Intermediate GCSE Maths Revision - Mistakes to prevent in the Maths GCSE Exam

Have more Marks Without Knowing Anymore!

Intermediate GCSE Mathematics examines grades E, D, C and B. Each grade may be worth 25% of the marks on the exam paper. Each Intermediate Maths GCSE exam paper starts off using the easier grade E questions and finishes with the harder grade B questions. maths revision Approximately 55% is needed for grade C, and approximately 75% for grade B, (these percentages change from year to year based on the impossibility of the test). All students who revise thoroughly, forget to invest time on the simplest way to achieve and lose marks within the exam. Candidates have to be conscious of these 9 very simple steps as both a resource of very easy marks, and as a method to prevent losing marks needlessly.

1. Show All Procedures in Any Calculations

This is actually the advice given to candidates on the front of the Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper. This is also the number one cause of losing marks. For whatever reason, many candidates (and it is more regularly boys), think that everything they are doing will be perfect and mistake free, so why bother using up precious energy writing needlessly, when they can exercise the solution faster their very own way? Unfortunately, this is the fastest way of losing marks.

Let's consider a two mark question where you need to exercise the length of a model car. The student calculates in their head, or on their own calculator, the length is 0.45 m and writes this answer down. Unfortunately the student will get no marks at all for this if the question stated the answer should be given in centimetres. The two mark real question is comprised of 1 method mark for that method used, and 1 accuracy mark for the correct answer. A student will therefore not obtain the accuracy mark for that correct answer, nor the technique mark as no working out has been shown. So even though they can undoubtedly perform the question and might have got one mark if they had shown their working out, they were left with no marks whatsoever. Instead of staying on target for any grade C through getting one mark out of two, they've fallen behind on an easy question. The test is really as much concerning how to prevent losing marks, because it is about gaining them.

2. Give the Final Answer as Asked For in the Question

The exam question will often state the level of accuracy required for the ultimate answer. For instance to provide your answer correct to 1 decimal place, or to 1 significant figure. If you don't give the way to go within the form requested in the question, you won't obtain the final accuracy mark (1 mark). In algebra or ratio questions, many times, it states to give the way to go in its simplest form. Altogether on the average Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper, around 10% (10 %!) of all of the marks are for giving your answer within the form asked for within the question. Once you start spotting this and making sure that all of your answers are within the correct form that's been requested, you'll stop throwing away plenty of marks.

3. Make use of the Marks Given to Assist you to

There is a factor from a 1 mark question, along with a 4 mark question. If for instance you are doing a 3 mark question in 1 line, then beware, as you've either not shown all of your working out (and will lose marks), or else you haven't spotted correctly what to do, so look at the question again. As a rough guide try to do yet another type of working compared to quantity of marks in the question:

2 mark question: 3 lines of exercising

3 mark question: 4 lines of exercising

This will make sure that you show all of the steps required to get full method marks.

4. Don't Cramp your Exercising

As candidates write around the Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper itself, enough room is not always provided. You shouldn't be tempted to squash your work right into a small space - request extra paper. If you're squashing your projects in, then its common for candidates to leave some steps out - these steps are often the technique steps the examiner must see to get the method marks!

5. Watch out for Mixed Units

Quite often different units are utilized to measure quantities in the same question, for instance:

cm and mm

m and cm

km and m

The golden rule is to always use just one unit throughout, either all centimetres or all metres or all kilometres. Change different measures at the beginning of doing the question towards the same unit.

6. Beware the Calculator Paper!

The GCSE Mathematics exam includes a Calculator exam paper along with a Non-Calculator exam paper. gcse maths revision GCSE Mathematics is the hardest GCSE exam to get the grade you need, and far from making the exam easier, utilizing a calculator often leads to more mistakes along with a lower mark than in the non-calculator paper. It is even more vital that you show all of your working out on the Calculator paper as it is very easy to complete 2 or 3 lines on your calculator without showing any working out. You would lose all your method marks, and when you have made an error you will not have any marks at all. Because the exam paper includes more method marks than accuracy marks it is crucial that you show all your exercising.

7. Not being in DEG Mode

Ensure your calculator is definitely in DEG (degrees) mode, otherwise you will never get Trigonometry questions correct!

8. Don't Measure Diagrams

Whether it states "diagram not accurately drawn" then do not bother measuring the diagram, it will not assist you to, and it will waste time. "Diagram not accurately drawn" means you have to find a calculating method (not measuring method) to get the answer.

9. Jot down Measuring Units

Make sure to write down the units you're using e.g. cm, m, km if they're not given at the end of the question. Should you forget, you will lose 1 super easy mark. (It's very easily forgotten though!).

Conclusion

If you practise and remember these 9 simple steps, you'll be able to prevent losing up to 10% of your exam marks needlessly. Good examination technique ought to be practised as part of Intermediate GCSE Maths exam preparation, so when revising probably the most essential exam questions and exam topics.

