imo always use column form, it uses way more space but it’s pretty much impossible to make mistakes with column form and it’s also easier to find mistakes if you do make them
this is from his personal experience he got banned from his advanced maths degree despite getting a raw 90 on his math1141 exam because he thought the projection question asked him to write a 3 page essay on the projection of his personal life, romantic life and antisocial life.