One of the easiest ways to lose marks in maths is forgetting to check the units. It sounds like a small detail, but I have seen it affect everything from final answers to full questions being marked incorrect. That is why I make it a regular habit in tutoring sessions to stop and ask, “What are the units?”

Whether it is dollars, metres, hours, or kilograms, writing the wrong unit, or none at all can turn a correct calculation into a confusing or incorrect answer. In real-world maths, the unit gives meaning to the number. Saying “4” is not helpful unless we know it is 4 minutes or 4 dollars.

In sessions, I encourage students to underline the unit in the question and carry it through every step of their working. If they are using a formula, we double-check that the units match. For example, if a student plugs in 60 minutes when the formula needs hours, it will throw off the whole answer.

I also show students how to use units as a clue. If they are not sure whether to multiply or divide, thinking about what the unit should be can help guide them. For example, if the question is asking for speed in kilometres per hour, they know they need to divide distance by time.

These little habits take seconds, but they make a huge difference in accuracy. Learning to check the units is not just about avoiding mistakes, it is about learning to think clearly and work precisely.

James Valiozis