Test-Taking Strategy
TAKING THE BEST GUESS
Guessing is something we do every day. When you look outside and see that it is cloudy, you might guess that it is going to rain. When the phone rings and you are expecting a call from a friend, you guess who it is before answering the phone. When you take a test, you may also find it useful to guess. You should not guess the answer to every question, but if you aren't sure which answer is correct, you should guess rather than not answer.
STRATEGY TIP: There are two times when you should guess on a test. The first time is when you are not sure which answer is correct. The second time is when the question asks you to take a guess by estimating or using given information.
Look at these mountains.
Mt. Everest (29,028 ft)
Annapurna (26,504 ft)
Mt. Mckinley (20,320 ft)
Mont Blanc (15,771 ft)
Mt. Hood (11,239 ft)
Answer the question.
1. Pikes Peak is much taller than Mount Hood and only slightly shorter than Mont Blanc. Which of these is the best estimate of the height of Pikes Peak?
A. 14,110 ft C. 12,057 ft
B. 16,823 ft D. 11,194 ft
How to find the answer:
In this question, you are given enough information to find the answer, but you still must take a guess. An estimate is a guess that is based on information in a passage or on a graph. Sometimes an estimate is based on things you already know.
* Answer A looks pretty good. It is much taller than Mount Hood and a little bit shorter than Mont Blanc. This answer is a good estimate, but another answer might be better, so you have to look at all of the choices.
* You know at once that answer B is wrong. It is taller than Mont Blanc, so this answer can't be right.
* Answer C might be right. It is taller Mount Hood and shorter than Mont Blanc. It is not as good as answer A, however, because it is closer to the height of Mount Hood and far from the height of Mont blanc. So far, answer A is the best choice.
* You know at once that answer D is wrong. It is shorter than Mount Hood. The correct answer must be taller than Mount Hood.
Answer A is correct. You were able to guess or estimate this because of the information in the question and on the graph.