How to Improve Speed Without Sacrificing Accuracy

This guide will show you how to increase your problem-solving speed while maintaining precision using RevisionDojo’s Speed Training Toolkit. You’ll learn how to balance timing, focus, and accuracy to perform confidently under exam pressure.

Quick Start Checklist

Before starting speed training, make sure you:

• Know your syllabus and question formats for each paper.
• Have your calculator ready and configured correctly.
• Use RevisionDojo’s Speed Training Toolkit for tracking time and accuracy.
• Practice under realistic exam conditions.
• Reflect after every timed session.

Speed without control is chaos—structure is what makes it efficient.

Step 1: Build Strong Foundations First

Speed grows from understanding, not memorization.
Before timing yourself, make sure you:

• Fully understand each formula and when to apply it.
• Can explain solutions verbally without notes.
• Recognize question patterns instantly.

When your foundation is solid, quick recall becomes natural—and accuracy follows automatically.

Step 2: Learn Average Timing Benchmarks

Use a simple rule of thumb for pacing:

• 1 mark = 1.5 minutes (for IB Math AA or AI papers).
  That means a 10-mark question should take about 15 minutes maximum.

Practicing within these benchmarks helps train your time awareness and prevents one tough problem from eating into others.

Step 3: Break Down Speed Into Phases

Speed in math isn’t just raw quickness—it’s the sum of smaller efficiencies:

1. Recognition Speed: How quickly you identify the topic.
2. Setup Speed: How fast you form equations or models.
3. Execution Speed: How efficiently you calculate or reason.
4. Checking Speed: How quickly you verify logic or units.

The Speed Training Toolkit helps you analyze and improve each stage individually.

Step 4: Use the “Two-Pass” Strategy During Practice

To prevent time loss:

1. On your first pass, answer all questions you immediately recognize.
2. On your second pass, return to the harder ones.

This ensures constant progress and keeps your mind fresh, reducing panic under pressure.

Step 5: Practice With Timed Mini-Sets

Instead of only doing full papers, train with focused sets of 3–5 questions under strict timing.
For example:

• 3 calculus questions in 15 minutes.
• 5 algebra problems in 25 minutes.

The goal isn’t just to finish quickly—it’s to finish consistently with few or no errors.

Step 6: Identify and Fix “Time Leaks”

After every session, reflect:

• Which steps took too long?
• Did I waste time re-reading or second-guessing?
• Were errors due to rushing or confusion?

The Speed Training Toolkit logs your timing data and highlights recurring bottlenecks, helping you target weak efficiency points.

Step 7: Train Accuracy Separately, Then Combine

You can’t rush precision before mastering it slowly.
Try this two-phase method:

1. Accuracy Phase: Solve problems slowly with full focus.
2. Speed Phase: Repeat the same problems faster while keeping accuracy above 90%.

Alternating between phases teaches you to think clearly even when working quickly.

Step 8: Use Technology to Your Advantage

For Paper 2 (calculator-allowed):

• Practice key calculator shortcuts regularly.
• Learn how to use graphing, regression, and solver features efficiently.
• Keep your calculator organized (no redundant variables or cluttered memory).

Technology can save minutes—but only if you know it intuitively.

Step 9: Build Mental Agility With Mixed Questions

Real exams don’t announce topic changes. To prepare:

• Mix topics in a single timed session.
• Practice switching from algebra to calculus to probability smoothly.
• Avoid over-focusing on one area per day.

Flexibility is a hallmark of fast, accurate problem-solvers.

Step 10: Develop a Pre-Exam Speed Routine

Before every mock or final exam:

1. Warm up with one easy question.
2. Check calculator settings.
3. Plan time per section.
4. Tell yourself: “Focus first, then finish fast.”

Mental preparation builds rhythm before the paper even begins.

Using the Speed Training Toolkit Effectively

RevisionDojo’s Speed Training Toolkit helps you:

• Measure your timing and accuracy across questions.
• Visualize progress in speed improvement graphs.
• Identify your “slowest” topics for extra focus.
• Practice custom timed drills for specific question types.
• Build consistency in both performance and pacing.

It turns speed practice into a measurable, skill-based discipline—not guesswork.

Common Mistakes That Reduce Speed

Avoid these habits that waste time or lower accuracy:

• Skipping planning. Jumping straight to working leads to confusion.
• Overchecking every line. Trust your logic; review only key steps.
• Getting stuck too long. Move on after two minutes of stagnation.
• Not using calculator shortcuts. Manual repetition eats time.
• Ignoring fatigue. Shorter, focused sessions are better than marathon studying.

Efficient learners know when to slow down—and when to move forward.

Reflection: Speed Comes From Clarity

Speed is not a product of rushing; it’s the result of clarity, confidence, and control. Every minute you save through organization and logic translates to calmer, higher-quality work. Over time, accuracy and speed stop competing—they start reinforcing each other.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How fast should I aim to complete a paper?
Finish with at least 5–10 minutes to spare for review and checking.

2. What’s more important: speed or accuracy?
Accuracy first—speed naturally follows once your reasoning becomes automatic.

3. How can I improve speed for problem-solving questions?
Focus on recognizing question types quickly and planning before calculating.

4. Should I practice every day with a timer?
Not every day, but 2–3 times per week is ideal for building steady improvement.

5. How do I avoid panic when running out of time?
Breathe, move to the next question, and collect quick marks elsewhere. Calmness saves more time than rushing ever will.

Conclusion

Improving your speed without losing accuracy is about working smarter, not harder. When you understand how to structure your approach, train timing deliberately, and trust your preparation, efficiency becomes effortless.

Using RevisionDojo’s Speed Training Toolkit, you can master both quick problem-solving and precise thinking—turning every second into an advantage.

RevisionDojo Call to Action:
Train efficiently. Use RevisionDojo’s Speed Training Toolkit to boost your IB Math exam speed, maintain accuracy, and perform with calm, confident control.