books. There are many good book-based practice tests available on the market, including some that give a real examination of various topics. Some of these include multiple choice questions, whereas others give multiple part of an essay-type examination of the exam format.
A lot of people think they need to take an actual exam, but that’s not really necessary. Good preparation will give you a good idea of how well you’ll do, and how well you’ll do in the real exam, but you’re likely to do better if you study and practice the material in your textbooks. rather than trying to memorise it from the exam book.
As long as you’ve got plenty of practice, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t succeed. But you have to be persistent and you should be careful, especially with the exams. If you don’t want to fail, then you have to give yourself at least a few weeks to practice properly, and don’t forget that it might take a couple of days to practice at a time, rather than over several weeks.
The reason why it might take you a few days is because it’s very easy to become too excited about getting good results, and you start doing things like practising for weeks, then suddenly realise that you’re not quite sure what you’re doing. You may also have to make small corrections, which can be a bit of a hassle. So, if you find that you don’t know quite what to do, or you’re not sure you’re doing it right, then stop practicing and try again.
Don’t forget that your results will depend on how much practise you do. A good approach is to start slowly and build up to more practice. It may even be a good idea to split the exams into shorter sections, so that you get more practice over a longer period of time.
Some exams may be timed, and it’s always best to study for these before taking the exam, so that you’ll have a fair idea of how long it’ll take for you to pass. It’s also important to practice a number of times with different types of questions, and to use practice sheets to see how the answers stack up against each other.
Good luck and have fun. Don’t worry about failing, it’s just a maths exam!
