Page 214 - A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

can provide an important clue about whether you’ve done the problem correctly.
The order in which you work tests is also important. Students generally
work tests from front to back. When you are checking your work, if you start
more toward the back and work toward the front, it sometimes seems to give
your brain a fresher perspective that can allow you to more easily catch errors.
Nothing is ever certain. Occasionally you can study hard and the test gods
simply don’t cooperate. But if you prepare well by practicing and by building a

strong mental library of problem-solving techniques, and approach test taking
wisely, you will find that luck will increasingly be on your side.

SUMMING IT UP

Not getting enough sleep the night before a test can negate any other
preparation you’ve done.
Taking a test is serious business. Just as fighter pilots and doctors go
through checklists, going through your own test preparation checklist
can vastly improve your chances of success.

Counterintuitive strategies such as the hard-start–jump-to-easy
technique can give your brain a chance to reflect on harder challenges
even as you’re focusing on other, more straightforward problems.
The body puts out chemicals when it is under stress. How you interpret
your body’s reaction to these chemicals makes all the difference. If
you shift your thinking from “This test has made me afraid” to “This

test has got me excited to do my best!” it helps improve your
performance.
If you are panicked on a test, momentarily turn your attention to your
breathing. Relax your stomach, place your hand on it, and slowly draw
a deep breath. Your hand should move outward, and your whole chest
should expand like a barrel.
Your mind can trick you into thinking that what you’ve done is

correct, even if it isn’t. This means that, whenever possible, you
should blink, shift your attention, and then double-check your answers
using a big-picture perspective, asking yourself, “Does this really
make sense?”