Error Log and Targeted Review
Key ideas for diagnosing recurring PSAT math mistakes and building a personal fix list.
Keyboard Shortcuts
💡 Pro tip: Use keyboard shortcuts for faster studying!
Study Smart Tips for Error Log and Targeted Review
Master these concepts using proven study techniques that actually work:
Active Recall
Test yourself before flipping each card to strengthen memory retention
Spaced Repetition
Review difficult cards more frequently than easy ones
Multiple Sessions
Break study time into shorter, focused sessions
Explain Aloud
Verbalize answers to reinforce understanding
Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
What is an error log?
A simple record of every question you miss (or get right by luck) plus a short note on why, used to spot patterns after 40–60 problems.
Why is practice without diagnosis useless?
You repeat the same mistakes more fluently — you'll miss the same kind of problem again weeks later.
What are the four causes of a wrong answer?
1) Content gap, 2) Process/setup error, 3) Careless/execution error, 4) Timing/pressure.
Content gap: definition and fix
You didn't know the rule (e.g., perpendicular slope = negative reciprocal). Fix: re-read the lesson and do ~10 drill problems.
Careless/execution error: definition and fix
Sign flip, arithmetic slip, dropped term, or solving for x when asked for 2x. Fix: a checking habit, not more studying.
What are the five columns of the log?
#, Source, Topic, Cause, Fix/Note — and it should take under 90 seconds per problem.
How should the Fix/Note column be written?
As an instruction to your future self in your own words — not 'the answer was B.'
What is the redo rhythm?
Same day: log the miss and write the fix; +2 days: blank redo from scratch; +1 week: redo failed ones plus 5 fresh problems on that topic.
How do you turn the log into a fix list?
Every Sunday tally entries by topic and by cause; the biggest topic becomes your content priority and the biggest cause becomes your habit action.
What goes on the index card?
Your top three personal traps, e.g., Am I solving for what they asked? Did I distribute the negative? Did I plug my answer back in?
