How can she do math faster?

[K&Rs Mom]

My 10th grader is partway through Saxon Advanced Math.  She took the PSAT9 with the local school last spring, and didn't finish the math section (ran out of time).  She is taking the PSAT in a couple weeks, and on the practice test had the same problem (ran out of time).  Her Saxon (30 problems per lesson) takes her forever, no matter how comfortable she is with the material.  I was having her do evens or odds, but that wasn't getting mastery, so we've changed to fewer lessons per week because of the time involved.  She's pretty good with her calculator, and really fast on arithmetic facts, so I know that's not the problem.  Is there anything she can work on to help her with speed?  

[Guest]

Have her do a practice section with you and see if you can see where she is losing time. It may be a particular type of problem or it may be spending too much time on one or two.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Heigh Ho

[FriedClams]

Saxon advanced math is a 2 or 3 year book. We're doing it as a two year book, so we do odd one day, even the next. If you read the intro to the book it covers all the time lines.

 

As for pace on the test, I'd do more practice (problem type id may help - if she knows right away what they are asking she may be able to calculate faster), and make sure she's good on her calculator.

[regentrude]

Practice the specific test format. If arithmetic speed is not the issue and she is handy with the calculator, do a math section with her to figure out where exactly  she loses the time.

Does she waste time thinking about a problem she does not immediately know how to do? Skip the problem, mark it, move to the next. If time left at the end, go back. All problems count the same.

Does she use the fact that the test is multiple choice to her advantage? For some problems, it is faster sticking the possible answers into the question to see which works.

Does she use the calculator a lot? Typically, calculator use will be of advantage only on very few problems. She needs to learn to distinguish these from the ones where doing it in her head is faster.

Does she use the answers to eliminate impossible solutions? For some problems, it is quicker to eliminate those that are obviously wrong instead of solving the problem as if it were open end.

 

The standardized test math sections are timed tightly, and students who simply work the problems straight usually will not finish if they have not learned to take advantage of the format. She needs targeted test prep with a test prep book and guidance, not more math with Saxon.

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by regentrude

[K&Rs Mom]

 

The standardized test math sections are timed tightly, and students who simply work the problems straight usually will not finish if they have not learned to take advantage of the format. She needs targeted test prep with a test prep book and guidance, not more math with Saxon.

 

This may be it.  She rarely uses the calculator because she's faster by hand on most things, but I did get her the one she can use on the test, so she's familiar with it and I don't think that's the problem.  We haven't done any standardized testing all along, and she did the PSAT9 last year with no prep, because I wanted to see where she was.  So I bet things like using the multiple choices to plug back in just hasn't occurred to her.  

 

I don't think there's a ton of time to benefit from a book before mid-October, but the one that "counts" is next year, so I'll look for a book with more explanation/advice, not just practice tests.  The prep book that they gave the kids when they registered just had one practice test, and it was from the College Board, so advice was not really on how to "game" the questions.

[regentrude]

I don't think there's a ton of time to benefit from a book before mid-October, but the one that "counts" is next year, so I'll look for a book with more explanation/advice, not just practice tests.  The prep book that they gave the kids when they registered just had one practice test, and it was from the College Board, so advice was not really on how to "game" the questions.

 

The best thing is to get the blue prep book from the college board and work slowly through the sample tests, trying out strategies. I have not seen a book that specifically teaches strategy - other than the standard advice to skip any question you do not know how to approach immediately.

[Arcadia]

I don't think there's a ton of time to benefit from a book before mid-October, but the one that "counts" is next year, so I'll look for a book with more explanation/advice, not just practice tests. The prep book that they gave the kids when they registered just had one practice test, and it was from the College Board, so advice was not really on how to "game" the questions.

Read this thread

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/619243-how-can-we-help-ds-to-be-faster-on-the-psatsat/

[Reefgazer]

Oh, listening in here because I've got a slow-poke who uses Saxon, as well.

[Guest]

I'd wonder if this is more a test strategy issue - is she looking at problems and categorizing which ones she can do quickly and which ones to come back to? Thinking through the basic problem format and eliminating any absurd answers? Estimating?

 

I'd probably approach it from that angle first and see if that doesn't solve her speed issue on the test. One can be slow and methodical on math assimilation and still fairly speedy in testing because in some ways it is a separate skill set. That would be the first thing I'd troubleshoot.