Overcoming Silly Math Mistakes

[Dooga Blackrazor]

When I do tests in Math I always seem to make one or two mistakes. This is sometimes because I failed to memorize something properly, but not often. I always understand the concepts.

My main problem is what many people would call "silly mistakes". I always seem to do something that prevents me from getting the 100% or even sometimes, the over 95% that I want. For example: Today on a probability quiz I got 9.5/10. I lost .5 because I multipled 15 and 15 instead of 15 and 16. I had even wrote down 16 and 15 on the page as denominators.

Also, on an Alegebra quiz I messed up somewhere and correctly found all the restrictions but I failed to result in getting an answer of -1. I took a longer route which might've been part of the problem.

Anyway has anyone dealt with the problem of "silly mistakes", any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[The Bob]

Anyway has anyone dealt with the problem of "silly mistakes", any suggestions? Thanks.

Double check all the question.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[jcsd]

Unfortunaetly silly mistakes have always been my downfall; the number of times that I have lost a minus/plus sign on the way! If you have a tendency to do this as well then Bob's advice is the only remedy I know.

 

[BobG]

I don't have any experience in making errors :rofl: , but I've heard of some solutions.

Neatness definitely helps (one of my sons constantly made silly mistakes and one look at his papers told you why - I don't know how he was able to read that mess)

It's usually best to complete all the problems first, then start your double checks. A little time between the first calculation and the second helps to keep you from just remembering what you did the first time and repeating it. If you're pretty fast, you can just use a piece of scratch paper to do the whole test over and compare your answers. If they're different, it's not that hard to find which one has the 'silly' mistake.

Usually, on a test, you don't have the luxury of letting enough time pass to really forget the process you went through the first time, but it helps. If you can do your double check the next day or a couple of days later, you have a better chance of catching the 'dumb' mistakes.

Estimating at least keeps even your mistakes in the general ball park. Also, going through the calculations in your head, only keeping track of the least significant digit, catches some of the mistakes, kind of like a checksum.

 

[The Bob]

Neatness definitely helps (one of my sons constantly made silly mistakes and one look at his papers told you why - I don't know how he was able to read that mess)

It's usually best to complete all the problems first, then start your double checks. A little time between the first calculation and the second helps to keep you from just remembering what you did the first time and repeating it. If you're pretty fast, you can just use a piece of scratch paper to do the whole test over and compare your answers. If they're different, it's not that hard to find which one has the 'silly' mistake.

Usually, on a test, you don't have the luxury of letting enough time pass to really forget the process you went through the first time, but it helps. If you can do your double check the next day or a couple of days later, you have a better chance of catching the 'dumb' mistakes.

Good Points. Listen to this guy. He knows what he is on about.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[jcsd]

two bobs? Does..not...compute

 

[The Bob]

two bobs? Does..not...compute

We aim to confuse.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[jcsd]

I never relaized that there were two Bobs on the board! the simlairity n your first names cobfused me into thinikng thta there was only one poster named Bob.

 

[Gokul43201]

I've always been a sucker for "silly mistakes" I think the first math test that I actually scored 100% on, is the one here, in the Quizzes section.

 

[Motifs]

Double check all the question.

The Bob (2004 ©)

I heard similar advice from tons of people and my conclusion is this is not really any kind of help at all, so sorry I have to say that, because it can only be applied to small tests. with a limited number of questions being raised to ask the students. When the test, however, contains a lot of different problems that needs different computations, students usually wouldn't have any patience to go back from the first to re-check the whole stuff especially if the exam is considered important and when they have only a small amount of time left.

I guess we make such a small silly mistake because we are busy. A few days ago I had a test and 3x3=6 was the result I gave my professor. Good as I am
Hey are you still alone, its getting colder these days ?

 

[Moonbear]

I wonder what's so special about 3. That was always my downfall for silly mistakes... 3x3=6; 3+3=9 :grumpy: I always seemed to lose a half point for that.

 

[Chrono]

Double check all the question.

Double, triple, and quadruple check.

 

[Chaotic42]

On tests I actually go back and triple or quadrouple check everything.

