Math Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 1: POE Strategy (Process of Elimination)

• Eliminate obvious wrong answers (slash them)• Put a question mark (?) next to any answer

that you are not sure about.• Try to solve the problem to the best of your

ability.• If you are still uncertain, put a check mark (✔)

next to the one that makes the best sense to you. This will probably be the best choice for you to make if you had to guess.

Example

• Avery has 2.7 pounds of birdseed. He wants to divide the seed evenly among his 6 birdfeeders. How much should he put in each feeder?

A.0.45 pounds C. 4.5 poundsB.1.22 pounds D. 8.7 pounds

??

✔

Lesson 2: Plug and Chug Strategy

• Certain problems work well with the Plug and Chug Strategy.

• When you are stuck with a question, plug (substitute) the answers into the problem and see if you end up with a true statement.

• If the plugged-in answer works then this is probably the correct answer.

• *Use Plug and Chug as a way to double check answers.

Example• Is this problem a plug and chug problem?

What is the coefficient of x in the following equation? 2x – 3y = 12

• Example (variable type problems)What value of n makes the following

equation true? n – 53 = 75a. -22 c. 22b.- 6 d. 128

Not a plugAnd chug problem.

Example (continued)

•Example (variable type problems)

What value of n makes the following equation true? n – 53 = 75

a.-22 c. 22b.- 6 d. 128

a. -22 – 53 = - 75b.-6 – 53 = - 59c.22 – 53 = 31d.128 – 53 = 75 ✔

Lesson 3: Easy Does It Strategy

• Always do the problems that are the easiest for you.• If a problem is taking too long to solve, circle the

number on the test booklet and skip to the next problem.

• Typically, anything that takes you longer than 2 minutes is not an easy problem so you should skip it.

• Do this until you are done with all the easy questions.• When you have answered all the easy questions, go

back to the questions that you skipped and answer them ALL.

Example1. Which list is ordered from least to greatest?a. 0, 1/4, -1/3, 1/2, -2/3b. 1/4, -1/3, 1/2, -2/3, 0c. -1/3, -2/3, 0, 1/4, 1/2d. -2/3, -1/3, 0, 1/4, 1/2

2. 196 + 14 + 2,394 =a. 2,408b. 2,590c. 2,604d. 2,824

Answer Q2 first because it’s easier than Q1.

2,394+ 142,408+ 1962, 604

After answering the easy questions, return to answer the questions you skipped.

?? ✔

For Complicated Problems Use the Cook Book and Cooking Strategy

• Cook Book Strategy (CUBS)• Cooking Strategy (Solve)

Lesson 4a: Cook Book Strategy (CUBS)

• Circle key information (numbers, formulas, names, vocabulary) that is given to you about the problem (recipe).

• Underline the sentence or phrase that the problem is asking you to solve (what you are cooking).

• Box clue words that tell you math operations or equations to use.

• Solve (Cooking Time).

Example

Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?

a.Less than 24b.Exactly 24c.Exactly 28d.More than 30

Circle key information

Underline the phrase/question you are asked to solve

Box key words that give you math operations/equations to solve

Prepare to solve

Lesson 4b: Cooking Strategy (Solve)

1. Write down all the given information together on your scratch paper.2.Write the question below the given information.3.Connect how the given information to the question you are solving.4. Create a plan to solve the problem (do you need PEMDAS, Distributive Property, etc.?).5. Set up the equation and get ready to cook.6. Solve.

1. Put all the ingredients together.

2. How do the ingredients

fit together?

3. Plan how to cook.

4. Cook.

Cooking Time!Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?

1. Put all the ingredients together (given and the question together)

2. How do ingredients fit together?

3. Plan how you will cook

4. Cook (solve)

96 doll faces12 hours

X doll faces3 hours

Since the rate is the same, I can set the equations equal to each other and solve fore X.

96 doll faces 12 hours

= X doll faces3 hours

Cooking Time! Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?

a.Less than 24b.Exactly 24c.Exactly 28d.More than 30

4. Cook (solve)

96 doll faces = X doll faces 12 hours 3 hours

(12) X = (96) 3

(12) X = 288

(12) (12)

X = 24