How to revise maths (reading the textbook won't do it)

· 2 min read

You can read a maths page and nod along all the way through, and then be unable to do a single question on it. That's the main trap in maths revision: recognising a method isn't the same as being able to use it. Maths is learned by doing.

Rule one: do questions

Spend most of your maths revision time working through questions, not reading notes. A rough split might be 20 per cent reviewing a method and 80 per cent applying it. If you're stuck on a question, look at a worked example, then try a similar question without help.

Start from your weak topics

Ask your teacher for a list of topics or look at the exam board's specification. Mark each one red, amber or green. Then start with red. It's tempting to do the topics you're good at because it feels good, but the marks are in the topics you avoid.

Build a topic ladder

For each topic, work up in steps:

  1. A worked example, step by step.
  2. A few easy questions.
  3. A few medium questions.
  4. Exam-style questions, including multi-step ones.

If you can't do the medium ones, go back down a step. That's the system working, not failing.

Keep an error log

Every time you get a question wrong, write down:

Before each revision session, glance over the log. You'll find that you make the same two or three mistakes repeatedly, and fixing those is worth more than learning anything new.

Formula and method cards

Memorise the formulae you're not given, using flashcards: formula on the back, a question like "Area of a trapezium?" on the front. Check which formulae your exam gives you, and don't waste time learning those. Also make cards for methods: "Steps to solve simultaneous equations".

Show your working

Marks are usually given for method, not just the answer. Practise writing full working, with units, every time. It also reduces slips because you can see where an error crept in.

Check before moving on

After a question, spend 20 seconds checking: does the answer make sense, is it the right size, does it have units? Build the habit now and you'll do it automatically in the exam.

Using AI for maths

AI can be a decent explainer. Ask it to walk through a method step by step, then close it and do a similar question yourself. But be careful: AI sometimes makes arithmetic or logic errors, even when it sounds sure. If its answer doesn't match your textbook or mark scheme, trust the textbook and ask your teacher.

A weekly rhythm

Two or three short maths sessions a week, each on one topic, with an error log check at the start and one exam-style question at the end, will beat a long cram session every time.

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