How can I be really fast at maths?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around strategies for improving speed and efficiency in solving calculus and algebra problems, particularly in the context of preparing for a challenging exam with a tight time limit. Participants share their experiences and suggestions for managing time effectively during tests.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests starting with favorite topics or areas of strength to maximize efficiency.
  • Another emphasizes the importance of practice and exploring different problem-solving methods to improve speed.
  • A participant expresses frustration with tricky questions that consume time, highlighting a specific example from a practice problem.
  • Concerns are raised about the difficulty of the exam and the pressure to perform well, with one participant noting the average score is typically low.
  • Another participant shares a strategy from their SAT preparation, recommending to practice under tighter time constraints to build speed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that practice is essential for improving speed, but there are differing opinions on how best to approach the exam and manage time effectively. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best strategies for dealing with particularly challenging questions.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the difficulty of the exam and the need for concentration, speed, and accuracy, indicating that these factors may influence their performance. There is also mention of the variability in question difficulty and the time allocated for each.

VertexOperator
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Hey, I want to be able to do calculus and algebra extremely fast so how can I do that?
I have to get the maths paper done in 3 hours but people say rarely someone achieves that because the exam paper is huge and some questions are very tedious. There are 10 questions each question worth 10 marks and has about 5 parts. The first question is integration, the second is complex analysis, the third is graphing, 4th is volumes, 5th is applications of calculus (mechanics), 6th is harder polynomials, 7th is conical sections, 8th is probability and combinatorics, 9th is binomial theorem, 10th is harder analysis.
How can I get the questions done in 3 hours? At the moment I get up to about question 8 in 3 hours which means i don't get to do my fav topic, real analysis. Any tips are appreciated!
 
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Do you have to do them in this order? If not, start with your favorite parts - or the parts where you expect to be good and quick.
How to get quicker: practice. In addition, you can look for different ways to solve problems - usually, there are quicker and slower ways.
 
VertexOperator said:
Hey, I want to be able to do calculus and algebra extremely fast so how can I do that?

well, if you don't mind being wrong, you can be as fast as you want.
 
Are there past or sample exams for the test you're taking? Just do a lot of practice with those. Usually the more practice you do, the faster you'll get. It's only natural.
 
Thanks guys, I will definitely do a lot of practice but some of the questions are very very tricky and with very little time it is very hard to spot the trick... have a look at this question: http://i.imgur.com/0LdTrM9.png
This is a 1/5 of the 8th question (probability and combinatorics) and I am meant to spend around 10-20 mins on it. I think it takes like 10 mins to just write the answer down lol
 
Last edited:
The avarage for the test I am taking is usually 50% but I have been preparing for 2 years and I really want to get 90%. Only 1 person got 100%.
 
ahsanxr said:
Are there past or sample exams for the test you're taking? Just do a lot of practice with those. Usually the more practice you do, the faster you'll get. It's only natural.

Yes, there are sample papers, I have about 1500 of them! But I never get them done in time. I will keep doing them and hopefully improve my speed. The problem is that it is a very difficult exam so I need concentration, speed and accuracy and under so much stress it is hard to achieve. Thank you for the help everyone!
 
Just like running, practicing will make you faster. In calculus, practicing will make you realize which technique to use for integration to make the integral easiest to solve.

PRACTICE
 
im no expert at this stuff but when i was practicing for the SAT i would take off a small chunk of time from the allotted time. for example, if a section is 25 mins 24 questions, i would give myself 20 mins for 24 questions.

overtime i was able to get faster. on test day, i finished the longest sections in around 10-15 mins
 

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