5 Tips to Avoid Making Careless Mistakes during your H2 Math Paper

1. Don’t skip too many steps at once

Avoid skipping too many steps at once when it comes to addition and subtraction. Students usually attempt to skip a few steps in problem solving by working it out mentally to save time. However, these mental calculations are not always accurate, which will lead to the wrong answer despite going through all the right steps.

2. Check calculations and REVERSE-CHECK

Put answers back into the math problem or equation to check for accuracy. Many students skip this especially when they are rushed for time, but this option is often faster than going through and re-working the problem all over again.

3. Use the correct units

This is a potential stumbling block! Units can be a bane for many students dealing with JC math. Thus, it is important to be alert of the units presented in the questions, especially when a student is required to convert metres to centimetres or vice versa.

4. Time management

Yes, students are under a time limit and need to work fast to finish up all the questions when it comes to JC exams. But at the same time, it is important not to overlook accuracy. Try not to spend the entire time on solving an addition or subtraction problem, when the focus should primarily be on more complex questions.

5. Keeping it neat

If possible, try and keep all work and equations neat and systematic. This will help to spend less time on checking equations, and will also prevent a child from accidentally copying a different or wrong answer.

Lastly, like everything else, practice is key to avoiding careless mistakes - so practice, practice, practice!

Adapted from https://sg.theasianparent.com/5-tips-to-avoid-careless-mistakes-in-maths-exams/

By Ms Cheng

H2 Chemistry & H2 Math Tuition

Call 9810 6666