Maths exam top tips Maths top tips Algebra

Maths exam – top tips

Maths top tips Algebra • Trial and improvement – Remember the midpoint check. • If you see brackets and don’t know what else to do, EXPAND them and gain a mark. • You can check your answers to equations by substituting your answer back in. • You can check your factorising by expanding, and vice versa.

Maths top tips Number • When doing an “over” calculation, use brackets on the top and brackets on the bottom. • Check the accuracy required for your answer (decimal places/significant figures) • If a question asks you to estimate round each number to 1 significant figure. • When doing currency conversion, ask yourself should the value get bigger or smaller, then check!

Maths top tips Shape • Remember units for your answers. • Use the formula page for volumes and areas. • Area of triangles – Remember to do HALF the base times the height • Circles – C = πd and A = πr 2 • Write down all angle facts you have used when doing a question

Maths top tips • Mode – Most, Median – Middle (in order), Mean – Data Total/how many. Can you do these with tabulated and grouped data? • Correlation – Positive/negative/none, Relationship – As x increases, y increases. • Questionnaires – Look for time frame, gaps in groups, overlapping groups, no upper or zero option. • Just been given a huge amount of information and asked a single question? It could be a two-way table question.

Maths top tips – Quality of written communication in your answers • If you are comparing two or more things split your page vertically. • Underline critical steps/values as you work through the question • State any rules you’ve used in brackets • Remember to answer the actual question that’s been asked!

Maths top tips General • Write down all calculations, even if they have been done on a calculator. • Try and get something down for every question (even if it’s just labelling or stating a formula) • If you can’t answer the first part of a question and need it to proceed, make up a value and use that for the rest of the question. • Check every numerical answer given for the following: – Is it sensible? – Does it need units? – Is it at the right level of accuracy?