1. Math Test Taking Strategies

2. Lesson 1: POE Strategy (Process of Elimination)
Eliminate obvious wrong answers (slash them)
Put a question mark (?) next to any answer that you are not sure about.
Try to solve the problem to the best of your ability.
If you are still uncertain, put a check mark (✔) next to the one that makes the best sense to you. This will probably be the best choice for you to make if you had to guess.
Teachers: Ask the class what are obvious wrong answers.
Teachers: Emphasize that guessing is the last resort (always choose C Nyuk Nyuk)

3. Example
Avery has 2.7 pounds of birdseed. He wants to divide the seed evenly among his 6 birdfeeders. How much should he put in each feeder?
0.45 pounds C. 4.5 pounds
1.22 pounds D. 8.7 pounds ? ✔
Since Avery only has 2.7 pounds of birdseed and has to divide it evenly among 6 birdfeeders, Answers C and D are obviously wrong because they are greater than the 2.7 pounds of birdseed Avery started with. Slash these answers.
Some students might put a question mark on answers A and B. If appropriate put question marks on Answers A and B.
Upon careful analysis, B cannot be correct because its value is a little under half of 2.7 when according to the problem Avery has to divide 2.7 pounds of birdseed evenly among 6 birdfeeders. Place a check mark next to A. ?

4. Lesson 2: Plug and Chug Strategy
Certain problems work well with the Plug and Chug Strategy.
When you are stuck with a question, plug (substitute) the answers into the problem and see if you end up with a true statement.
If the plugged-in answer works then this is probably the correct answer.
*Use Plug and Chug as a way to double check answers.
Teacher: Clarify what true statement means. Equations are equal, solves for a variable, etc.

5. Example Is this problem a plug and chug problem?
What is the coefficient of x in the following equation? x – 3y = 12
Example (variable type problems)
What value of n makes the following equation true? n – 53 = 75
c. 22
d. 128
Not a plug
And chug problem.
Teachers: The coefficient problem is a Non-example. For the second example, emphasize that there is something (variable) to plug (substitute into).

6. Example (continued) Example (variable type problems)
What value of n makes the following equation true? n – 53 = 75
c. 22
d. 128
a. -22 – 53 = - 75
-6 – 53 = - 59
22 – 53 = 31
128 – 53 = 75
Plug in each answer and see which answer makes the equation true. ✔

7. Lesson 3: Easy Does It Strategy
Always do the problems that are the easiest for you.
If a problem is taking too long to solve, circle the number on the test booklet and skip to the next problem.
Typically, anything that takes you longer than 2 minutes is not an easy problem so you should skip it.
Do this until you are done with all the easy questions.
When you have answered all the easy questions, go back to the questions that you skipped and answer them ALL.
Give 5 problems where 3 are very easy and 2 are medium
1. E, 2. hard, 3. E, 4. hard 5. E

8. Example
Which list is ordered from least to greatest?
0, 1/4, -1/3, 1/2, -2/3
1/4, -1/3, 1/2, -2/3, 0
-1/3, -2/3, 0, 1/4, 1/2
-2/3, -1/3, 0, 1/4, 1/2
,394 =
2,408
2,590
2,604
2,824
After answering the easy questions, return to answer the questions you skipped. ? ? ✔
For the Easy Does It Strategy, students will choose to answer question number 2 first because it’s easier compared to question 1. Emphasize that when they have answered all the easy questions , they are to come back to answer all the questions they skipped.
2,394
2,408
+ 196
2, 604
Answer Q2 first because it’s easier than Q1.

9. For Complicated Problems Use the Cook Book and Cooking Strategy
Cook Book Strategy (CUBS)
Cooking Strategy (Solve)
Teacher: E

10. Lesson 4a: Cook Book Strategy (CUBS)
Circle key information (numbers, formulas, names, vocabulary) that is given to you about the problem (recipe).
Underline the sentence or phrase that the problem is asking you to solve (what you are cooking).
Box clue words that tell you math operations or equations to use.
Solve (Cooking Time).
Teachers: Discuss what important information means. This could be numbers, key words as twice the number, etc.
This strategy has two parts
Day 1 The Cook Book Strategy is to prepare the students to solve a problem
The second strategy called Cooking Strategy is a process to actually solve a problem

11. Example
Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?
Less than 24
Exactly 24
Exactly 28
More than 30
Box key words that give you math operations/equations to solve
Circle key information
Prepare to solve
Underline the phrase/question you are asked to solve

12. Lesson 4b: Cooking Strategy (Solve)
1. Write down all the given information together on your scratch paper.
Write the question below the given information.
Connect how the given information to the question you are solving.
4. Create a plan to solve the problem (do you need PEMDAS, Distributive Property, etc.?).
5. Set up the equation and get ready to cook.
6. Solve.
1. Put all the ingredients together.
2. How do the ingredients fit together?
3. Plan how to cook.
4. Cook.
Day 2
This is the second part of the Cook Book Strategy and is used to solve the problem
Teacher: Spend some time going over what analysis means as a process that leads to creating a plan to solve the problem

13. Cooking Time!
Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?
96 doll faces
12 hours
1. Put all the ingredients together (given and the question together)
X doll faces
3 hours
2. How do ingredients fit together?
Since the rate is the same, I can set the equations equal to each other and solve fore X.
3. Plan how you will cook
96 doll faces
12 hours
= X doll faces
4. Cook (solve)
3 hours

14. Cooking Time!
Jessica can paint 96 doll faces in 12 hours. At this rate, how many doll faces can she expect to paint in 3 hours?
Less than 24
Exactly 24
Exactly 28
More than 30
4. Cook (solve)
96 doll faces = X doll faces
12 hours hours
(12) X = (96) 3
(12) X = 288
(12)
(12)
X = 24