PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
- Try to keep a "positive mental attitude" toward problem solving. If you think you can or think you can't, you're probably right!
- Read problems more than once, if necessary, and restate in your own words.
- Write down all information from the problem and the question to be answered.
- Don't jump in and try to solve problems until you have thought about your approach.
- Make drawings, lists, charts, or use other strategies to help gain a better understanding of a problem.
- Take a break when stuck.
- If an incorrect answer is reached, learn from the mistake.
- Was it a mechanical error?
- Should the approach be modified?
- If you have no idea where to begin, try something even if you are not sure where it will lead.
- Check answer for reasonableness. Does it make sense in the context of the problem?
- After solving problems, pay attention to the strategies that you have used.
- What strategies do you use more easily?
- What strategies should you try to use more often?
Reading the Math Textbook || Getting Help When You Need It || Time Management || Working With Others || Problem-Solving Skills || Taking Tests || Studying for Tests || Note-Taking and Note-Using Skills || Math Development Center
Contents: Math Study Skills