These four habits decide how much you learn from each practice question and how many marks you keep on the paper. None of them needs new content knowledge, only a change in how you work.
The four habits
- Attempting before revealing a solution: try first, so the solution has something to correct.
- Explaining the reason for a step: say why, not only what.
- Recognising an assumption: know what must be true for your answer to hold.
- Checking units, signs, labels and task coverage: the last sixty seconds of every answer.
Why this order
Attempting first comes before everything because the other three need your own working to examine. Reasons and assumptions deepen that working. The final check protects it.
All four on one question
A worked example: a car travels 60 km at a steady 40 km/h. How long does the journey take?
You try first: time = distance ÷ speed = 60 ÷ 40 = 1.5. You give the reason: speed is distance per unit time, so time is distance divided by speed. You note the assumption: the speed stays steady for the whole trip. You check the label: 1.5 hours, which is 1 hour 30 minutes, so the unit is stated.
Without the final check, “1.5” alone might be read as 1.5 minutes. One word, hours, protects the mark.
Who should start where
If you read solutions and think “I understand” but fail the next similar question, begin with attempting first. If your working is right and your final line is wrong, begin with the checking page.
The mistake log and paper error review tool helps you see which category your own errors fall into. The foundation skills hub lists the rest, and SPM Mathematics tuition gives a teacher to work through the habits with.