What's your strategy to tackling difficult math questions?

We are going to introduce you to a strategy that will help you solve any difficult math questions. This tip hones the thought process to better understand the question to reach the method to deploy to solve the question.

2 'W's and 1 'H'

What is the question asking us?

What are the clues that help us answer the 1st W?

How does the clues help to answer the question?

Try this out!

Question:

Four pencils and a ruler cost $1. Six pencils and three rulers cost $2.10. Find the cost of three pencils and thirteen rulers.

Source: Shing Lee New Syllabus Mathematics Workbook 4

1st W - What is the question asking?

Look for the question in the question (tip: usually found at the end of the question).

In this case, it'll be the cost of three pencils and thirteen rulers.

2nd W - What are the key words needed to form an equation?

Pick up the key points in the question - Four pencils and a ruler cost $1. Six pencils and three rulers cost $2.10.

3rd H - How??

Let what you want to determine be unknowns - x and y. In this case, let cost of 1 pencil be x and 1 ruler be y.

Form an equation using clues from step 2.

Equation 1: 4x + y = 1

Equation 2: 6x + 3y = 2.10

Now solve them simultaneously using simultaneous equation techniques - either substitution or elimination!

Easy isn't it - try it for all your math questions! That's what we do at our math tuition center; we teach you the techniques and smart ways to learn. This will help you ace your O level math through to A level math.

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