Math Skill: Give Yourself an Example
For each question in this worksheet, use the technique of “giving yourself an example.” Feel
free to use a calculator on these questions.
Step 1: For the variable in the question, assign a number. (Small prime numbers like 3, 5, and 7
often make calculations easy.)
*Note: Even though choosing numbers like “0” and “1” can also make calculations easy for
these types of questions, they also often lead to “false positives” -- situations where more than
one answer choice works. So, use these numbers with some caution.
Step 2: Solve the question using the number you’ve chosen.
Step 3: See what answer choice matches your answer. The answer choices often will be written
in terms of the variable that you assigned a number for, so you’ll need to “rewrite” the answers
with the original number you chose..
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