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Study skills
How to Check Your Maths Answers
Looking back over your work rarely finds the mistake. Checking properly means doing something different from what you did the first time.
In short
Ask whether the answer is sensible
A perimeter longer than the field, a probability above 1, a discount that costs more. Size and sign catch a lot.
Put the answer back in
If x is 4, does 3x + 5 really come to 17?
Redo it a different way
Work backwards, or use the inverse operation. Repeating the same steps repeats the same slip.
Check the units and the rounding
Marks go missing on centimetres written as metres, and on answers not rounded as asked.
Estimate first, compare after
Round the numbers, get a rough answer, and see whether yours is near it.
Reread what was asked for
The value of x is not always what is wanted. Sometimes it is the area, or the difference.