Intermediate GCSE Maths Revision - Mistakes to Avoid within the Maths GCSE Exam

Get More Marks Not understanding Any More!

Intermediate GCSE Mathematics examines grades E, D, C and B. Each grade is worth 25% from the marks on the exam paper. Each Intermediate Maths GCSE exam paper begins using the easier grade E questions and finishes using the harder grade B questions. maths revision Approximately 55% is required for grade C, and approximately 75% for grade B, (these percentages vary from year upon year according to the difficulty of the test). Many students who revise thoroughly, forget to spend time around the easiest way to achieve and lose marks in the exam. Candidates have to be aware of these 9 very simple steps as both a source of super easy marks, and as a way to prevent losing marks needlessly.

1. Show All Stages in Any Calculations

This is the advice provided to candidates around the front from the Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper. This is the number one cause of losing marks. For whatever reason, many candidates (which is more often boys), think that everything they are doing is going to be perfect and mistake free, why bother depleting precious energy writing needlessly, whenever they can work out the solution faster their own way? Unfortunately, this is also the quickest method of losing marks.

Let us think about a two mark question in which you have to work out the size of a model car. A student calculates in their head, or on their calculator, that the length is 0.45 m and writes this answer down. Unfortunately a student will get no marks whatsoever for this when the question stated that the answer ought to be succumbed centimetres. The 2 mark question is comprised of 1 method mark for the method used, and 1 accuracy mark for the correct answer. The student will therefore not get the accuracy mark for the correct answer, nor the method mark as no exercising has been shown. So although they can undoubtedly do the question and would have got one mark when they had shown their exercising, they ended up with no marks at all. Instead of staying on target for a grade C through getting one mark from two, they have fallen behind on an easy question. The exam is as much concerning how to prevent losing marks, as it is about gaining them.

2. Provide the Final Answer as Requested in the Question

The exam question will frequently state the amount of accuracy needed for the ultimate answer. For example to provide your answer correct to at least one decimal place, in order to 1 significant figure. If you do not give your answer within the form asked for in the question, you won't get the final accuracy mark (1 mark). In algebra or ratio questions, it often states to give your answer in the simplest form. Altogether around the average Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper, around 10% (ten percent!) of all of the marks are for giving the way to go in the form requested in the question. When you start spotting this and making sure that all your answers are in the correct form that's been asked for, you will stop throwing out lots of marks.

3. Make use of the Marks Provided to Assist you to

There's a significant difference between a 1 mark question, along with a 4 mark question. If for instance you do a 3 mark question in 1 line, then beware, as you have either not shown all of your working out (and can lose marks), or you have not spotted correctly how to proceed, so look at the question again. Like a rough guide aim to do one more line of working than the number of marks in the question:

2 mark question: 3 lines of exercising

3 mark question: 4 lines of working out

This can ensure that you show all of the steps needed to get full method marks.

4. Don't Cramp your Working Out

As candidates write on the Intermediate GCSE Maths exam paper itself, sufficient space isn't necessarily provided. Don't be lured to squash your projects into a small space - ask for extra paper. If you're squashing your work in, then it is common for candidates to depart some steps out - these steps are frequently the method steps that the examiner must see to obtain the method marks!

5. Watch out for Mixed Units

Quite often different units are used to measure quantities within the same question, for example:

cm and mm

m and cm

km and m

The golden rule is to always work with only one unit throughout, either all centimetres or all metres or all kilometres. Change any different measures at the start of doing the question to the same unit.

6. Beware the Calculator Paper!

The GCSE Mathematics exam includes a Calculator exam paper along with a Non-Calculator exam paper. gcse maths revision GCSE Mathematics may be the hardest GCSE exam to get the grade you'll need, and from making the test easier, using a calculator often results in more mistakes and a lower mark compared to the non-calculator paper. It's even more important to show all your exercising on the Calculator paper as it is super easy to do two or three lines in your calculator without showing any working out. You'd lose all of your method marks, and when you earn a mistake you won't get any marks at all. As the exam paper consists of more method marks than accuracy marks it is crucial that you simply show all of your exercising.

7. Not in DEG Mode

Make sure that your calculator is always in DEG (degrees) mode, or else you will never get Trigonometry questions correct!

8. Don't Measure Diagrams

Whether it states "diagram not accurately drawn" then don't bother measuring the diagram, it will not assist you to, and it'll waste time. "Diagram not accurately drawn" means you have to find a calculating method (not measuring method) to find the answer.

9. Write Down Measuring Units

Remember to get the exact units you are using e.g. cm, m, km if they are not given after the question. If you forget, you'll lose 1 very easy mark. (It is very easily forgotten though!).

Conclusion

Should you practise and remember these 9 easy steps, you'll be able to prevent losing as much as 10% of the exam marks needlessly. Good examination technique should be practised included in Intermediate GCSE Maths exam preparation, and when revising the most essential exam questions and exam topics.