Transcript Chapter 5
Chapter 5
How to Solve Test Problems
Test Taking Strategy
1
Answering Questions
If you are instructed to mark all
correct answers rather than the single
best answer, the elimination of false
answers in each answer set should be
your strategy
Whereas normally we search for the
correct answer, here we would search
for the false statements
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Answering Questions
Question: What
city(s) is/are in
California?
a. San Diego
b. New York
c. Fresno
d. Denver
e. Barstow
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Answering Questions
The correct answers are a, c, and e
did you eliminate b & d before choosing a, c, & e
In answering this kind of question, you should
first eliminate the false answers
if you go through a few questions and find only one
right answer to each question, suspect the directions
were misleading
change your strategy. Instead of first eliminating
false statements, start searching for the true
statements(s)
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Answering Questions
Word problems are those which
require reading text during the exam
process. You then demonstrate
proficiency or understanding by
choosing correct answers.
The test may be multiple choice, fill in
the blank, true/false, or short essay.
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Answering Questions
The format for most text problems is fairly
standard. A long block of often difficult text
is presented and then several questions are
asked.
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Answering Questions
Usually the test is
divided into
sections
When the test
begins, examine
the entire test
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Answering Questions
One of the best strategies in test taking is
to start with the easy problems first.
by answering this way you
achieve a minimum grade in the fastest
time
know how much time remains for the
harder problems
get a feel for how the test was constructed
warm up
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Answering Questions
Find the section of the test that you are most familiar
with and answer the questions
Then go to your next best section and answer the questions
Continue working your way through the test saving the
hardest part for last
By following this procedure, you will save time for the
hardest part because of how fast and easy the first
sections were
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Answering Questions
Remember, you must complete at least
90% of the test correctly to receive an A.
Pace your test answering to ensure that
you finish the exam.
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Answering Questions
Before you read the text part of the
test skim over the questions.
Hold the questions in your mind as you
read the text
Read the entire text
Even if you spot answers, do not return to
the question until you have read the entire
text
Sometimes information will follow which
changes your understanding of the text
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Answering Questions
If you are allowed to mark the test
material, then bullet • or underline answers
as you find them.
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Answering Questions
Be careful when answering questions on
text that deals with subjects you are very
good in. It might actually be a handicap as
you will anticipate answers on the basis of
your prior knowledge rather than the
information presented. This can happen.
Sometimes the text will state something
you know to be false. Then questions will
be asked concerning that same incorrect
information. If the text is clear, then the
answer must correspond to the text.
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Answering Questions
For example: America’s favorite pastime is baseball. One of
the rules is two strikes and the batter is out; another rule is
five balls and the batter advances to first base.
Question: How many strikes in baseball to get a batter out?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
According to the paragraph, the correct
answer is b. In an actual test, you should
choose b. Select your answer based upon
the actual text.
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Answering Questions
If the test is fifty
minutes long and has
50 questions, simple
math would say spend
one minute on each
question
Unfortunately,
standardized tests are
usually not that simple
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Answering Questions
Factors include:
the
the
the
the
the
difficulty of the text
difficulty of the subject matter
length of the text
number of questions on each block of text
amount each counts towards the final grade
Consider all these factors when taking the
test
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Answering Questions
Start with what you consider the
easiest section
make sure you complete the section fast
enough to allow time for the harder
sections
if you spend too much time answering
the easy questions, you might fail the
test just because you did not answer
enough questions
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Answering Questions
Stay with the same text material until you
have either run out of time or have answered
all the questions to the best of your ability
Do not jump around from section to section
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Answering Questions
There will be some questions you cannot
answer
for these questions, skim over the answers
(where
they are offered)
go back to the text and scan for keywords
or phrases
eliminate answers that are wrong. If you
cannot eliminate all but one answer, you
must decide whether or not you should
guess
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Answering Questions
The decision to
guess should be
based on whether
you will be
penalized for
wrong answers
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Answering Questions
If you are penalized for wrong answers,
use the following rule
if you can eliminate three of the five possible
answers choose the best remaining answer
if the remaining two answers seem evenly
possible, then go ahead and guess one of the
two. You have improved your odds from one in
five to one in two
with 50-50 odds you should guess
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Answering Questions
If there is no penalty for guessing,
eliminate whatever incorrect answers you
can and then guess the same letter
throughout the test.
A B C D E
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Answering Questions
The reason for choosing the same
letter on all pure guesses is that large
standardized tests have their answers
generated randomly. By picking one
letter, you ensure that 20% (on a test
with a – e) correct guess rate. If you
changed your letter randomly, it is
possible you could guess yourself out
of the random answer.
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Answering Questions
This method should definitely be used when
answering test questions on material you
haven’t even looked at
Try to complete each section within your
self determined time limit. If you cannot,
guess on a basis of the above and proceed
to the next section. Remember to mark
your guesses (perhaps with a “?” or a “•”)
in case you have extra time at the end of
the test to reexamine them
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Answering Questions
Many text problems involve solving
an algebraic equation. For example, if
the text lists a series of items and
their prices and asks you
for the total, you would
have to add up all the
different prices.
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Answering Questions
Some text problems might go a step
further and require you to find an unknown
For example, you are given four tests
scores and need to compute a fifth which
would give a stated average
For example, (65 + 72 + 85 + 74 + x)/5 = 78.
These kinds of questions are called first degree
questions with a single variable
Because this level of math is so prevalent in
daily life, it is included in this manual
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Answering Questions
The following steps represent a means of
solving virtually every single variable first
degree word problem.
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Answering Questions
1. Let x represent the unknown solution
2. Write expressions in terms of x to represent
other unknown quantities
3. Translate the sentence(s) into an equation
4. Solve the equation
5. Check the solution by substituting it into the
original problem
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Answering Questions
Twice the sum of a number and 5 is 40. What is the
number
First, assign x to be the number
Second, write expression 2 (x + 5).
Third, translate to the equation
2 (x + 5) = 40
Fourth, solve the equation
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Answering Questions
To solve any algebraic equation, use the following 4
steps
Step 1. Clear any fractions by multiplying by LCM
(Lowest Common Multiple)
Step 2. Clear parenthesis
Step 3. Do +,- until the variable and its coefficient
are isolated on one side of the equation
Step 4. Divide by the coefficient
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Answering Questions
Following these steps (since there are no
fractions), first
clear parenthesis to get 2x + 10 = 40
Then subtract 10 from both sides to get
2x = 30
Then divide by the coefficient 2
to get the answer x = 15
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