How do you cope when failing a math test =/?

[EfrainLagos]

Hey guys how you cope when a failing a test in math? (if you ever failed one in college engineering).

I just had my 1st exam about Integrals and U substitution. Of the 4 problems 2 were good
but the other 2 where almost in my hands but failed for some details or made a totally dumb algebraic and atention mistake. When I arrived home made the 2 problems like 10 times to never forget the mistake =/.

What sucks the most is that i knew the theory how to make them but in the moment of truth they didnt came to my mind!

Also any tip whe dealing with nervs in the exams? I am having some lately.

So I am getting a 40%-50% which totally sucks. The exam is 10% of the final note. But if I keep making mistakes like that I am going to end to be a mediocre engineer.

So any tips or your personal experience if you ever failed a test?.

 

[Topher925]

A. You need to mellow dude. I've failed three math CLASSES and I'm getting a phd in engineering. Failing a math test isn't the end of the world.

B. Being good at math has NOTHING(!) to do with being a good engineer. On the contrary, usually engineers that get straight A's in math and are all about the theoretical stuff end up being terrible engineers that get stuck in pigeon hole assignments because people get tired of explaining things to them.

C. The best advice I can give is the same that was given to me: "If you get knocked down, pick yourself back up again and keep at it. Don't wuss out and become a business major."

 

[EfrainLagos]

A. You need to mellow dude. I've failed three math CLASSES and I'm getting a phd in engineering. Failing a math test isn't the end of the world.

B. Being good at math has NOTHING(!) to do with being a good engineer. On the contrary, usually engineers that get straight A's in math and are all about the theoretical stuff end up being terrible engineers that get stuck in pigeon hole assignments because people get tired of explaining things to them.

C. The best advice I can give is the same that was given to me: "If you get knocked down, pick yourself back up again and keep at it. Don't wuss out and become a business major."

Hahaah great answer man. Wow PHd very cool man perseverance is the key hehehe?

"If you get knocked down, pick yourself back up again and keep at it. Don't wuss out and become a business major." Thats kick *** advice man xD.

Ill study harder man and many thanks for your advice.

 

[dydxforsn]

It sounds like you're in Cal II, so brace yourself for junior/senior level courses heh...

(I'm not saying you're going to do bad, I'm just saying that you'll run into QUITE a few more difficult tests and you will experience failure on a small scale again, don't worry about it though! You are not as good or as bad as your grades say no matter what anyone tells you! This is really a minor thing and you shouldn't let it bother you.)

 

[collinsmark]

Everybody makes mistakes (yes, even I make mistakes). And anybody who's ever taken a calculus course has made math mistakes.

There's an old saying, "practice makes perfect." And it applies to math too. Make sure you do your homework (heck, do extra homework if it helps) even if you know how to do the problems.

It's easy to look at a problem and say to yourself, "yeah, I know how to do that one, it was just like the previous one." And you might be right. But do it anyway. It's good for the practice alone.

 

[DoggerDan]

I had several coping mechanisms:

1. Rub eraser shards in my eyes.

2. Scope out the girls.

3. Doodle fish eating other fish.

4. Leave early and celebrate leaving early.

Well, it was better than moping all afternoon.

 

[Chronos]

Study the problems you failed to solve. It fills in the missing parts of the lectures you slept through. Tests point you in the direction of the knowledge you need to master. Failing in early college classes is a wake up call, failing in your senior year is . . . failure to heed the early warning signals.

 

[chiro]

Hey guys how you cope when a failing a test in math? (if you ever failed one in college engineering).

I just had my 1st exam about Integrals and U substitution. Of the 4 problems 2 were good
but the other 2 where almost in my hands but failed for some details or made a totally dumb algebraic and atention mistake. When I arrived home made the 2 problems like 10 times to never forget the mistake =/.

What sucks the most is that i knew the theory how to make them but in the moment of truth they didnt came to my mind!

Also any tip whe dealing with nervs in the exams? I am having some lately.

So I am getting a 40%-50% which totally sucks. The exam is 10% of the final note. But if I keep making mistakes like that I am going to end to be a mediocre engineer.

So any tips or your personal experience if you ever failed a test?.

Hey EfrainLagos and welcome to the forums.

You're doing better than other people so keep your chin up buddy.

I've noticed quite a few people drop courses because they are afraid to fail or even get a pass! At least you are seeing it through!

Also engineering is a hard course and a hard profession. Don't forget that!

Chances are if you do something enough and use your resources and show initiative you'll get there in the end. If you want to learn, you will eventually.

 

[haael]

So I am getting a 40%-50% which totally sucks. The exam is 10% of the final note. But if I keep making mistakes like that I am going to end to be a mediocre engineer.

Your attitude is right. Screw those who tell you to relax. Instead try these tricks:

1. Convince yourself that when you fail the exam, you will die.
2. Pin a needle into your hand to proove that this matter is serious.
3. Arrange yourself some punishment for failing, i.e. eat only spinach for a week, but even if you passed, punish yourself anyway for not trying hard enough.
4. Tell your gilrfriend that if you fail, you would have to break up.
5. Most important: think of not-failing all the time and don't let your feelings away. Pretend to everyone that everything is all right and you are not scared at all. Crying is for girlies.

