Non-routine problems are designed to interrupt autopilot. Students who only practise near-identical exercises feel “surprised” in exams even when they know the syllabus topics.
A calm first-move sequence
- Underline what is given and what is asked — in the student’s own words
- Choose a representation: diagram, table, equation, or graph
- Try a smaller case or estimate before formal algebra
- Write a plan in one or two lines, then execute
- Check whether the answer is reasonable in context