Cst test taking strategies (math)

Test-Taking Tips &Strategies

Preparing for Standardized Tests

(CST, CAHSEE, others)

Test Taking Tips

On The Eve Before Testing

• Engage in activities that ease your mind (do not play violent video games, or watch horror movies, etc.)

• Solve family/friend problems before the testing date.• Talk to your parents about any concerns that you might

have about the test.• Make sure you place all necessary materials in your

backpack• Eat a well-balanced dinner, but not too late (avoid upset

stomach)• Go To Bed Early (you need about 8 to 9 hours of sleep).

Test Taking Tips

The Morning of Testing

• Start your day as you always do.• Eat a good breakfast* but don’t drink a large

beverage before hand (Duh!!).• Get to school a few minutes earlier than you

usually do..• Know what classroom you are to repot to.• Think Positive!

Test Taking Tips

Once You Enter Your Classroom

• Relax!!• Ask for procedural help when directions allow

it. Your teacher is there to help you.• The STAR-CST test is based on California State

Content Standards. You have already studied most of the material you will see on the test.

Test Taking Tips

During The Test

• If you do not understand the directions or are unsure, ask for help!

• Read the question and all answer choices before marking anything

• Choose the most appropriate strategy to help you solve the problem.

Test Taking Tips

Pace Yourself

• Answer the easiest questions first.• Don’t spend too much time on any one

question. Do your best and then move on.• Be sure to go back to those questions you

skipped.

Test Taking Tips

A Matter of Time

• If any time remains, spend it on those questions about which you know nothing or almost nothing.

• As you go back through, do not change all answers; Your first guess is usually right!!!

Test Taking Tips

Guessing

• “All of the AboveAll of the Above” is usually right.• “None of the AboveNone of the Above” is usually wrong.• If the choice uses words like “nevernever” and “alwaysalways” it

is usually wrong.• Remember, once you guess stick with your answer.

Only change if you are absolutely sure you are wrong.

Test Taking Tips

The Death Grip

If your arm tires during testing it is probably due to the hard grip that you have on your pencil.

Relax the grip and give those muscles a break.

Giving your Back a Break

Do not break your back with bad posture or tense muscles. Sit properly and relax your back and shoulders

If you need to stretch your arm, hands or back during the test, keep it discrete. Do not disturb others!!!

Test Taking Tips

Final Tips

• Fill in bubbles fully, write neatly, and erase stray marks.

• Double-check the test number in your test booklet against the answer sheet every few questions to be sure you haven’t moved on to the wrong question.

• Remember it's okay not to know everything—unlike class tests, these tests will have some questions designed to challenge the limits of your knowledge (beyond your grade level).

Test Taking Tips

Basic Knowledge + Strategies = Better Odds

• Follow all the tips.• Trust yourself: You know more than you

think!!! • Apply the strategies.

Test Taking TipsSome facts about the CST

• Math section has 65 questions (all grades)• ELA section has 75 questions (grades 6 & 8) and 83 questions (grade 7).• 5 levels: Advanced (A) [≈ 79 – 100%] (431-600) 52-65 Proficient (P) [≈ 58 – 78%] (352- 430) 38-51

Basic (B) [≈ 43 – 57%] (304-351) 28-37Below Basic (BB) [≈ 29 – 42%] (256-303) 19-27Far Below Basic (FBB) [≈ 0 – 28%] (0 – 255) 0-

18

• Most common Grading Scale : A = 90 -100%B = 80 – 89%C = 70 – 79%D = 60 – 69%F = 0 – 59%

Compare the scale percentages (remember 50% means ½ )

Test Taking TipsEach Q has 4 possible answers

• “Ini, mini, mani , mo” or “Ave Maria Dame Punteria”= ¼ or 25%

• This way, your chances are for 654 = 17,850,625

for 754 = 31,640,625

for 834 = 47,458,321

(with all answers right)

Test Taking Tips

Above all,

• Glance at all the questions first• Go for all those questions that you know how to

solve (trust what you know).• Last, go back to the questions you skipped and

apply the strategies.

Why Do We Take These Tests?

• Class v. District v. State Tests• The STAR-CST test is based on the California State Standards (Same

Contract all across the state).• CST help teachers and administrators determine areas of strength and

weakness, as well as to determine which classes you may take next year.• CST is use to calculate your school’s API score (a school report card!!!)• The API score is also used to rank schools throughout the state.• FYI: Our district has the three highest high school API scores in East

County!

DO YOUR BEST EFFORT!!!!

Test Taking Strategies

Mathematics

&

Science

Test Taking StrategiesMath Computations

• When using scratch paper on a math test, double check to make sure that you have copied the problem correctly from the test booklet!

• Line up place value correctly on your scratch paper (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones) or the answer will be incorrect.

• If your answer does not match one of the choices, re-read the problem, re-copy the numbers, and try solving it again.


Strategies For Math

• Elimination• Estimation• Guess & Check• Plug-in• Draw


Elimination• Use your knowledge to eliminate obvious wrong

answers.• If you eliminate two wrong answers, your chances go from ¼ (25% or FFB) to ½

(50% or B)!!!!

652 = 4225, if you still do random choice*


Elimination (continues)

Example (Math 7th grade):

What is 0.375 as a fraction in lowest terms?

a) 3/80b)3/8c) 3/7d)15/4

Which ones may I eliminate?


