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 1.26+3.54 0.76 Use the fractions button on your calculator Otherwise use brackets (1.26 + 3.54) ÷ 0.76 = 6.31578947….. 1.26+3.54 0.76

GSCE EXAM TIPS Rounding 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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Surface Area Draw a net to find the surface area of a prism 25 5 25 25 25 25 5 5 25 Surface area of cube with side 5cm = 6 x 25 = 150 𝑐𝑚 2

Surface Area Triangular Prism GSCE EXAM TIPS Surface Area Triangular Prism 10 x 5 = 50 x 5 = 45 8 x 5 = 40 8 x 9 ÷ 2 = 36 Surface Area 207 𝑐𝑚 2

GSCE EXAM TIPS Surface Area Cylinder Find area of 2 circles and one rectangle CIRCUMFERENCE

Frequency Tables Pets Frequency Pets x Frequency 12 1 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 Improvement X = 3 33 + 2 x 3 = 33 X = 4 43 + 2 x 4 = 72 The equation X3 + 2X = 50 has a solution between 2 and 3 Solve X3 + 2X = 50 give answer to 1 decimal place X = 3 33 + 2 x 3 = 33 X = 4 43 + 2 x 4 = 72 X = 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 Exchange rates X £ 1 = $ 1.68 Convert £ 300 to dollars 300 x 1.68 = 504 Convert $ 873.60 to pounds 873.60 ÷ 1.68 = £ 520 X £ $ ÷

GSCE EXAM TIPS Tessellation No Gaps

No Gaps GSCE EXAM TIPS Isometric Paper Never use a horizontal line . Use the correct scale

GSCE EXAM TIPS Equations 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 -3 3X = -15 X = - 5

GSCE EXAM TIPS Equations 2 - Y = 5 Y = - 3 as 2 - - 3 = 5 ANSWER MUST BE NEGATIVE 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 < 4 Integer values 0,1,2,3

GSCE EXAM TIPS Inequalities Treat the same as equations 4Y + 3 > - 9 SUBTRACT 3 4Y > - 12 DIVIDE BY 4 Y > - 3

GSCE EXAM TIPS Circles

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)

Circumference = π x diameter GSCE EXAM TIPS Circumference = π x diameter Circumference = π x 22 PERIMETER of semi circle Circumference = π 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 4 2 x 10

2+ 3 + 4= 9 108 ÷ 9 = 12 12 is 1 ratio 4 x 12 = £ 48 GSCE EXAM TIPS Alice , Bob and Cath share £ 108 in the ratio 2:3:4 Find Cath’s share 2+ 3 + 4= 9 108 ÷ 9 = 12 12 is 1 ratio 4 x 12 = £ 48

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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Pythagoras Find long side SQUARE SQUARE ADD SQUARE ROOT Find short side SQUARE SQUARE SUBTRACT SQUARE ROOT

Pythagoras Hidden Questions GSCE EXAM TIPS Pythagoras Hidden Questions Alan walks from B to C to D Bob walks from B to D How much further than Bob does Alan walk ? A D 6 y B C 10 Alan 6 + 10 + 6 = 22 Bob Y2 = 62 + 102 Y2 = 136 Y = 11.7 22 – 11.7 = 10.3 m

Pythagoras Hidden Questions GSCE EXAM TIPS Pythagoras Hidden Questions A has co ordinates (1,3) B has co ordinates (6,6) Find length AB Simply use Pythagoras 3 B Y2 = 52 + 32 Y2 = 34 Y = √34 Y = 5.8 5

GSCE EXAM TIPS Straight Line Graphs Remember to label the axes when drawing graphs Students forget to label the X and Y axis when plotting straight lines graphs or curves Remember “X goes across Y to the sky” Remember to join up the points after plotting co co ordinates

GSCE EXAM TIPS Gradients Use units rather than squares Blue line gradient 2 Green line gradient 3 Use units rather than squares

GSCE EXAM TIPS Gradients 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

Students always forget to divide by 2 GSCE EXAM TIPS Area of a triangle Area = ( base x vertical height ) ÷ 2 Area = (4 x 6) ÷ 2 = 12 𝑐𝑚 2 6 cm Students always forget to divide by 2 4cm

GSCE EXAM TIPS Reciprocals This simply means “1 divided by” Reciprocal of 2 = 1 2 Reciprocal of 4 = 1 4

GSCE EXAM TIPS The Range 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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Stem and Leaf Diagrams Remember to include a key

GSCE EXAM TIPS Bearings Bearings are angles measured CLOCKWISE from NORTH using 3 figures Bearing of O from A is 040˚ Bearing of A from O is 220˚

GSCE EXAM TIPS Ratio 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 1 4 of the money The common incorrect answer is 1 3

GSCE EXAM TIPS Probability 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 3 10 Do not write answer as a ratio 3:10 is incorrect

GSCE EXAM TIPS Speed Distance Time 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 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 60 0.5 = 120 miles per hour Common mistake 60 ÷30=2

GSCE EXAM TIPS Median 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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Prime Factors 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 Correct final answer 3 x 2 3 Remember product means multiply

GSCE EXAM TIPS Show full method Find 20 % of £10.90 10 % £10.90 ÷10= 1.09 20 % £ 1.09 x 2 = £ 2.18 You 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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Transformations 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

GSCE EXAM TIPS Transformations When describing an REFLECTION you need to say 2 things 1 REFLECTION (do not say it flips ) 2 Equation of the line of reflection

GSCE EXAM TIPS Transformations 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 2 −3 You should also be able to recognise that this means Translate a shape 2 units right , 3 units down −1 4 Translate a shape 1 unit left , 4 units up

GSCE EXAM TIPS 30 QWC You must use the correct mathematical language when answering any questions on angles. Words in RED must be used *

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

Base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal X X

Angles in a quadrilateral add up to 360

Alternate angles are equal

Corresponding angles are equal

GOOD LUCK GSCE EXAM TIPS FINALLY 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