Does answering "C" really work?

[onlyCOpunk]

I have a 15% exam tomorrow.

And I've been busting my balls studying this whole past week, but I'm not seeming to get anywhere. I'm fully contemplating just answering C to every question (it's multiple choice) instead of actually trying and putting the wrong answer because it "sounds" right.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Do you seriously expect a good answer?

 

[Braznor]

Best of luck.

 

[MichaelD]

I've always found that using the zig-zag method works best on those bubble sheets.
ABCDCBABCDCDBA

 

[Gibsons]

I've seen tests where students certainly would've done better if they'd guessed or answered the same for every question.

But I don't know about picking C, on a lot of my tests D is the way to go.

 

[PokerGuy]

Even if you don't know the answer, you can usually rule out one or more of the other answers, so you can really improve your odds when you guess. If you are penalized for guessing, don't. Otherwise, try to narrow it down and then guess.

 

[PottedMeat]

I used that method when I got to the non EE or crap I'd never heard of parts of the EIT exam.

 

[Mr Smiley]

Just make sure it isn't true/false.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Go through the tests, and ones you are positive about, answer them. The ones that you can eliminate one or two answers, answers those. Everything else that you have no clue on, pick a letter and stick with it, be it 'c', 'a', 'd', whatever.

Also, count the answers. Some tests are setup to have an equal number of a's, b's, c's, and d's. May or may not be the case with your professor.

 

[JJChicken]

Yeah man, there's ALWAYS more than 25% Cs - sucks if you get stuck with the A B C D E tests lol,

 

[edro]

Use a #1 pencil and you will get a 100%.

 

[Billyzeke]

Does answering "C" really work?

Si

 

[onlyCOpunk]

It's A-D. I'm going over a test from last semester, trying to work through it.

I'll have to pick out what solutions occur most often, unless they are snakey and make an equal amount of ABCD, although D is always none of the above.

It's an accounting test on consolidation, so I can't really rule out any answers as being wrong as they are just numbers. Nor can I work backwards. Since we aren't getting graded on work, only responses, I could literally spend 30 minutes setting up one set of data, only to miss a few numbers here and there and stuff up the next 10 related questions.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
It's A-D. I'm going over a test from last semester, trying to work through it.

I'll have to pick out what solutions occur most often, unless they are snakey and make an equal amount of ABCD, although D is always none of the above.

It's an accounting test on consolidation, so I can't really rule out any answers as being wrong as they are just numbers. Nor can I work backwards. Since we aren't getting graded on work, only responses, I could literally spend 30 minutes setting up one set of data, only to miss a few numbers here and there and stuff up the next 10 related questions.

You could spend this time studying?

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
It's A-D. I'm going over a test from last semester, trying to work through it.

I'll have to pick out what solutions occur most often, unless they are snakey and make an equal amount of ABCD, although D is always none of the above.

It's an accounting test on consolidation, so I can't really rule out any answers as being wrong as they are just numbers. Nor can I work backwards. Since we aren't getting graded on work, only responses, I could literally spend 30 minutes setting up one set of data, only to miss a few numbers here and there and stuff up the next 10 related questions.

You could spend this time studying?

:thumbsup:

We all had to go through the "impossible" tests and we all (some?) made it out alive. Play the game like everyone else. Do the work and it'll pay off.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I've been studying it for 10 hours already today, i have to give myself breaks here and there, there's only so much crunching numbers one can do. My brain is already mush, the only thing keeping me going is that the test is tomorrow, and tomorrow is Friday, which means immediately following I'm going to go off my face as it's my last major thing I have to do until finals, and those are still 4 weeks away.

 

[xeemzor]

For the LSAT the best answer is actually D by a few percentage points.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Not if it's a true/false test.

 

[ra1nman]

If you know it's not c, choose answer with the longest wording. Really......who'd really put that much effort in making up a wrong answer. Take it from me, I graduated HS in the middle of my class without not never studying!

 

[George P Burdell]

Even without studying, most multiple choice questions can be narrowed down to two choices. After that, flip a coin. 50% chance of getting it right, which is much higher than marking "C" for every question.

If you can't narrow down to two choices, you have other problems.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: ra1nman
If you know it's not c, choose answer with the longest wording. Really......who'd really put that much effort in making up a wrong answer. Take it from me, I graduated HS in the middle of my class without not never studying!

A triple negative... never thought I'd see that one.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

http://wtfoodge.com/the-answer-is-not-always-c/

 

[zerocool1]

most of my really crappy exams were short answer/essay.

 

[dman]

A. Yes
B. Sometimes
C. No
D. All of the above

 

[darkxshade]

I'm a pro at this...


Some multiple choice tests(especially in numbers in your case) are predictable when the professors try to make it more difficult than it should be by being tricky. You can use this to your advantage.

For ex:

What is 10+5:

A. 25
B. 10
C. 15
D. 8


Looks fairly simple and straightforward but the answer is already given to you.

It's not D because it's the only number that has no relation to the others. Most questions will have one of these because the test maker thinks you're more likely to randomly guess this if you dont' know the answer because it looks more unique. Don't fall for this.

That leaves A, B & C and this is how you deciper the rest of it. Of the 3 answers, there will be mutiple answers that begin with the same number(1 in this case) and mutliple answers that end with the same number(5 in this case). The professors usually do this by making it more difficult in case you've somehow figured out half the answer(it being that it begins with 1 or ends with 5) and thus all you have to do is select the answer that has the most relationship between the rest and in this case C or 15. It's not A because the 2 is not used twice, it's not B because 0 is not used twice... it has to be C 15.

You're welcome

edit: you can apply this strategy to longer numbers

What year did *some random event* happen:

A. 1491 (does not share 91 and in fact makes C more obvious... 1491 & 1492? duh)
B. 1592 (does not share 15)
C. 1492 (shares "14" & "92")
D. 1386 (too unique)