Careless mistakes you've made in tests/exam

  • Thread starter KLscilevothma
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In summary, the conversation discussed the topic of making careless mistakes in tests and exams. The participants shared examples of their own mistakes, such as using the wrong reduction formula in a math test and copying the wrong numbers in a chemistry exam. They also discussed the possible causes of these mistakes, such as sleep deprivation and fear of tests. Some participants shared their strategies for avoiding careless mistakes, such as getting enough sleep before an exam and staying up late to study. The conversation ended with a humorous exchange about making simple mistakes, even with the use of a calculator.
  • #1
KLscilevothma
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Do you like making careless mistakes in tests and exams?

Here are some careless mistakes that I've made in my most recent math test.

1) In an integration problem, there were 2 parts. We had to find a reduction formula in the first part and apply it in the second part.
Part a )
In= (c-b2)...
In= (c-b2)...
In= (c+b2)...
In= (c+b2)...
part b) I used a wrong reduction formula deduced in part a
=5 marks disappeared

2) 0/(1+1) = 0/1 = 1 mark was lost

3) another integration problem, to integrate a rational function and I applied partial fraction.

1/(x3+8)
= 1/([x+2][x2-2x+4])
= 1/([x+2][x2+2x+4])
= I lost another 5 marks

more than 20% of the marks were lost due to careless mistakes !

I made lots of careless mistakes in many other tests too.
 
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  • #2
Careless mistakes?! I believe that statement is a little redundant as all mistakes are careless by definition.

Anyway, such mistakes are usually caused by sleep deprevation. I remember when I first entered college, at age 18, staying up all night cramming for exams wasn't a problem for me. I was young, I could get away with it. But by my senior year, it became quite impossible. As you get older, you will come to realize that your body requires more sleep.

So, if you want to stop making careless mistakes, then you should make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep the night before your exam. A system that works good for me is to stay up late studying two nights before my exam so that I can get enough sleep the night before my exam.

Werd to yo' mutha!

eNtRopY
 
  • #3
The only misatakes I tend to make are getting formulas wrong. Ill have to find you an example..
 
  • #4
That's not new for me .. I Lost 5 marks in Chemistry Exam becuase I copied 0.01 instead of 0.02 ...
Also , This happened to me in the Physics Exam :
( 1 - 0.5 ) / 1 ...
0.5 / 1 = 2
!
Also , 2 / 100 = 200

This is not careless .. this is strain I guess .
 
  • #5
My first physics professor used to be pretty lenient about silly mistakes. My personal vice was minus sign errors.

Instead of marking off major points, we would write: "And the bridge comes down..."

After the third or fourth one, I got fed up with it and stated to him when the test came back: "That is why bridges AREN'T BUILT IN TESTING SITUATIONS!"
 
  • #6
I believe that statement is a little redundant as all mistakes are careless by definition.
In my opinion, mistakes can be made due to wrong concepts or we don't know how to do the problems.
you should make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep the night before your exam. A system that works good for me is to stay up late studying two nights before my exam so that I can get enough sleep the night before my exam.
A nice method! I'll try that if I don't have 2-3 tests in a week. But I used to stay up every night to do my homework and revision, and usually have less than 6 hours sleep per night.

Viper, I'm waiting for your reply. It's interesting to know what careless mistakes you like to make.

Well I have a feeling that I'll fail my math exam if I keep on making all these mistakes. I can lose more than 20% in tests/exam because of all these mistakes. In a physics test, in part (a), I divided a number by 100 instead of 1000, and got all the answers in part (b), (c), and (d) wrong. (10 times larger than the actual value)
 
  • #7
Originally posted by enigma
My personal vice was minus sign errors.

Do you mean "negative" signs? (Just messing with you, I constantly use the terms interchangably even though I know you're not supposed to.)

I lost 10 points in a C programming exam because I forgot to clear a few variable's memory locations. Still kicking myself over that.
 
  • #8
On a math test I said that 16+16 was 36...*sigh*

Usually its the easiest things you screw up on
 
  • #9
On a math test I said that 16+16 was 36...*sigh*
Usually its the easiest things you screw up on
Yeah ! I did something similar before like, 13+15 = 23 , 53 = 75 , etc ...

In a programming competition final event, i used the same variable as a name of a procedure and an integer variable in the main program, which wasted me more than 45 minutes to debug it! And I lost the chance to be selected to be trained as a team member of my country. If I had 45 minutes more, I could have finished writting one more program.
 
  • #10
Anyway, such mistakes are usually caused by sleep deprevation

mistake are also made by people who fear tests like me! I don't have a problem in anything outside...but while writing a test in a the class I start sweating...I don't think that I can even get full in a first graders exam...here are a few mistakes that I recently made in my final exam of honors geometry...

5 + 5 = 25
4 * 1 = 5
16 + 9 = 27
1 + 1 = 1

do you believe that had a calculator with me...
 
