Tag: careless mistakes

Methodology for Checking for Careless Mistakes

Checking for careless mistakes using the Substitution Method

  • Normal method of checking (i.e. check your working from front to back again), may or may not find the error
  • Using Substitution Method of checking guarantees that your answer is correct, and will find an error if there is one.
  • Use  Substitution Method of checking for all algebra/solving/simplify questions worth 2 marks or more. You will be able to save many many marks using this method!
  • Only takes 10 seconds with practice. (use calculator)

Example (using substitution method)

Express \displaystyle\frac{2x-3}{x^2+4x+3}-\frac{1}{x+3} as a single fraction in its simplest form. [2 marks]

After getting your answer (\displaystyle\frac{x-4}{(x+3)(x+1)}), you can substitute in the value \boxed{x=9}.

When, x=9, \displaystyle\frac{2x-3}{x^2+4x+3}-\frac{1}{x+3}=\frac{1}{24}, and \displaystyle\frac{x-4}{(x+3)(x+1)}=\frac{1}{24}

Since both expressions give the same value, you have just checked that your answer is correct!

Humorous cartoon featuring Jackie Chan.
Sincerely wishing all students to reduce their careless mistakes to as low as possible!

5 Tips on How to improve for Maths (Primary, O Level, A Level)

5 Tips on How to improve for Maths (Primary, O Level, A Level)

  1. Firstly, make sure that you do sufficient practice, especially for past year papers. Sometimes, students may think that they fully understood a topic, but there may be some gaps in their knowledge, which would be overcome by sufficient practice. Check out our site on Free Exam Papers.
  2. Improve accuracy and reduce careless mistakes. Some tips to reduce careless mistakes are double-checking, and write neatly to reduce transfer or reading error. Also, check out our article on reducing careless mistakes.
  3. Ensure adequate understanding. Ensure that each step of the question is being understood, and not relying on “guessing” or pure luck. This will enable the student to solve all similar questions of the same type. Having a good tutor, a study group of friends, or a parent knowledgeable in mathematics helps a lot.
  4. Have a positive attitude about Maths. 🙂 Liking Maths helps a lot in doing well for Maths. Treat Maths like a game or puzzle to be solved, and not as a chore. Congratulate yourself after solving a question correctly, no matter how easy or basic it is. Soon, you will be able to experience the joy of Mathematics.
  5. Finally, try to have a healthy lifestyle. Reduce harmful activities like too much computer games, as these can cause addiction and affect dopamine receptors in the brain, which hamper learning. Exercise and listening to music are good activities for soothing and relaxing the brain.