math moron?

[intothevoidx]

My usual average in my math classes is 95-97. I take a test like the psat or a state assessment test and I do HORRIBLE on my math section. I score lower than people who get 80's in their math classes. This makes absolutely no sense to me and I am completely frustrated. Is anyone else on here like me? Anyone have any insight as to why I score so low? By the way I do perfectly fine on other sections of the tests. I usually score in the top 95 percentile.

 

 

Comments appreciated, thanks

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Do you know the material on the assessment tests, or do you feel totally clueless when you do them?

[intothevoidx]

Most of the time I think I know what I am doing. Only rarely do I have no idea.

[CPL.Luke]

sometimes people have trouble understanding what the sat questions are asking, do you think you know what they're asking?

 

also how do you define doing horribly on the psat?

 

you may want to pick up an SAT prep book to study from, most people do this now and it messes up the curve.

[Asian]

dude i just got my psat back also. i also do very well in my math classes. and i only scored 480 on my psat , whats the deal???? im sure i will be ready when the real tests comes around though

[CPL.Luke]

heh I got a 460 on mine, don't worry about it.

[intothevoidx]

Well I'm between both of you, 470. I'd like it to be over 600. I went back and wrote down all the ones I got wrong when my test was returned and 11 of the ones I got wrong I figured out after looking at them again like they were cake.....Maybe I'm just not good at standardized math tests. Oh well, I'm going to start attempting to remember my math operations better, and I think i'll be purchasing one of those books shortly.

[EvoN1020v]

Maybe your school education is not up to the advance of the expected standards of the educational board? Just a suggestion.

[intothevoidx]

No thats definitely not it. My school is small, but it is one of the best ones in the area. That wouldn't make sense anyway, there are plenty of people in my school who do well.

[CPL.Luke]

yeah like I said the test is skewed by people who just go through and memorize the answers to the questions out of a test prep book making the score (which is done on a curve, with 500 being the average (I believe)).

 

you may want to try taking the ACT, I've heard that that one promotes critical thinking a bit more. But then again I never really took the tests, other than the 460 I got on a practice test way back in my freshman year.

[Ragib]

Tests do not always reflect your true capabilities. I'm 14 and I know more Math than my teachers, I finished Calculus when I was 11. I usually come 3rd in my math tests, which are of "pre-calc" standard (I don't know the classifications, I'm in Australia). The point is, I'm constantly beaten by two people who don't know a third of the math I do, I just screw up on silly mistakes...I remember saying 30% of 18700 was 40000...how stupid of me. Anyway, don't take tests too seriously, they don't mean crap.

[intothevoidx]

Tests do not always reflect your true capabilities. I'm 14 and I know more Math than my teachers, I finished Calculus when I was 11. I usually come 3rd in my math tests, which are of "pre-calc" standard (I don't know the classifications, I'm in Australia). The point is, I'm constantly beaten by two people who don't know a third of the math I do, I just screw up on silly mistakes...I remember saying 30% of 18700 was 40000...how stupid of me. Anyway, don't take tests too seriously, they don't mean crap.

 

In your opinion and mine too, but most colleges don't seem to think so lol....

[Ragib]

Yes, MOST, I received a 100% scholarship to the University Of New South Wales, but as however I still haven't finished high school, I currently get free tutoring lessons from an associate professor. You have to show people your ingenuity when the opportunity comes, test or no test. I went to a lecture and corrected the professor. The professor knew the error, most likely just a slip of tongue, but i took that opportunity and he asked to see me after the lecture.

[swansont]

Are these multiple-choice tests? If so, you can familiarize yourself with the techniques used to trip up test-takers. Such as: putting a plausible answer as choice a or b, but the correct answer is d or e. The time-pressed test-taker sees an answer that looks like it's probably correct, marks it and moves on, not realizing that the answer had a small flaw in it making it incorrect. Looking at all of the answers before moving on is necessary.

