Here are some suggestions if your child has given a wrong answer to a math problem.

1. Be patient. Learning takes time. Help your child be patient, too. Say, “Math is something anyone can learn. Keep at it. I know you’ll be successful.”

2. Look for the real problem. Sometimes, kids give wrong answers because they think the question is something else. That’s why a child may think that 4 x 5 = 9. To pinpoint the problem:

• Ask your child to tell you how she solved the problem. As she’s telling you, she may say, “Oh, I added instead of multiplying.”

• If she doesn’t recognize the reason for her mistake you can listen to see if she needs to review number facts, to spend more time learning long division, or whether she simply does not understand what the problem asked her to do.

3. Encourage your child to take risks. Remind her that she’s learning every time she writes down an answer. Sometimes, taking risks is a great way to learn.

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