This way your mind will motivate and you may be sure that your brain will spend the last single joule of mental energy to work on the matter. That's the real student way.

 

[chiro]

Your attitude is right. Screw those who tell you to relax. Instead try these tricks:

1. Convince yourself that when you fail the exam, you will die.
2. Pin a needle into your hand to proove that this matter is serious.
3. Arrange yourself some punishment for failing, i.e. eat only spinach for a week, but even if you passed, punish yourself anyway for not trying hard enough.
4. Tell your gilrfriend that if you fail, you would have to break up.
5. Most important: think of not-failing all the time and don't let your feelings away. Pretend to everyone that everything is all right and you are not scared at all. Crying is for girlies.

This way your mind will motivate and you may be sure that your brain will spend the last single joule of mental energy to work on the matter. That's the real student way.

You got to be garbageting me.

Do you live by your own advice? Should someone kill you more or less in the way a samurai chops off the head of who they defeated just because you didn't get A on your calculus exam (being the honorable way to die in that circumstance)?

I don't know if you're joking or not!

 

[haael]

Do you live by your own advice? Should someone kill you more or less in the way a samurai chops off the head of who they defeated just because you didn't get A on your calculus exam (being the honorable way to die in that circumstance)?

Dude, I once cut my finger off when I had forgot my pencil.

As you said: you got only 40%-50% and the exam is 10% of the final note. That means your final note will be almost 6% below the perfect! Do you think this is acceptable, in your own eyes?

 

[lisab]

Dude, I once cut my finger off when I had forgot my pencil.

As you said: you got only 40%-50% and the exam is 10% of the final note. That means your final note will be almost 6% below the perfect! Do you think this is acceptable, in your own eyes?

Everyone here understands a quest for excellence. The level you've described, involving self-injury and inflexible thinking, is not healthy. I urge you to seek professional help.

 

[Dembadon]

Your attitude is right. Screw those who tell you to relax. Instead try these tricks:

1. Convince yourself that when you fail the exam, you will die.
2. Pin a needle into your hand to proove that this matter is serious.
3. Arrange yourself some punishment for failing, i.e. eat only spinach for a week, but even if you passed, punish yourself anyway for not trying hard enough.
4. Tell your gilrfriend that if you fail, you would have to break up.
5. Most important: think of not-failing all the time and don't let your feelings away. Pretend to everyone that everything is all right and you are not scared at all. Crying is for girlies.

This way your mind will motivate and you may be sure that your brain will spend the last single joule of mental energy to work on the matter. That's the real student way.

Dude, I once cut my finger off when I had forgot my pencil.

As you said: you got only 40%-50% and the exam is 10% of the final note. That means your final note will be almost 6% below the perfect! Do you think this is acceptable, in your own eyes?

Quit trolling this thread.

 

[Loren Booda]

Know that everyone fails in life on occasion -- and those who think they don't do by that very thought.

 

[flyingpig]

By acing your next one.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Who gives four question tests anyway? I say blame the prof. I just got a 50% on a quiz because I got one question wrong and there were only two. Poop. Oh well. At least the test will be 6 questions, and he'll count your best answer on five. That's a small compensation. Don't let this one thing get you down. 10% of your final grade is quite small and savable. You could still get an A.

 

[EfrainLagos]

It sounds like you're in Cal II, so brace yourself for junior/senior level courses heh...

(I'm not saying you're going to do bad, I'm just saying that you'll run into QUITE a few more difficult tests and you will experience failure on a small scale again, don't worry about it though! You are not as good or as bad as your grades say no matter what anyone tells you! This is really a minor thing and you shouldn't let it bother you.)

Thanks for the reply man.

"You are not as good or as bad as your grades say no matter what anyone tells you!"

Ill have this in mind man thanks

 

[EfrainLagos]

Everybody makes mistakes (yes, even I make mistakes). And anybody who's ever taken a calculus course has made math mistakes.

There's an old saying, "practice makes perfect." And it applies to math too. Make sure you do your homework (heck, do extra homework if it helps) even if you know how to do the problems.

It's easy to look at a problem and say to yourself, "yeah, I know how to do that one, it was just like the previous one." And you might be right. But do it anyway. It's good for the practice alone.

Practice practice and practice. Thanks for advice man

 

[EfrainLagos]

Study the problems you failed to solve. It fills in the missing parts of the lectures you slept through. Tests point you in the direction of the knowledge you need to master. Failing in early college classes is a wake up call, failing in your senior year is . . . failure to heed the early warning signals.

Hello ill take this call. How much hours a day to study math do you recommend ?

 

[EfrainLagos]

Hey EfrainLagos and welcome to the forums.

You're doing better than other people so keep your chin up buddy.

I've noticed quite a few people drop courses because they are afraid to fail or even get a pass! At least you are seeing it through!