 

[The Bob]

I heard similar advice from tons of people and my conclusion is this is not really any kind of help at all.

It is something you have to learn. You must check everything in what time you have. I made some really silly mistakes in class the otehr day and if I had of looked back and not been so up with myself think 'I must have it right' then I would have realized before my teacher came over and stopped it in seconds. It does help, I know it does (will explain in next section):

Double, triple, and quadruple check.

I did well in my GCSE Higher Maths paper because of checking. Once you know the principles of mathematics it is really very simple. I took my 2 hour long paper and worked through it to find that I have finished in 40 minutes. I was shocked and annoyed that I had to wait for so long so I started to check it, because I must of had something wrong to have got through it so fast. I checked it four times and on the third check (Wait for it Motifs) I found a simple mistake that would have lost me about 2 marks.

All of this checking (and revising, which is another thing that helps silly mistakes) got me an A* in Maths. So it is worth checking but you have to learn your own style of checking as we all make different mistakes and that is what you have to learn, what mistakes you make and therefore what of your work is most important to check.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[chronon]

You should try to develop a sense of what the answer should "look like". For instance 15x16 is multiple of 5 times even number and so is going to end in zero.

I would echo the plea for neatness. You should write your work on the basis that it is meant for someone else to read - you should use standard notation etc.. Thinking "I know what I mean" and ending up with what is essentially a page of rough notes is a breeding ground for mistakes.

 

[Chrono]

I would echo the plea for neatness. You should write your work on the basis that it is meant for someone else to read - you should use standard notation etc.. Thinking "I know what I mean" and ending up with what is essentially a page of rough notes is a breeding ground for mistakes.

Plus, if you can't read your own writing two things might happen. One, you mistake a number for another and do the problem. Even if you did it right, it won't be since you copied the wrong problem. Two, if you can't read it, what makes you think the professor can?

 

[Hurkyl]

Instead of checking your work, one thing I often do is redo the problem, preferably in a different way than I did it the first time. If the answers match, you're good to go!

 

[The Bob]

Instead of checking your work, one thing I often do is redo the problem, preferably in a different way than I did it the first time. If the answers match, you're good to go!

I had never thought of this, mainly because we are only taught one way of doing thinks. That will help me in the future. Cheers.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[BobG]

I never relaized that there were two Bobs on the board! the simlairity n your first names cobfused me into thinikng thta there was only one poster named Bob.

Alas, the other Bob is the copyrighted version, while I'm just a cheap clone.

So who else is the clone - Chrono or chronon?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Alas, the other Bob is the copyrighted version, while I'm just a cheap clone.

So who else is the clone - Chrono or chronon?

Don't forget Chronos

 

[Moonbear]

This is all very confusing to have a chrono, Chronos, and chronon all on the same board, let alone the same thread. And then we also BobG and The Bob. Yeesh.

Checking for silly mistakes is similar to checking for spelling mistakes...the challenge being that if you know you meant to write, you're not likely to see it. I find working through backward the second time helps with this. This will keep you from glossing over it too quickly.

 

[Chrono]

This is all very confusing to have a chrono, Chronos, and chronon all on the same board, let alone the same thread. And then we also BobG and The Bob. Yeesh.

For the record, I do believe I was here first. Which is probably why they slightly changed their names; I took it from them.

 

[Warwick]

Definitely get your mistakes under control because when you get in higher level courses the professors try to trick you and if you don't pay attention to detail you get screwed. I keep getting screwed on my chemistry tests. I know the stuff so well but she words it so crazy. In calculus it gets nuts too.

 

[Tide]

Definitely get your mistakes under control because when you get in higher level courses the professors try to trick you and if you don't pay attention to detail you get screwed. I keep getting screwed on my chemistry tests. I know the stuff so well but she words it so crazy. In calculus it gets nuts too.

They aren't trying to trick anyone. Attention to detail, working efficiently and demonstrating a firm grasp of the material are crucial aspects of mastering the subject and good tests distinguish the superior student from the ordinary or the "just good enough."