gcse maths foundation final exam tips for use immediately before the exam write on your exam paper...
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GCSE Maths Foundation
Final exam tips for use immediately before the exam
Write on your exam paper what you type in your calculator
Use calculator for all questions . Students will often make errors on basic calculations that they attempt without a calculator
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Plan and Elevations
GSCE EXAM TIPS
3D Solids
CUBOID
cuboid
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Fractions
Use the fractions button on your calculator
Otherwise use brackets(1.26 + 3.54) ÷ 0.76 = 6.31578947…..
GSCE EXAM TIPS
2.3456 rounded to 1 decimal place 2.3
2.3456 rounded to 2 decimal places 2.35
2640 rounded to 1 significant figure 3000
2640 rounded to 2 significant figures 2600
Rounding
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Draw a net to find the surface area of a prism
Surface Area
25
25
25
25
25 25
Surface area of cube with side 5cm = 6 x 25 = 150
55
5
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Surface Area Triangular Prism
10 x 5 = 509 x 5 = 45 8 x 5 = 40
8 x 9 ÷ 2 = 368 x 9 ÷ 2 = 36
Surface Area207
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Surface Area Cylinder
Find area of 2 circles and one rectangle
CIRCUMFERENCE
Frequency TablesPets Frequency Pets x Frequency
0 12 0
1 60 60
2 28 56
Total 100 116
When asked to find the mean form a frequency table remember to create a final end column and multiply pets and frequency
Mean = 116 ÷ 100 = 1.16 We divide by 100 as there are 100 people in the survey. Common mistake is to divide by 3 as there are 3 rows in the table.
Modal number of pets is 1 ( as this is the highest frequency)Common mistake is to say modal number of pets is 60
Trial and ImprovementThe equation X3 + 2X = 50 has a solution between 2 and 3Solve X3 + 2X = 50 give answer to 1 decimal place
X = 3 33 + 2 x 3 = 33 X = 4 43 + 2 x 4 = 72X = 3.5 3.53 + 2 x 3.5 = 49.875 Do not round these values
X = 3.6 3.63 + 2 x 3.6 = 53.856
The answer to one decimal place is X = 3.6 as 49.875 is closer to 50 than 53.856 But to get full marks a further trial to 2 dp is needed THIS DOES NOT CHANGE YOUR FINAL ANSWER This is just an additional check
X = 3.55 3.553 + 2 x 3.55 = 51.838875
GSCE EXAM TIPS
£ 1 = $ 1.68 Convert £ 300 to dollars 300 x 1.68 = 504
Convert $ 873.60 to pounds 873.60 ÷ 1.68 = £ 520
Exchange rates
£ $
X
÷
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Tessellation
No Gaps
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Isometric Paper
No Gaps
Never use a horizontal line . Use the correct scale
GSCE EXAM TIPS
When solving an equation when X appears on both sides MOVE THE SMALLEST X TERM FIRST
5X + 3 = 2X – 12 -2X -2X
3X + 3 = - 12 -3 -33X = -15 X = - 5
Equations
GSCE EXAM TIPS
2 - Y = 5 Y = - 3 as 2 - - 3 = 5ANSWER MUST BE NEGATIVE
Equations
2Y2 = 72 Y2 = 36 Y = 6
DIVIDE BY 2 FIRST
4(Y – 2) = 2 4Y – 8 = 2 ADD 8 4Y = 10 DIVIDE BY 4 Y = 2.5
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Inequalities
0 ≤ n < 4Integer values 0,1,2,3
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Treat the same as equations4Y + 3 > - 9
SUBTRACT 34Y > - 12DIVIDE BY 4
Y > - 3
Inequalities
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Circles
Find area of circle Find area of circle and divide answer by 4
To find shaded area. Find area of large circle ( radius 7) and subtract area of small circle (radius 3)
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Circumference = π x diameter
Circumference x 22 PERIMETER of semi circleCircumference x 1.4 Divide this by 2 and add 1.4
Students always forget to add the straight line
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Volume of a cylinder
Find area of the circle and multiply by the height
π x x 10
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Alice , Bob and Cath share £ 108 in the ratio 2:3:4 Find Cath’s share
2+ 3 + 4= 9108 ÷ 9 = 12 12 is 1 ratio4 x 12 = £ 48
Ratio
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Loci / Locus
All points fixed distance from a line
All points fixed distance from a point
Constructions
Points / Line bisector Triangle given all 3 sides
Angle Bisector
Find long side SQUARE SQUARE ADD SQUARE ROOTFind short side SQUARE SQUARE SUBTRACT SQUARE ROOT
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Pythagoras
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Pythagoras Hidden Questions
10
6
A
B C
D Alan walks from B to C to DBob walks from B to DHow much further than Bob does Alan walk ?
