cem exam techniques for numerical R

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Happyface
Posts: 73
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:06 am

cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by Happyface »

to all the experienced people here..we need your help please:
What exam techniques did you use or are using to get more Qs done in the allocated time in the NUMERICAL REASONING part of the notorious
CEM??
we,ve learnt to move on from tricky /time taking Qs,but what else?
Thanks
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Have a firm grasp of times tables, as they are the root of most maths problems...?!
Happyface
Posts: 73
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:06 am

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by Happyface »

she is v fluent in tables..
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by um »

Sorry we haven't had more replies.

Perhaps if you are more specific about which year group your daughter is entering and which questions she finds tricky?

If she is taking the exam in 2 weeks, I admit it is difficult to give advice at this stage - it's really more about consolidation and building confidence and ensuring children are relaxed.
Happyface
Posts: 73
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:06 am

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by Happyface »

thanks um.
dd takes the test this sept., on average (short numerical R questions) she can do under 30 seconds. The Qs which have a para of info 1st & then Qs following from it .. she's less proficient in it. When I look at skills/topics needed for these Qs , she knows them all!
pS: day & night I live on this forum literally.. bit worrier that I might get blocked for asking Qs all the time. But if we do get through, I'll owe it to this forum alone.
booellesmum
Posts: 611
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:44 am

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by booellesmum »

Would it help to read the questions first so she knows what to look for in the paragraph? Good luck.
Happyface
Posts: 73
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:06 am

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by Happyface »

yes! thank you. will be trying this tomorrow morning first thing:)
plus we,ve had a complete break from 11+ for a day, so I think we'll be more energised!
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Hopefully more energised and a bit more back into the "mummy/daughter" relationship rather than feeling like "teacher/student" which so many parents forget, at this time! Well done you for thinking about her mental well-being, first and foremost.
OldTrout
Posts: 386
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:21 pm

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by OldTrout »

Happyface:

This may be too old fashioned (but OldTrout was chosen to reflect my great age as much as anything else)....

With both little fish and this year with small fry on tricky numerical questions (so not simple calculations but word problems or data problems where there's a lot of information to sort through my advice has been this:

1. Read through the initial information (the info text/ the graph/ the table).

2. Read through what it is they want to find out. It sometimes helps if you underline the key thing you need to solve - maybe How much will tickets cost (when there are a range of people going) or average height of boys (from a table with various bits of data on height for boys and girls).

3. Then go back to text/ table/ graph and find the information that can help you solve that problem.

4. Ask yourself if the information is there in a form to use for the answer or if you have to do something with it (say add up all the boy heights and then divide by # of boys).

5. Then work out the answer.

6. Then make sure of format. Sometime you just need to select or write down the number and sometimes you have to include mm or convert from metres to centimetres.

---------------------------

Three generally good things to drill in now:

1) Write out your calculations - often mistakes are made because you are calculating in your head. If it's on paper you can see it and if there is time you can even check your maths.

2) If there is any conversion involved for the answer (i.e. they want the answer in m but your data is in mm, cm and metres but they want the answer in metres) - convert data first before any calculations.

3) Often tables or graphs will have odd intervals for data - so a graph may have the y axist increasing by intervals of 10 but the x axis increasing by intervals of 50 - make sure you take the time to really understand how the data is presented. A classic trick is to have symbols for counts (say a star for 6 children) and for the child to just count each star as one rather than six.

Hope that helps.
tiredmama
Posts: 154
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:27 am

Re: cem exam techniques for numerical R

Post by tiredmama »

OldTrout wrote:Happyface:

This may be too old fashioned (but OldTrout was chosen to reflect my great age as much as anything else)....

With both little fish and this year with small fry on tricky numerical questions (so not simple calculations but word problems or data problems where there's a lot of information to sort through my advice has been this:

1. Read through the initial information (the info text/ the graph/ the table).

2. Read through what it is they want to find out. It sometimes helps if you underline the key thing you need to solve - maybe How much will tickets cost (when there are a range of people going) or average height of boys (from a table with various bits of data on height for boys and girls).

3. Then go back to text/ table/ graph and find the information that can help you solve that problem.

4. Ask yourself if the information is there in a form to use for the answer or if you have to do something with it (say add up all the boy heights and then divide by # of boys).

5. Then work out the answer.

6. Then make sure of format. Sometime you just need to select or write down the number and sometimes you have to include mm or convert from metres to centimetres.

---------------------------

Three generally good things to drill in now:

1) Write out your calculations - often mistakes are made because you are calculating in your head. If it's on paper you can see it and if there is time you can even check your maths.

2) If there is any conversion involved for the answer (i.e. they want the answer in m but your data is in mm, cm and metres but they want the answer in metres) - convert data first before any calculations.

3) Often tables or graphs will have odd intervals for data - so a graph may have the y axist increasing by intervals of 10 but the x axis increasing by intervals of 50 - make sure you take the time to really understand how the data is presented. A classic trick is to have symbols for counts (say a star for 6 children) and for the child to just count each star as one rather than six.

Hope that helps.
Invaluable advice! I am printing it out, thank you!
"To show me is far better than to lecture everyday.
To lead me is far greater than to just point out the way.
So if you tell me everything then I shall understand,
But rapid streams of words cannot compete with deed of hand[...]"
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