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Calculation / Arithmetic Errors

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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Calculation / Arithmetic Errors

by ttd » Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:46 pm
Hello,

It's been about 3 weeks since I've started studying for the GMAT and I can't seem to break away from continuously making careless calculation/arithmetic errors - even when I write everything down. I'm embarrassed to confess that I've made a wide range of errors - from subtracting when I was supposed to add, to adding the wrong places of digits together. I thought time and practice was going to make this problem go away, but they haven't. Sure I've made a progress, but my percentage of error is not anywhere near where it needs to be at. And I'm starting to get a little nervous, since in my mind, 3 weeks should have been more than enough time for me to get back into the habit of doing math problems again.

It makes me sound really old, but I haven't done any kind of serious math for about 10 years. But when I was in school, math used to be one of my stronger subjects. So I'm all the more confused/frustrated as to what has happened to my math solving skills ... Any suggestions as to what I can do to catch myself from making these careless calculation errors?

Please help ~
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by 4GMAT_Mumbai » Wed Apr 14, 2010 7:25 pm
Hi TTD,

Request not to get unduly worried. 3 weeks (of, say 3 hours a day ??) of working out problems has to make up for 520 weeks of staying away from serious maths ... Give yourself a little more leeway ;-D (I shall stop before becoming preachy !)

In such situations, I advice most students with the plain simple high school maths books. I am not sure which part of the world you are in - The technique has indeed worked out here in Mumbai. I ask them to reach out to plain simple Maharastra state board books - not even CBSE or ICSE standards. I am sure this will work with other countries / syllabi also.

Several advantages:

1. One gets her feet wet with plain simple high school mathematics

2. One does not waste GMAT questions - you might want to 'use' the GMAT material after you have got the super-basics in its place. With the GMAT questions, you could make a speed-time-distance error and learn from your mistakes. You might not want to make addition, multiplication errors in a GMAT question.

3. Mentally, it gives you the satisfaction that you are still warming up and not in the real race track. You might want to run in the 100 m track in a stadium. But, it makes sense to practice on the footpath first (After all, it has only been 3 weeks now).

I hope this helps.
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by stephen@knewton » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:43 am
Hi TTD,

As both a GMAT teacher and someone who took the official test after a 12-year hiatus from mathematics, I'd like to commend your willingness to ask for help on a problem that MANY students face in frustrated silence. Make no mistake, reducing "unforced errors" is one of the most challenging hurdles in this process.

Speaking from my own experience with students in your position (and the "distant" memory of having been there once myself!) the previous responder's first piece of advice is very important: first and foremost, cut yourself some slack ... it HAS only been three weeks!

The suggestions above are great, but let's dig a little deeper. I'm fascinated by the words you've chosen to describe your situation: careless, embarrassed, nervous, confused, frustrated! I'm no psychologist, but what I suspect you are facing is a classic case of test anxiety. Nobody likes to admit that they are not the GMAT equivalent of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV ("I must break you!") but almost EVERYBODY experiences it (trust me). It's also a well-known cause of unforced errors, and it CAN be overcome.

There's no quick way to eliminate the problem, but it can be managed. Warming up on easier problems, as mentioned above, is certainly a good idea. Let me add a few ideas, and I encourage others to add their own experiences to this thread!

I'll start by giving you one concrete thing that you CAN do: make yourself a checklist. When you review problems that you've done, keep a log or list or spreadsheet of all the unforced errors you've made. Look for patterns, and create a short checklist that you can refer to before you leave a problem (this should be a 5-seconds kind of thing). I like to suggest using a post-it next to your study area during the early days, but it should eventually become a mental checklist. Knowledge is power!

You might also try adding a few things to your routine. Try re-working problems that you've done already under test-like time constraints. You'll have to be just as precise with your fundamentals, and knowing the approach in advance will allow your mind to focus on creating good basic habits. You may also want to try working through a few harder problems without the clock running. You'll gain confidence, and may soon find that you're completing them quickly enough for the test. This is part of what I call "visualizing success" (not trademarked). While often ridiculed by my students, this technique HELPS. If you approach each problem with the assumption that you CAN answer it, you'll find that your level of anxiety dissipates, and your unforced errors go away.

Lastly, and most simply, ensure that you are bringing 110% to your prep time. If you haven't already, start each practice session by getting off the grid. Turn off the cell phone, shut down video poker, slip the kids a benadryl (kidding!!) and do your best to shut out mental distractions.

Some parting advice: this problem won't go away overnight. Keep at it, keep confident, and keep us posted!

Cheers, Steve P.
Stephen
GMAT Instructor
Knewton Inc.
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