The article title is 8 Tips for Revising for any Mathematics exam
Revising mathematics is no easy task, so here are some top maths revision tips on revising maths. These tips are applicable to all kinds of mathematics examinations. So let's dive into these 8 useful tips now!
8 Tips for maths revision tips for examinations
1. Do an initial assessment
This is a crucial first step to know how to focus your revision. This could be a mock exam or past paper but will give you a key insight into areas you do well on, and others that require more attention.
Once you understand what your strongest and weakest topics are in mathematics you can then plan out how you want to revise.
However do not lose confidence if the score is low, this is a great starting point and there will be a greater sense of satisfaction once you are adept at the topic.
2. Set a timetable for revision
Plan your time and learning and be strict with yourself. The best way to enforce the self-discipline you need during revision is to make a timetable and stick to it!
Having a structured day that includes breaks and blocks of revision time can greatly increase the efficiency of your revision. It also ensures that all the material is covered before those exams since you are planning ahead.
And have a timetable that suits you. If you are not a morning person why not start at 11 and finish at 8?
Read also: 4 Useful and Effective Time Management Tips for Students
3. Be practical
A lot of other subjects have thick textbooks that need to be looked through to understand and then can be answered with the theory learnt.
Maths is very much the opposite, there is a lot that can be learnt from a textbook, but the best way to learn Maths is to do Maths.
It can be found that doing 30 minutes of Maths questions is more effective than spending 2 hours reading from a textbook, as you are learning while doing the questions.
4. Focus on the weaker topics
It's great if you are able to finish questions quickly on the topics you have a good grasp on, however, an exam will never comprise of only one type of question.
During revision, it is a better use of time to start on topics and questions you struggle with the most. This is so that you have more time to work on your weaker topics, narrowing your knowledge gaps. Additionally, knowing where your weakness lies in the early stages can give you time to seek help to clear your doubts.
You can then just do a few refresher sessions on the topics you are better at.
5. Practice exam questions
Textbook maths exercises are often less difficult than exam papers.
Read also: Mathematics Paper: Simultaneous Equation Study Guide
Many people find that when they come to sit a mock exam or even the real exam, they are surprised that the material is more advanced than what they practised.
Whilst textbooks help provide guidance on what you need to cover and the topic basics, you will need to expand and apply what you learn to other, more complex examples to get those higher grades.
It is always worth looking for a varied set of exam questions that are not all sourced from the same textbook, trying an advanced paper or asking your teacher for some trickier examples.
6. Practice under exam conditions
Once you are confident you have covered the majority of the exam topics, the next step is to apply the exam conditions that you would have if you were sitting a real mathematics exam.
By practising with this added pressure, you can manage your time better, understand which types of questions take too long and need more work and also build up a strategy that works for you.
Make sure you set out your workings as you would in the real exam and not take shortcuts, as these can be vital extra marks and make sure you factor in time to check your answers.
7. Asking for help
There are some topics in mathematics that you may never get your head around no matter how hard you try.
It is easy to stare at examples and explanations forever trying to crack them. However, this will usually end up with you becoming more stressed and taking up too much unnecessary time.
Ask friends and family to help if they can. Also asking your maths teacher outside of lessons means they will be able to offer more focused, one-on-one support.
8. Rest
As stressful as it can be when revising, it is essential that regular breaks should be taken.
Information can become jumbled and remembering all those formulae can become a nightmare when trying to absorb a lot of information at one go.
Take breaks in between each new topic and let it soak in naturally.
No matter how frustrating mathematics revision can be, it is essential that you do not become stressed over it; stress can lead to reduced focus, inefficient learning and giving up.
The three crucial steps to good use of the revision period are preparation, self-discipline and time management. Once these are followed, it becomes easier to tackle a subject and take strides towards those target grades.
In a nutshell, mathematics requires a lot of practice. Only with sufficient practice, will you be able to work through math problems like a pro.
Tutopiya offers 1-1 online maths tuition for students anywhere around the world. We specialize in many international curriculums such as the IGCSEs, IB, SAT, ACT, and many more! We also offer online tuition for the Singapore MOE curriculum - from PSLE to A Levels.
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Nuha Gouse is the Co-founder of Tutopiya and is equipped with a first class honours Math degree from Imperial College, London. Her mission is to provide personalized individual lessons online where students from around the world can learn at their own pace and convenience.
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