Also engineering is a hard course and a hard profession. Don't forget that!

Chances are if you do something enough and use your resources and show initiative you'll get there in the end. If you want to learn, you will eventually.

Thanks for your reply man.

"If you want to learn, you will eventually".

Thanks for reply man

 

[EfrainLagos]

Know that everyone fails in life on occasion -- and those who think they don't do by that very thought.

Words of Wisdom man.

namaste

 

[EfrainLagos]

By acing your next one.

Working on it man! ;D

Do you know how much hours you need a day for Calc II?

 

[EfrainLagos]

Who gives four question tests anyway? I say blame the prof. I just got a 50% on a quiz because I got one question wrong and there were only two. Poop. Oh well. At least the test will be 6 questions, and he'll count your best answer on five. That's a small compensation. Don't let this one thing get you down. 10% of your final grade is quite small and savable. You could still get an A.

Thanks man. Those teachers have the objective of falling most of students in my university so i only left to fight or die xD.

 

[EfrainLagos]

In average how many hours a day you have to study in math to get very good grades?

 

[Studiot]

One thing to know.

Unless you are a genius (in which case why are you doing engineering?) you will not be able to do much more than acknowledge the existence of the vast amount of material that will be thrown at you at University. Your knowledge will have many gaps when you finish that will take years to fill.
You will not be able to look at a nice complete package from every which way and try out every conceivable example as with the syllabus in High School. There is just too much material and not enough time at uni.

Relax, chill and have a beer. This is normal.

Remember that the exam is less than 10% of the lecture course in time so they will only be able to ask 10% of everything.

The trick, of course, is knowing which 10%



go well

 

[EfrainLagos]

One thing to know.

Unless you are a genius (in which case why are you doing engineering?) you will not be able to do much more than acknowledge the existence of the vast amount of material that will be thrown at you at University. Your knowledge will have many gaps when you finish that will take years to fill.
You will not be able to look at a nice complete package from every which way and try out every conceivable example as with the syllabus in High School. There is just too much material and not enough time at uni.

Relax, chill and have a beer. This is normal.

Remember that the exam is less than 10% of the lecture course in time so they will only be able to ask 10% of everything.

The trick, of course, is knowing which 10%



go well

Thanks for the reply man =). I have another exam the coming weekend, so maybe a good time redime myself.

Im not genius but what you mean by "(in which case why are you doing engineering?)"?

 

[Loren Booda]

Ph.D.=Doctor of Philosophy

Philosopher=Lover of Knowledge

Meditate on your studies as you would both to relax and concentrate.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

In average how many hours a day you have to study in math to get very good grades?

For calculus, I spent 8 hours on Saturday and 8 hours on Sunday practicing/studying. For other math classes, not as long. Calculus has taken the most studying so far. I always got the highest grades, so you can probably get by with less studying.

 

[EfrainLagos]

Ph.D.=Doctor of Philosophy

Philosopher=Lover of Knowledge

Meditate on your studies as you would both to relax and concentrate.

What you say ,if I am not wrong, is to enjoy the studying for the sake of studying what you love and not for a grade(becouse if its what you really like youll do good).

Thanks for the reply man =)

 

[EfrainLagos]

For calculus, I spent 8 hours on Saturday and 8 hours on Sunday practicing/studying. For other math classes, not as long. Calculus has taken the most studying so far. I always got the highest grades, so you can probably get by with less studying.

Thanks for the reply man. That really gave me an idea of long to study. Grats for being a good student.

8 hours on weekend.

Do you review your classes monday to friday?

 

[WatermelonPig]

The way I cope with most things. Wait for the next opportunity. Kill the next test.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Thanks for the reply man. That really gave me an idea of long to study. Grats for being a good student.

8 hours on weekend.

Do you review your classes monday to friday?

I only "reviewed" in the sense that I attended class twice a week.

One good strategy is to do a problem set, and every time you have to look something up in your book, be it a formula or definition or whatever, write it on a piece of paper. After you finish the problem set, study that paper. Then, some time later, try the problem set again without the paper. If you only forget a couple things, write them down and study that. It's a good way to narrow down exactly what you need to know from the chapter, since most professors base their tests heavily on the problem sets.

 

[EfrainLagos]

The way I cope with most things. Wait for the next opportunity. Kill the next test.

Ill do my best man.

Thanks for advice

 

[EfrainLagos]

I only "reviewed" in the sense that I attended class twice a week.

One good strategy is to do a problem set, and every time you have to look something up in your book, be it a formula or definition or whatever, write it on a piece of paper. After you finish the problem set, study that paper. Then, some time later, try the problem set again without the paper. If you only forget a couple things, write them down and study that. It's a good way to narrow down exactly what you need to know from the chapter, since most professors base their tests heavily on the problem sets.

Thanks a lot for your tips man. Ill practice them in the coming examn that cost 20% of the final note this coming week end.

 

[phoenix:\\]

When you failed as much as I do, you tend to get a little humble in your failure.