Learning from Mistakes 1

Reduce mistakes:
four types to look for

Mistakes happen for a reason.
Let’s start with some common examples.

Start with a mistake you recognise

Taking in the question

You have not taken in the question accurately.

EXAMPLES

Conditions at the end
You miss a condition such as “provided that…” at the end of the question.
Skipping instructions
You skip instructions such as “select all” or “give an integer”.
Missing a negative
You read “which is NOT…” as “which is…”.
Numbers hidden in words
You overlook clues such as “perpendicular” (=90°), “parallel” or “half”.

Getting ready to calculate

You know the method, but something goes wrong when setting up the calculation.

EXAMPLES

Setting up the wrong equation
You have all the numerical “ingredients”, but combine them in the wrong equation.
Mixing up concepts
You confuse a value or concept, such as diameter and radius, or parallel and perpendicular.
Converting units
You mix up units, such as distance per hour and distance per minute.
Using a formula
You forget a formula or use the wrong one.
For example, you forget to divide by 2 when finding the area of a triangle.

Doing the calculation

Something goes wrong in the calculation itself.

EXAMPLES

Arithmetic slips
You mix up a multiplication fact, make a borrowing error, put a decimal point in the wrong place, or miscalculate a fraction.
Missing a calculation rule
You mix up positive and negative signs (+ and −), or forget to simplify a fraction.

Writing down your answer

The way you write or organise your work leads to an error.

EXAMPLES

Unclear handwriting
You misread your own 0 as 6, or 1 as 7.
Copying errors
A number changes when you copy it from your working to the answer box.
Cramped working
Your working is so crowded that you overlook a number in an intermediate step.
The wrong answer box
You write an answer one row away from the correct box.

These four groups give us a way to sort mistakes.
Next, let’s look at what you can do about each type.

Three steps to fewer mistakes

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