A lesson on test-taking strategies; how to improve standardized test scores. Triage.

1. Triage
A lesson on test-taking.
By Joey Lehrman

2. Solve as many as you can...
● If James arrived to class 1/2 hour after Melinda, and
Melinda arrived 2 hours before Peter (who arrived at
5:17pm), at what time did James arrive?
● 2 + 2 = _____
● If Wendy has twice as many apples as her son, and her
son has three more than his dad, James, then how are
Wendy and James related?
● 3 x 4 = _____
● 14 - 12 = ____
● 19 - 18 = _____

3. Solve as many as you can...
● If James arrived to class 1/2 hour after Melinda, and
Melinda arrived 2 hours before Peter (who arrived at
5:17pm), at what time did James arrive? 3:47
● 2 + 2 = __4___
● If Wendy has twice as many apples as her son, and her
son has three more than his dad, James, then how are
Wendy and James related? husband and wife
● 3 x 4 = __12___
● 14 - 12 = __2__
● 19 - 18 = __1___

4. What is triage?
Triage – the process of determining
the most important test questions
and solving them first.

5. Defined
• In medical emergencies and
disasters, triage (tree-ahj) is
the process of determining
which patients to treat first
based on the severity of the
conditions.
• In test-taking, triage refers to
prioritizing work and time
with respect to problem
difficulty.

6. Triage is Challenging
• Test questions are not in order of
difficulty.
• The questions in the beginning of a test are not
always easier than the problems at the end.
For example
1. 52 + 25 – 3(x+4) = 21
2. 20-43 + (x+9) = 14
3. (25 – 42) + x = 4(3 – x)

7. Solve as many as you can...
● If James arrived to class 1/2 hour after Melinda, and
Melinda arrived 2 hours before Peter (who arrived at
5:17pm), at what time did James arrive?
● 2 + 2 = _____
● If Wendy has twice as many apples as her son, and her
son has three more than his dad, James, then how are
Wendy and James related?
● 3 x 4 = _____
● 14 - 12 = ____
● 19 - 18 = _____

8. Triage is Challenging!
• The process of assessing each
problem’s difficulty takes time.
• Time spent worrying whether a problem
is too hard is time spent not working on
problems.

9. 12 1
2
3
4
7 6 5
8
9
10
11

10. Assumptions
1. Time to finish a test is finite.
2. A test consists of a finite number of problems.
3. Some problems are easier than others, but all problems
are worth the same amount.
4. You are more likely to correctly solve easy problems
than hard problems.
Conclusion
You will achieve the highest score if you solve problems in
order of difficulty – from easiest to hardest.

11. Read every question once…
If you know how to do it…
Solve it now!
If you’re not sure how to do it…
Mark it and solve
it later!

12. “Will I solve it now or
will I solve it later?”
Ask this with every
question you read!

13. Triage Continued
After you have done all the “now” problems, do a
second pass, attacking each of the “later”
problems:
1. If you put an answer but were not sure of it, check it
again – you might see a mistake or realize the
solution.
2. If you did not put an answer at first, but you realized
how to do the problem… go ahead and do it!
3. If you still don’t get it, just give it your best shot or
make an educated guess.

14. Triage Continued
• If you haven’t read or answered a problem, it’s
no big deal. But don’t leave it blank.
• Pick one letter (A, B, C, or D.)
• Bubble in every unread and unanswered
question with this letter.
On the bright side, you should get about one-fourth
of them right!

15. In review…
• Ask yourself: “Solve now or solve later?”
• Don’t spend too much time deciding (5-10
seconds)
• Triage is not “cheating.” It’s strategy

16. Practice now!
● If James arrived to class 1/2 hour after Melinda, and
Melinda arrived 2 hours before Peter (who arrived at
5:17pm), at what time did James arrive?
● 2 + 2 = _____
● If Wendy has twice as many apples as her son, and her
son has three more than his dad, James, then how are
Wendy and James related?
● 3 x 4 = _____
● 14 - 12 = ____
● 19 - 18 = _____

17. Solve as many as you can...
● If James arrived to class 1/2 hour after Melinda, and
Melinda arrived 2 hours before Peter (who arrived at
5:17pm), at what time did James arrive? 3:47
● 2 + 2 = __4___
● If Wendy has twice as many apples as her son, and her
son has three more than his dad, James, then how are
Wendy and James related? husband and wife
● 3 x 4 = __12___
● 14 - 12 = __2__
● 19 - 18 = __1___

18. The End.
Triage – By Joey Lehrman