y
Alan 6 + 10 + 6 = 22 Bob Y2 = 62 + 102
Y2 = 136 Y = 11.7 22 – 11.7 = 10.3 m
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Pythagoras Hidden QuestionsA has co ordinates (1,3)B has co ordinates (6,6)Find length ABSimply use Pythagoras
B5
3
Y2 = 52 + 32
Y2 = 34 Y = √34 Y = 5.8
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Remember to label the axes when drawing graphs
Straight Line Graphs
Students forget to label the X and Y axis when plotting straight lines graphs or curvesRemember “X goes across Y to the sky”
Remember to join up the points after plotting co co ordinates
GSCE EXAM TIPS
GradientsBlue line gradient 2
Green line gradient 3
Use units rather than squares
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Gradient is the number in front of X when given the equation of a straight line
• Y = 2X + 3 Gradient is 3• Y = 3 - 4X Gradient is - 4• Y = -5X + 4 Gradient is - 5
Gradients
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Area of a triangle
4cm
6 cm
Area = ( base x vertical height ) ÷ 2
Area = (4 x 6) ÷ 2 = 12
Students always forget to divide by 2
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• This simply means “1 divided by”
• Reciprocal of 2 =
Reciprocal of 4 =
Reciprocals
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• The range of a set of data is just one number• Find the range of 3 , 6 , 8 , 2 , 10
• Range = biggest value - smallest value• = 10 – 2 = 8• Correct answer is 8 do not write 10 – 2 as
your final answer
The Range
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Remember to include a key
Stem and Leaf Diagrams
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Bearings are angles measured CLOCKWISE from NORTH using 3 figures
Bearings
Bearing of O from A is 040˚Bearing of A from O is 220˚
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Alice and Bob share some money in the ratio 1:3• What fraction of money does Alice get ?
Total of 4 ratios. Alice has 1 ratio Alice gets of the money
The common incorrect answer is
Ratio
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• A bag contains 3 red , 3 blue and 4 green counters. I pick one at random find the probability I pick a red counter
• Answer • Do not write answer as a ratio • 3:10 is incorrect
Probability
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• A racing car travels 60 miles in 30 minutes , find its average speed in miles per hour. Units have to be in hours so we need to change 30minutes to 0.5 hours
Speed = = = 120 miles per hour
• Common mistake 60
Speed Distance Time
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Make sure numbers are in order before you calculate the median
• Find median of 4 , 7 , 1 , 5 , 1• In order 1 , 1 , 4 , 5 , 7• Correct answer 4• Common mistake 1
Median
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Express 24 as a product of its prime factors, give answer in index form
• This simply means use “cherry trees” and write answer using powers.
• 24
3 8 2 4
2 2
Prime Factors
Correct final answer 3 x
Remember product means multiply
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• Find 20 % of £10.90• 10 % £10.90 1.09• 20 % £ 1.09 x 2 = £ 2.18You must show the green divide by 10 method to find 10%Simply writing 10 % = does not count as a method and you will lose marks if your final answer is incorrect
Show full method
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• When describing an ENLARGEMENT you need to say 3 things
• 1 Enlargement• 2 Scale factor of enlargement• 3 Co ordinates of the point the object has
been enlarged from
Transformations
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• When describing an REFLECTION you need to say 2 things
• 1 REFLECTION (do not say it flips )• 2 Equation of the line of reflection
Transformations
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• When describing an TRANSLATION you need to say 2 things• 1 TRANSLATION ( do not say it slides or moves)• 2 Number of units moved right/left and up/down
• You should also be able to recognise that this means • Translate a shape 2 units right , 3 units down
• Translate a shape 1 unit left , 4 units up
Transformations
GSCE EXAM TIPS
• You must use the correct mathematical language when answering any questions on angles.
• Words in RED must be used
30 QWC
*
Vertically opposite angles are equal
Angles on a straight line add up to 180
*Angles at a point add up to 360
DO NOT SAY ANGLES IN A CIRCLE ADD TO 360
Angles in a triangle add up to 180
X X
Base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal
Angles in a quadrilateral add up to 360
GSCE EXAM TIPS
Check all answers thoroughly. Have you answered every question. Do your answers make sense.Check to see if there is a question on the back page of the exam paper
GOOD LUCK
FINALLY