What most math and physics teachers will recommend:
- Read the problem, collect facts
- Analyze, make a plan
- Solve
- Check results
The problems is that you do not have enough time on most tests. Typically you have 2 minutes per problem.
I was an engineer for 20 years. You just can not make a mistake in that profession. How did I solve problems then? How do you solve problems when you cannot make mistakes and you do not have a lot of time?
- Learn all the types of problems. In a job or a math or science course there are usually about a dozen different types of problems. Learn each problem type. Write neatly one or more solutions. Keep them in a notebook. Review them often.
- Read the problem at least three times to ten times. Be sure you understand the question, which is usually the last sentence. Identify what type of problem you just read.
- Make an estimate
- Find an answer, given what you remember from step 1.
- Does the answer agree with the estimate? If not, go back to step 2.
