Maths exams, running out of time

Hey, in every exam that i did in maths i was close to running out of time, i would complete the exam but some of the last questions i would rush. So how do you guys do your papers, do you go through all the questions quite quickl once, and then look through again checking for mistakes and doing the ones that you cant. Or do you do all the questions slowly and try not to make any mistakes, then if you have time go over some of the questions?

any help would be great!

Reply 1

hessajee

This is how I do it:

* Read the paper first fully from the first question to the last at the start of the exam.
* Choose the questions that appeal to me and do them (these would be my strengths)
* Then do the rest of the questions that I did not do earlier (these would be my weaknesses - to an extent)
* Once all questions are completed, just look through the paper fully as I did at the beginning, checking everything is correct and ensuring no questions have been missed out (check the last page!)

Exam complete. :smile:

Hope this helps.

P.S. Speed comes with practice, so don't try and go faster than you can, otherwise you will mess up. Do as many papers as you can for each subject module and you should be okay.

Reply 2

steelmole

I try to avoid reading ahead at all costs, it just distracts me from the question I'm doing. I start at question one and go to the end. Then I go back and check anything where I think I could have made some big gaffs. My maths teacher always says "You don't get any marks for finishing first" so if you finish in the time then you're probably alright. I don't think I've ever completed a paper in under an hour, but it doesn't matter because I get good marks.

Reply 3

petite_chaperon_rose

the thing is that you must probably start with the first question. Usually they put the hardest question either at the end or in the middle of the paper. you should take your time with the question and probably mind your working just to avoid mistakes... then suppose you reach a number in the middle of the paper where you know you will be wasting time on it as you simply can't do the working, then DON'T PANICK :smile:

you simply leave it, move to the next question saving time to answer the other questions.. Having completed the paper now you can go back to the number you couldn't do.. and yes, speed does come with practice... during revision time, it is a very good idea to time yourself through the paper.. perhaps you may not finish the first paper in the time required but with practice you'll be able to respect the time delay :smile:

and hopefully for exam time you may even get enough time to go through your paper twice or thrice after having completed all the numbers :smile:

ALL THE BEST

Reply 4

charlie123

thanks, alot. i think i just panick when i cannot do a question, and then i screw up all the rest of them by rushing through, i will try and take my time. thanks again

Reply 5

theworldwonders

Just practice, practice, practice! :biggrin:

I do every past paper I can get my hands on, and all questions from my text books an revision guides, this way I can wizz through the paper :smile:

Out of 90 mins, I'm usually done in about an hour, that's having checked through everything :smile:

Reply 6

Artemidoros.

Do A LOT of practice papers..At first an M1 paper would take me in excess of an hour, however now that I have gained adequate practice I can complete a solomon press paper in less than half an hour.

If you practice enough, papers will just seem like the same **** in endless repetition. :smile:

Reply 7

cdeu12

Thanks so much for the tips - loads of practice papers it is, then. :smile:

Reply 8

OllyThePhilosopher

I wouldn't read through them all first if I was you. Its just a waste of time. If they are questions you can do, you will need to read through them again anyway, and if they are hard, you may panic and mess up every question, rather than just the one you struggle on. Concentrate on one question at a time and you will have more than enough time to go back and check.