 

I know from experience that knowing these tricks can improve your score. So not knowing these tricks can possibly lower your score. Multiple-choice tests use a different skill set than ones where you work out the problem and can get partial credit.

[intothevoidx]

Yea, I'll have to think about that. Usually if I get an answer and I see it as an option I assume it's correct.

[Ragib]

I dont know but my dads always told me that if i dont know the answer, just put b...anymore tips swansont?

[swansont]

I dont know but my dads always told me that if i dont know the answer, just put b...anymore tips swansont?

 

Some test don't penalize for guessing, but some do — tests are scored so that guessing will tend to lower your score. e.g. lose 0.25 of a point if there are 5 choices. But if you can eliminate a few answers, then guessing will tend to be beneficial, so know the scoring and adjust your guessing strategy accordingly. But per my previous tip, you'd want to guess d or e rather than b. (except when e is all/none of the above)

 

If the answers are sentences, i.e. explanations, when in doubt pick the longest one.

 

Don't spend too much time on a question. If you get stuck, skip it and go back at the end. Most of these tests score all of the questions the same, so getting one right at the expense of not getting a chance to answer several more is probably a net loss of points.

[Sisyphus]

As per the original question:

 

Tests in school and standardized tests often test completely different things. I school, usually they're testing competence in specific techniques. You memorize how to do something, and that's that. Standardized tests are supposed to test your adaptability and creativity in thinking.

 

(Incidentally, I had the opposite problem. I never paid close attention or did much homework in high school, and my grades reflected that. However, I always got perfect scores on standardized tests. It made my teachers really mad...)

[Ragib]

ty swansont, and lol nice Sisyphus I love it when teachers get pissed for things like that . My teacher doesn't ever let me put my hand up in class and when I do, just to annoy her, she always picks someone else. When that happens the whole class starts laughing

[computerages]

not to show off or anything, I happen to have 4.1/4 gpa in math and got the sec highest score on my math be regents, taking BC Clac & AP Stats and getting straight As but I had 480 on my math sat .... and I took them twice

 

my suggestion is that get that prep and if you can afford it take those prep programs, sat is not really to test your verbal or math skills, it is just to test your test-taking skills (as far as I know, I may be wrong)... even college board does not have any definition for SATs.... it is just something that you have to deal with (maybe it is to teach you that life is not fair)...

 

good luck and PRACTICE

[grayfalcon89]

I'm junor taking AP Calc AB. I scored 80 on my PSAT junior this year and 70 last year.

 

I think this is not more about what math level you are but how careful you are. Math on PSAT/SAT has very harsh curve so it's important that you answer them carefully and UNDERSTAND what question's asking.

 

For instance, this is type of popular question:

 

If x+3 = 27+2x, find 3x:

 

Some people might put -24 because x = -24, and it WILL be one of the choices. WRONG! You're looking for 3x so it's -72.

[Esty]

I'm junor taking AP Calc AB. I scored 80 on my PSAT junior this year and 70 last year.

 

I think this is not more about what math level you are but how careful you are. Math on PSAT/SAT has very harsh curve so it's important that you answer them carefully and UNDERSTAND what question's asking.

 

For instance, this is type of popular question:

 

If x+3 = 27+2x, find 3x:

 

Some people might put -24 because x = -24, and it WILL be one of the choices. WRONG! You're looking for 3x so it's -72.

 

 

 

yeah, those people that dont read the question lose that mark.

[Pre4edgc]

I took mine earlier this school year and made between 550 and 600. It's not that bad, but I could do better. And for more test tips.

Look for things you KNOW can't be right. ie The square root of -9 is... a) 3 b) 18 c) -3 d) 3i

It can't be a. You can't have the square root of a negative. Most people will pick it because they see "square root" and "9", bypassing the "-".

It can't be b. That is -9 multiplied be -2.

It can't be c. A negative squared is a positive.

So it must be d. They always do that. Also, when you have the answer, insert it back into the original equation if it involves a variable, and that will help you to get the right answer. I'm getting ready to take my COMPASS, so I'm learning all of this again.