Increasing Speed

[Itryatmath]

Hey guys,

It seems to me that I am very slow at the Math UIL test. I know how to do alot of the problems on almost every test, its just that I dont get near enough done within the time limit. Any suggestions on how to get faster?

Thanks

[hansond10]

Piece of advice: "Anything you can do a program can do better."

So in that, any problems that you see recurring a LOT (i.e. f''(x)=17 f'(2)=3 f(1)=1 f(0)=?) should have a program in it. If you know how YOU would do it, just tell the program how to do it, and that 1-2 minute problem now takes 10 seconds (as it does for me).

Since programming is a part of this test, it consumes a great portion of ability in the test. Which is why I urge the UIL to NOT make Calculator a programmable test....

[jahu]

just practice more and get used to taking tests. look at recurring problems and practice solving them or something and it'll just be mundane and easy to do if you see it. i dunno that's basically it... practice

[Kenon]

That's a 1 minute problem? That should take you 30 seconds, tops. (Well, 10 seconds is faster, but you get the idea, that's just fast integration)

The best way to do it is to know which problems take you the longest and either try to avoid em or work out faster ways, or to just take it like number sense and test, test, test.

[atater]

hansond10
do you have a list of programs that you use and there is a place where they can be found for download

[stupidityismygam]

[Itryatmath]

I dont know how to create programs to help me do the problems faster! :o
I need to know how

[SumitG]

[sexyasiangirl]

Can someone help me with my program for #1

the problem is different on like every test :(

[Itryatmath]

How many people and teams do they take from region to state? Surely it cant be just top three people and top one team, because that would mean there were barely any people at the state competition.

[hansond10]

[Itryatmath]

haha

so there are not many people at the competition for each classification though right? like probably about 20-25 people for each subject? i dont like that idea, they should send more people from region to state

[hansond10]

If they did, then the whole "You're all winners for just being here" speech would not be valid. If the same number of people are at district, regionals, and state, it becomes meaningless to BE there. 25-ish is definitely enough, especially to the graders.

[88bobcat]

[Kenon]

Yeah, when I went to state last year, I was incredibly intimidated. I sat next to the winner of 3A Science (Was tempted to glance a look often, tbh. Knew she was gonna do great) and sat behind the winner of 5A Mathematics in the awards ceremony. This year, I will feel more at home, partly because I'm attending UT in the fall.

There really are a ton of people there already. I wouldn't mind if it was only 12 per classification; It makes me look more impressive to score solo high enough and have a team filled with 40's.

The fact that there are so many people at state who you recognize as high scorers creates an overwhelming situation when you're in a lower area. You feel like you're going against them all, when its only 1/5th of them. The intimidation can lower your score (It did lower mine a bit last year in Math and Science, I just failed miserably)

[88bobcat]

[LogicFlow]

[Kenon]

[datnguyen160]

[Kenon]

[AuSmith]

I think the calculator just gets in the way (especially on those small tables at TMSCA state!), at least if you are a number senser. Very occasionally, there will be a problem that barely merits the use of a calculator.

[DCook]

The best piece of advice for getting faster is to practice without using your calculator. Relying on it too heavily can impede your speed, therefore making it difficult to even finish 80% of the test. Of course there are some problems which may be quicker using a nifty program, but many questions are designed easy enough to be done with no calculator, or even better: in your head.

Also, Chris Miller, the 2009 5A champ at state went to my school. He used is calculator on fewer than 20 problems, and he said he normally finishes and then checks the test twice. Just goes to show that knowing your stuff is better than knowing your calculator.

[datnguyen160]

I do agree that once you know the materials, calculator will be unnecessary. But for the problems I don't know how, calculators might help. Sometimes I know how to do a problem DURING the test, because of the calculator's help.
Maybe I should limit my reliance on calculator sometime.

[shrig94]

Programs help you get your score up quickly from about 180-200s to maybe 230. (they allow you to do more problems and be more accurate).
But programs do not win you state or get you in the 280+ region. For that, you must know the material, study the test, or do a lot of math.
I don't really practice UIL material as much as most who are serious competitors, but I can get decent scores, right under 300, probably over 300 on any test prior to region now, because I do a lot of other math (AMC, AIME, USAMO) which help boost my recognition speed on problems that are new or different. What helped me not drop 50 to 100 points like most everyone else in 3A between district and region is that recognition speed and just looking at the past few UIL math tests and working them the day before.

[Kenon]