  • #11
Mistake that cost me points which might have ultimately lowered my entire physics grade one letter.

You have parallel and series circuits. One is used in homes, the other isn't. I assumed the wrong DAMMED one!

And to think, I could have asked and teacher probably would have told me!
 
  • #12
careless !

5 + 5 = 25
4 * 1 = 5
16 + 9 = 27
1 + 1 = 1

LOL ! No offense Stranger, I do it all the time, even if I have a caculator, jusk like you.

mistake are also made by people who fear tests like me! I don't have a problem in anything outside...but while writing a test in a the class I start sweating...
I don't sweat when I'm having math/physics/chem tests and exams, only have an increase in heartbeat. But everytime I have a language exam, my stomach aches!

Mistake that cost me points which might have ultimately lowered my entire physics grade one letter.
Well, last year, I made a terrible careless mistake in a maths public exam, which lowered my grade by one letter. That was a long question, worth 12 marks. Before I started doing that question, I reminded myself infinitely many times that I mustn't make any careless mistake...but I treated the isosceles triangle in the question as equilateral triangle at the very beginning... sigh!
 
  • #13
On an exam we had a complicated question in geometry, after many lines of correct computations, I wrote down the correct answer..

I got 0 points for it, simplified it would have read:

3*3 = 9.0
 
  • #14
*confused*...

Last time i checked 3*3 was 9...and if u did all the right calculations and the right answer how did u get 0 points...*still confused*
 
  • #15
But everytime I have a language exam, my stomach aches!

languages are undoubtebly the worst...I swear I hate them so much...though I'm fluent in about 4 and know 2 more...
 
  • #16
Lets see...

My most memorable one was when I forgot what a metaphor was! I remembered as soon as the test was over. That is so annoying.

Question(the l is the absolute value sign): l-7l= -7
And I that problem dropped me one point from getting an A; so I got a B.
 
  • #17
I often make stupid arithmetic errors in my exams. Good job they only cost you small marks... Well unless you are in junior school and the test is on aritmetic :wink:.

My major mistakes are often simply getting a mental blank that lasts the length of the exam, and psses the moment the exam finishes. Well not really a mistake, more a lack of correct answer. :frown:

I agree that most of my mistakes at least are due to lack of sleep.
 
  • #18
Mine wasn't so much a mistake as a consequence of apathy towards learning French and feeling that I didn't have anything to lose in the exam.

Essentially it involved sitting through a French listening exam and, when confronted by the question "What does Jaques say he did on his holiday to Provence?", composing a long, detailed, illustrated essay on the intrepid Jaques' adventures. My theory being that I might get lucky if I included as many activities that a French chap might get up to as I could think of.

Jaques did not spend his summer holiday crushing dissident agitators in Algeria, pausing only to take part in and reach second in a Renault sponsered boules competition. Apparently.
 
  • #19
Originally posted by dav2008
*confused*...

Last time i checked 3*3 was 9...and if u did all the right calculations and the right answer how did u get 0 points...*still confused*

Right! That is stupid not? I did everything correctly, wrote down all my steps, answer was right, except for the decimal: 3*3=9.0

A nitpicking teacher, most people always failed is exams.. when the nation examination came (end of high school) every one got a good grade though.
 
  • #20
Originally posted by Monique
Right! That is stupid not? I did everything correctly, wrote down all my steps, answer was right, except for the decimal: 3*3=9.0

A nitpicking teacher, most people always failed is exams.. when the nation examination came (end of high school) every one got a good grade though.
Oohhhhhh The decimal! Yech that's not fair at all
 

FAQ: Careless mistakes you've made in tests/exam

What are some common reasons for making careless mistakes in tests/exams?

Some common reasons for making careless mistakes in tests/exams include lack of focus, rushing through the test, not reading the instructions carefully, and not double-checking answers.

How can I prevent making careless mistakes in tests/exams?

To prevent making careless mistakes in tests/exams, it's important to stay focused, take your time, read the instructions carefully, and double-check your answers before submitting the test.

Are there any strategies I can use to catch careless mistakes before submitting my test?

Yes, there are several strategies you can use to catch careless mistakes before submitting your test. One strategy is to go through the test backwards, starting with the last question, to catch any errors. Another strategy is to read each question and answer choice slowly and carefully. Additionally, you can try covering up the answer choices and answering the question on your own before looking at the options.

Is it possible to improve my test-taking skills to avoid making careless mistakes?

Yes, with practice and self-awareness, it is possible to improve your test-taking skills and avoid making careless mistakes. Some tips include practicing with time constraints, reviewing past mistakes to identify patterns, and developing a test-taking strategy that works for you.

What should I do if I notice a careless mistake after submitting my test?

If you notice a careless mistake after submitting your test, it's important to stay calm and not dwell on the mistake. If the mistake is minor, it may not significantly impact your overall score. However, if it is a major mistake, you can reach out to your teacher or professor to explain the situation and ask if there is any way to make up for the error.

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