Eliminate (continues)FACTS you should know: • numerator/denominator• If numerator > denominator, the fraction is more than 1 (improper)• If numerator is much, much smaller than denominator, the fraction

is closer to ZERO

Which options could you eliminate now? Explain

a) 3/80b) 3/8c) 3/7d) 15/4


Eliminate (continues)

If you eliminated (a) and (c), you are correct!

Two options left = 50% chance (50% = Basic)


Estimate

You know this strategy as rounding off.

Is 127 closer to 120 or 130?

127 is closer to 130!!!


Estimating

Example: Rosa bought 3 cans of fruit for $2.79 each. What did she pay for all the cans?

(a)$ 0.93

(b)$ 5.79

(c)$ 8.17

(d)$8.37

1) Round off $2.792) Multiply by 33) Choose correct

answer.


Estimating1) Round off $2.79 to dollars $3.002) Multiply by 3 3 x $3.00 = $9.003) Choose correct answer.

(a) $ 0.93(b) $ 5.79(c) $ 8.17(d) $8.37


Estimating

(d) Is the correct answer

($8.37 is the closest answer to $9.00)


Guess and Check

This strategy best work in solving equations.• Choose any one of the four choices, • Substitute your choice into the variable• Solve the equation• If both sides are EQUAL, you got it!• If both side are different, repeat the process


Guess and Check

Example:

What is the value of x in 3x – 10 = 17

a)x = 27

b)x = -7

c) x = 7

d)x = 9


Guess and Check

If we guess (a) x = 27

Then, 3(27) – 10 = 17 (substitute & multiply)

81 – 10 = 17

71 = 17

But this is not the correct answer.

So, Guess and Check another choice


Guess and Check

If we guess (b) x = -7

Then, 3(-7) – 10 = 17

-21 – 10 = 17

-31 = 17

But this is not the correct answer.

So, Guess and Check another choice


Guess and Check

If we guess (c) x = 7

Then, 3(9) – 10 = 17

27 – 10 = 17

17 = 17

This is the correct answer!!!


Plug-inThis strategy is similar to Guess & Check. But it requires

a bit of extra effort

Example: Twice as many people visited a museum on Tuesday that did on Monday, and 5 more people visited on Wednesday that did on Tuesday. A total of 125 people visited the museum over the three days. How many visited on Tuesday?

a) 48 people

b) 30 people

c) 60 people

d) 24 people

This is really hard!!!

Test Taking StrategiesPlug-inTranslate to algebraic terms:

Twice as many people visited a museum on Tuesday that did on Monday, and 5 more people visited on Wednesday that did on Tuesday. A total of 125 people visited the museum over the three days. How many visited on Tuesday?

Monday (no specific number of visitors) x

Tuesday = Twice as many as Monday 2 x

Wednesday = 5 more than Tuesday 5 + (2x)

Total visited museum = 125 = 125

Translating is is the tricky part


Plug-in

This strategy is similar to Guess & Check.• Translate and write equation• Choose any one of the four choices, • Substitute your choice• Solve the equation you came up with• If both sides are EQUAL, you got it!• If both side are different, repeat the process

Test Taking StrategiesPlug-ina) 48 people

Since 125 ≠ 245, (a) is not the right answer

Monday (no specific number of visitors)

x 48 48

Tuesday = Twice as many as Monday

2 x 2(48) 96

Wednesday = 5 more than Tuesday

5 + (2x) 5 + (96) 101

Total visited museum = 125 125 245

Test Taking StrategiesPlug-inb) 30 people

Since 125 ≠ 155, (b) is not the right answer


x 30 30


2 x 2(30) 60


5 + (2x) 5 + (60) 65


Test Taking StrategiesPlug-inc) 60 people

Since 125 ≠ 305, (c) is not the right answer


x 60 60


2 x 2(60) 120


5 + (2x) 5 + (120) 125


Test Taking StrategiesPlug-ind) 24 people

Since 125 = 125, (d) is the right answer!!!


x 24 24


2 x 2(24) 48


5 + (2x) 5 + (48) 53



Draw (Sketch)

This strategy helps you “see” the situation for a better understanding of the problem.

Example (Algebra- Quadratics):

Eli tossed a water balloon up into the air from the high slide at a water park, at a velocity of 96 feet/sec. The slide is 32 ft above the ground. The equation h(t) = -16t2 + Vot + h0 represents the path of the water balloon. Where h(t) = the height of the object from the ground after t seconds; V0 = initial velocity; and h0= initial height. How long will it take the water balloon to reach the surface of the water below?


Draw (Sketch)Eli tossed a water balloon up into the air from the high slide at a water park,

at a velocity of 96 feet/sec. The slide is 32 ft above the ground. The equation h(t) = -16t2 + Vot + h0 represents the path of the water balloon. Where h(t) = the height of the object from the ground after t seconds; V0 = initial velocity; and h0= initial height. How long will it take the water balloon to reach the surface of the water below?


Draw (Sketch)

Drawing does not solve the problem, but it helps us take a step closer.

Once you understand it, then you may choose another strategy to solve the problem (i.e. guess & check)

Education

Cst test taking strategies (math)