Getting a Grade 7-9 in Maths is not a miracle or by luck. It’s hard work, targeted topic revision, persistence when working on difficult questions, determination to achieve a top mark, writing down your method and securing as many accuracy marks as possible.
After the revision, the final stage is to focus on exam techniques.
What you do on that ninety minutes in the exam hall makes the difference!!!! So, let’s explore a step by step success guide to exam techniques for the GCSE Maths exam!
Firstly, read the question twice. This sounds obvious but it is easy to make errors and misread questions because they look familiar and straightforward.
Secondly, highlight key information. These are statements like ‘you must show your working out’ and ‘show all stages of your calculations’.
Thirdly, highlight trigger words. These are keywords like ‘explain’, ‘calculate’, ‘construct’, ‘factorise’, ‘prove’ or ‘give your answer in the form of’.
Fourthly, decide if you would benefit from drawing a diagram, labeling a diagram that is shown on the exam paper, writing out and then substituting into an algebraic formula, creating a table or creating a list of outcomes?
Fifthly, look at the numbers given in the question. Try to identify a pattern or relationship between the information given.
Finally, are you able to work backward – working from the answer back to the information given in the question?
You have done the hard work! On the day of the exam, show what you know! Go for Gold!
By J.Takpi