When encountering new question types in exams, how can students calmly analyze them using first principles?

Don't panic, I've got this. Encountering a new question type in an exam feels like you've trained for a 100-meter dash, but the referee suddenly hands you a gun and tells you to shoot. Your first reaction is definitely to draw a blank.

At this point, "first principles" might sound profound, but simply put, it's about instantly transforming you into a "skeptic" + "detective." Forget all the "question patterns" you've memorized and only trust the most fundamental rules.

You can try doing this, in three steps:

Step One: Clear Your Mind, Return to a 'Primitive' State

Take a deep breath and tell yourself: I haven't seen this question before, but the examiner isn't an alien; I must have learned the knowledge points it tests.

Then, forget thoughts like "this is an XX question type" or "I should use XX formula." These are all "packaging" you learned later. What you need to do now is strip away all that packaging and see what the core essence inside is.

Step Two: Examine the Question Like a Detective

Grab a magnifying glass, read the question word by word, and then ask yourself three fundamental questions:

1. What have you given me? (Given Conditions) Treat all the numbers, facts, and conditions in the question as scattered LEGO bricks. Don't think about what model these bricks can build; just pick them up one by one and place them on the table in your mind. For example, "a small ball with velocity v," "two parallel lines," "Li Hongzhang said a sentence"… extract these most primitive pieces of information.

2. What do you actually want me to do? (Ultimate Goal) Clarify your task. Is it to find a specific value? To prove a conclusion? Or to analyze a reason? Pull out this "endpoint" too and set it aside.

3. Where is all this happening on the map? (Core Concept) This is the most crucial step. Ask yourself, which most, most, most fundamental knowledge point is this question testing?

   • Physics question? Don't think about the fancy scenarios; just ask yourself, is this essentially about conservation of energy, conservation of momentum, or simply force analysis?
   • Math question? Don't think about the question type; just ask, is this testing the definition of a function, the basic properties of a triangle, or the essence of probability—counting?
   • Humanities question? Don't think about how to analyze the material; just ask, does this reflect the contradiction between centralism and local autonomy? Or the conflict between productive forces and production relations?

Step Three: Build a Bridge Using the Simplest Method

Now you have a pile of "bricks" (given conditions), you've clarified the "model" you need to build (ultimate goal), and you know which "map" this is on (core concept).

Next, don't try to get there in one go. Just use the simplest, most primitive logic to connect them.

• Starting from the "knowns," use the "core concept" as the most basic rule to see what new things you can deduce? Even if it's just a small step.
• Alternatively, work backward from the "goal": to reach this conclusion, what conditions do I need? Did the question provide these conditions? Or can I deduce them from the given conditions?

For example, a geometry problem you've never seen before. You list all the given conditions (side lengths, angles) and find that you ultimately need to prove the length of a certain line segment. At this point, you return to the basics and think: "Proving length? It's nothing more than the Pythagorean theorem, similar triangles, or trigonometric functions—these most primitive tools." Then you try them one by one, seeing which tool can move you one step forward with the conditions you have. Take one step, then another; it's very likely that as you go, the path will become clear.

To summarize:

Don't be afraid of new question types. Their "newness" is just a disguise. Using first principles means stripping away that disguise, revealing its naked essence. This process is like:

Forget the recipe → See the ingredients (meat, vegetables, salt) → Think about the final taste you want (salty, sweet) → Try with the most basic cooking methods (stir-fry, boil).

Practice this "deconstruction" thinking more often in your daily studies, and during exams, you'll be able to calmly turn unfamiliar problems into a game of "raw materials + basic rules" that you're familiar with.