70-642: Ip/subnet ranges/conversion

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Hi guys,

I know it's a slightly naughty question but could people give a rough idea of how many questions they got in this exam on converting/working out IP subnetting etc. I ask because I have one massive failing and that is maths and basically remembering all the various formulas and tables is just never going to work for me. I've never been able to memorize 90% of my times tables. Everything else no probs, it's all going in and sticking.

Obviously I'm going to try my hardest to get some of it in my head but if it makes up a significant portion of the exam I'm probably doomed to fail. I need to get on and study the rest of my books but because I;m finding this partiular bit so difficult it's killing me getting through it.

 

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No one can tell you without violating the NDA they sign before the exam.
Every exam is different anyway.

I'd recommend ditching the tables and formulas until you understand how to work it out from first principles. Once you understand that the formulas will make more sense and stick in your mind more easily, plus you have the backup plan of pen and paper and loads of 1s and 0s if you have a 'senior moment' in the exam and forget one of them.

 

It;s a shame that at least people couldn't say "don't worry too much" or "Make sure you know this" just to give me an idea of how much extra time I'm going to have to spend on this. I don't kid when I say I have a mental block on stuff like this. It's not that I don't understand the principles but I can't mentally calculate something like this in my head. It;s like the math parts of my brain are teflon coated!

Basically if this is kind of as good as it can get (legally) advice wise I think I'll just have to go with a hunch and skip it for now and get the stuff I can learn easily in my head and then hope that whatever time left I pick up something of this section.

cheers anyway.

 

I'm terrible at math, too. I say learn how to do the anding and get it down pretty well but don't worry if you can't do it fast.

here's 3 different games to help studying: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/connections/games
and there's this: http://faculty.valleycollege.net/rpowell/jscript/subnet2.htm
and some questions here: http://www.ccentquestions.com/
and more here: http://www.subnettingquestions.com/


then when you really have it down you could watch this video https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-3849

I can subnet in my head and pretty quickly using a method that I changed just a bit from the guy in the video.

When I sit down for a test I write down the powers of 2 and the second table from the video. I don't bother with the first table.

You can do it if you just practice. My arithmetic is truly awful but I knew I needed to know this for a number of exams I wanted to take: Net+, CCNA, 70-640....

Don't stress over it but spend a little time on it each day and don't let yourself get frustrated with it. Play one of the games one day then do questions from another site the next.

 

Okay, then: make sure you know subnetting to the point where you can quickly do it in your head. Sorry, Fanatical, there's no shortcut through this. It's a topic that's going to be on this exam and just about every exam you take from here on out. Even if you get past this exam without learning it completely (which would be incredibly difficult to do), it's going to continue to be an issue for you until you master it.

I've noticed two things over the years about learning subnetting:
1) there's always one method that will make the lightbulb come on, and
2) what works for one person doesn't work for everyone.

I believe you simply haven't found "your way" yet. I would recommend that you look at subnetting from several different perspectives so you can find the technique that works best for you. There are a blue million tutorials you can find on the Web... I am confident that you can find what you need to help you succeed!

 

I second this.

I don't have any such maths blocks as you feel you have. Despite this, subnetting still felt awkward and tricky, until i found the technique that worked for me. As BM put it, a lightbulb comes on and it just became easy.

Keep looking through all the methods and find the one that works for you, and don't put it down to a lack of maths skills.