maths - sc preparation

School Certificate Preparation

MATHEMATICS

Presenter: Mrs J.Bell who would like to acknowledge Mrs L Koot and

Nikky Vanderhoutfor her presentation at the MANSW conference

School Certificate PreparationMATHEMATICS

Advice From Examiners Read the question TWICE Answer the question that is asked Look at the answer, is it sensible? Give a mathematical answer Use the clues given in the question

SC 2005 Is your answer sensible?

The clues here are that the answer will include 336 and have 2 decimal places.

Q4 pg106

SC 2005: Q8 Answer the question asked...

Obey the question Estimate don’t calculateArea ≈ 3 x 7 x 7 (using 3 as the value for

pi)

Round each number to 1 significant figure

Do What The Question Tells You To Do Q81 b)

Plot and label your coordinates

A (-5,3)

Do What The Question Tells You To Do

AB = 8.5 cm

Look at the value of the answer Q11

If the answer is only worth one mark, don’t write a proof.

m=180-2x30 =120

Put your answer in the correct place

Q14 We notice:

84 /10=8.4

84/9=9.3333

= 7


Q25

5

9999900001


Q25

59999900001

Bring and Use Geometrical Instruments Q13

Bring and Use Geometrical Instruments

Q82 a)

Words students don’t understand

mean Q18

3+6+9+9+9+10 =4646+?=7 7

?=3 The score added was 3.

Words students don’t understand

Q19 consecutive integer

DB2 = 42 + 52

= 41

DB = √41

which lies between 6 and 7

Concepts which need clarification

Place value: Q9

Q15

5.934+0.076.004

4/10 and 7/10

Answer =0.55

Concepts which need clarification

Pythagoras’ theorem : Q84a students recognise when it is needed, but fail to

apply it correctly

Mental techniques which need re-learning Dividing by a fraction: Q3

5 x 3 = 15 1

Concerns!!! Q21 was poorly done by capable students

Concerns!!! Q21 was poorly done by capable

students

Concerns!!!

Still too many students give only one answer in Q76 – Q80

Concerns!!!

Many capable students fail to get 100% inaccurate work poor allocation of time SECTION 1: 25 marks of free response qns in 30 minutes

(non – calc) SECTION 2: ( 90 minutes calc allowed) A: 50 multiple choice & 5 correct/incorrect qns B: 20 marks free response

General Comments:Section 1

Capable students did not do a particular question well as they had no ruler

Students often omitted a double page of questions –

perhaps turning over 2 pages at once

General Comments:Section 1

Q7: poor understanding of division

Think: “how many 2’s are in 336?”

168

Answer=160

General Comments:Section 1 the last 3 questions

Q23 : less than 50% of candidates did this

correctly successful students used the diagram


Q24 : students had difficulty with the zeroes perhaps they always do these questions on a

calculator many did division


Q25 a construction question

Students didn’t bring geometry instruments many ran out of time little sign of any construction

General Comments:Section 2B

Estimated 4% non-attempts in Section 2B previously 1% students seem to have spent too much time on

the multiple choice questions

Recommendation: Advise students to complete the written parts before doing the multiple choice questions


Many students answered only Q81a and Q83a

In follow-on questions, many students fail to see the connection between the information found in earlier parts and the part they are answering

Many students do not show working in the 2 and 3 mark questions

Students receive 0 if you ‘hedge your bets’ so ensure ONE ANSWER ONLY

Recommendations: For multi-part questions, use the hints given in the

previous parts Show all working in multi-mark questions


Many students scored full marks in Section 2B

Capable students frequently lost marks through careless errors or errors in rounding

Frequent errors are made because students do not read the question accurately

Recommendations: Use the value given in a question in subsequent

parts Only round off once, just before giving the final

answer

Specific Comments:Question 81


Many do not know 1 year = 52 weeks

Holiday loading is not understood by most students

There is limited understanding of percentages (most students do not divide by 100)

In part d) students did not understand that the instruction to ‘explain why’ allows the use of

calculations


Part a) – Perimeter is well done but arithmetic isn’t

Part b) – students know when to use Pythagoras’Theorem, but not how to write an accurate solution

Part c) – round too early in the calculation

Part d) – most saw this as a new question, unconnected to

earlier parts

Recommendations: If time permits, check everything on the calculator


most saw this as a new question, unconnected to

earlier parts


Part a) – many cannot label an angle marked the angle of depression, not elevation

Part b) – well done calculators frequently in wrong mode

Part c) – frequently no calculations or ‘made up’ numbers

Recommendation: Expose yourself to as many past paper questions as you can.

Practice makes perfect!

Link to Board of Studies website to SC Exams with solutions

maths - sc preparation

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