Try the question yourself first, write down where you got stuck, then reveal only as much of the solution as you need. The effort of trying is what makes the solution stay in your memory.
Why the order matters
When you read a solution first, the thinking is already done for you. You follow the steps, agree with each, and feel you have learned. The exam does not hand you the first step.
When you attempt first, even a failed attempt helps. The solution then answers a question you really have.
Two routes through the same question
An original question: solve 3x + 7 = 25.
Passive route: read “subtract 7, divide by 3, x = 6” and nod. A week later a similar question, 4x + 9 = 33, looks unfamiliar.
Attempting route: you try first. You write 3x = 25 + 7 and get x = 32 ÷ 3. Stuck-note: “Not sure whether 7 goes to the other side as plus or minus.” You now open the solution and look for exactly that, finding 3x = 25 − 7 = 18 and x = 6. That one detail is now yours.
The five-step routine
- Read the question and underline what is asked.
- Attempt for a fixed time, writing every line.
- Write a one-line stuck-note: “I do not know how to ___”.
- Reveal only the first step of the solution and continue alone.
- Redo the question from a blank page the next day.
The stuck-note is the useful piece. It turns a vague “I do not get it” into a specific gap.
The mistake, contrasted
A common shortcut is to glance at the answer at the back, see that it matches, and move on. A matching final answer can hide a wrong method when two errors cancel out.
The better way is to compare your whole line of working with the solution and mark the first line where they differ. That line is where your learning happens.
Try it yourself
Use the routine on 4x + 9 = 33. Attempt it with a timer, write a stuck-note if you need one, and only then open the answer.
Answer
Subtract 9 from both sides: 4x = 24. Divide both sides by 4: x = 6.
Check by substituting: 4 × 6 + 9 = 33, which is correct. If your attempt differed, find the first line where it did and write what the difference teaches you.
Next steps
Pair this habit with explaining the reason for a step, and log repeated errors with the mistake log tool. The spaced recall planner can schedule the next-day redo for you, and the hub lists the other habits.