How to Answer Multiple Choice Maths Questions

Math is many people’s big nightmare. A lot of people freeze when it comes to math exams, and even multiple choice ones. But fear not, as there are effective ways to combat this, and how to answer multiple choice math questions will put you on a pathway to success. By careful applications of the following methods, you can stroll through multiple choice tests while being confident that your answers are correct.

The first step in any multiple choice math question is to read the question, and to read it well. You really need to understand what it is the examiner is after, translate the questions with your own words. Once you have understood this, you are half way there.

Next, try and use the process of elimination to seek your answer. Often, you don’t even need to make the calculation in order to find the correct answer.

Conside this example:

334 x 412 =

  1. 54,559
  2. 137,608
  3. 22,528
  4. 229,766

You only need to perform two very quick calculations to solve this problem. The first one is to multiply the 2 from 412, by the 4 in 334. The answer is of course 8. This is the final digit in the answer, so instantly, you can take answers a and d out of your thoughts. Secondly, multiply 334 x 100. You can do this in your head, and you will get a six figure number. As 412 is greater than 100, you should be able to see that it is impossible for answer c to be correct, because that only has five digits.

Therefore, answer b has to be the correct one. And you have discovered this by not even having to multiply the main question out. This is much easier.

Sometimes, you can look at a question, and are able to estimate the answer before you have even attempted the calculation. This too is very useful, and will speed up the process. Often, one or two of the answers are way out anyway, so you can even use logic, especially if the math is being applied to a real life situation.

Of course, not all questions are going to be that easy, but you can still apply other principles depending on what the question is to perform process of elimination. In such questions, using the process of elimination will give you so much extra time that you can apply to harder questions later in the test.

In more complex questions, you will need to perform the calculation to find the correct solution. For these, you will need a piece of scrap paper to make these calculations. When doing so, it is important to be as neat as you can, and to do every single step, even if you normally don’t. Try to visualize the problem, draw them out, sketch the diagram or something, and write the numbers beside. Often you will find alternative methods which come out with the same solutions too.

This will help you to double check, and hopefully make it easier to spot any errors you may have made during the process. If you have skipped steps or are messy, then you will waste time finding your mistake and perhaps run out of time. You can also work backwards from solution to question to see if your answer is correct.

How to answer multiple choice math questions quickly and effectively can save you so much time and stress, and enable you to be able to give more time and focus to the tougher questions on the test. Use these tips and methods, and you will be successful in your math tests.