Making mistakes is life’s way of giving us lessons and making us better people in the process. We may stumble, fall and feel sorry for ourselves. The most important is being able to overcome all the negative emotions, dust ourselves off and continue on. Every student should be cognizant of the consequences of carelessness in a Mathematics examination. The precious marks lost to a careless mistake can cause a consequential dent in the overall score, sometimes bringing the grade down a notch. However, it is entirely possible to avoid making careless mistakes. Before a major examination like the PSLE, a student can learn to weed out carelessness while practising on P6 exam papers. Here are some tips.
Understand Concepts And Formulae Thoroughly
Mathematical concepts and formulae are created by some of the greatest minds throughout history. Without them, humans would not be able to solve mathematical problems easily and efficiently. The primary levels syllabus introduces concepts like fractions, ratio, geometry and circles. These concepts will eventually form the foundation for more advanced mathematical skills later on. That aside, a strong grasp of the concepts and a familiarity in using formulae definitely help in reducing careless mistakes. When it comes to solving problems in an examination, there can be more focus on getting the steps right and the calculations accurate rather than having to worry about applying the wrong concepts or using the incorrect formulae. Students will then be less prone to making careless mistakes. Similarly, for Science, while working through PSLE Science questions in Singapore, a strong grasp of the concepts will aid greatly in cutting down on such mistakes.
Intensive And Consistent Practice
The well-known adage “Practice Makes Perfect” is most applicable to a subject like Mathematics. It makes perfect sense that if one aims to be a master of something, he or she must be prepared to devote the time and effort to sharpen the tools and hone the necessary skills. While doing so, mistakes can be made and errors can be rectified. Lower levels Mathematics set the foundation for more advanced problem-solving techniques in fractions, ratios and other topics at the upper levels. It is recommended for upper primary students to practise the questions found in assessment books that arrange the questions by topics. Alternatively, students can make use of resources like Singapore P5 test paper. With ample time before any major tests or examinations, a student can reinforce the concepts learnt while weeding out any carelessness in a more relaxed way. While reading the questions, a student should exercise care, as some questions are longer and provide more information. Particularly, some Primary 6 Maths questions in Singapore are intended to be more challenging, hence students must be able to apply the right problem-solving techniques while making sure not to make any careless mistakes.
Develop The Habit of Checking Through The Workings
Under exam condition, it is typical for students to want to complete as many questions as possible. Unless the time constraint is extremely tight, a student should always make it a habit to check through what he or she has written in the last minute or so. Obvious mistakes can then be spotted before the error gets carried too far in the solution. The habit of checking through the workings should, in fact, be developed while doing revision or practising on timed or mock papers.