1. 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

2. GSCE EXAM TIPS
Plan and Elevations

3. GSCE EXAM TIPS
3D Solids
CUBOID
cuboid

4. GSCE EXAM TIPS Fractions Use the fractions button on your calculator
Use the fractions button on your calculator
Otherwise use brackets
( ) ÷ = …..

5. GSCE EXAM TIPS Rounding
rounded to 1 decimal place rounded to 2 decimal places rounded to 1 significant figure rounded to 2 significant figures 2600

6. 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

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

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

9. 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 = 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

10. 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 = give answer to 1 decimal place
X = x = 33
X = x = 72
X = x 3.5 = Do not round these values
X = x 3.6 =
The answer to one decimal place is X = 3.6 as is closer to 50 than 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 = x =

11. ÷ GSCE EXAM TIPS Exchange rates X
£ 1 = $ 1.68 Convert £ 300 to dollars 300 x 1.68 = 504 Convert $ to pounds ÷ 1.68 = £ 520 X
£ $ ÷

12. GSCE EXAM TIPS
Tessellation
No Gaps

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

14. 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 = X = -15 X = - 5

15. GSCE EXAM TIPS Equations
2 - Y = 5 Y = - 3 as = 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

16. GSCE EXAM TIPS
Inequalities
0 ≤ n < 4
Integer values 0,1,2,3

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

18. GSCE EXAM TIPS
Circles

19. 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)

20. 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

21. GSCE EXAM TIPS Volume of a cylinder
Find area of the circle and multiply by the height
π x x 10

22. 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: Find Cath’s share
= 9
108 ÷ 9 = is 1 ratio
4 x 12 = £ 48

23. GSCE EXAM TIPS Loci / Locus All points fixed distance from a line
All points fixed distance from a point

24. Constructions Points / Line bisector Triangle given all 3 sides
Angle Bisector

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

26. 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 = 22
Bob Y2 =
Y2 = 136
Y = – 11.7 = 10.3 m

27. 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 =
Y2 = 34
Y = √34
Y = 5.8 5

28. 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

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

30. GSCE EXAM TIPS Gradients
Gradient is the number in front of X when given the equation of a straight line
Y = 2X Gradient is 3
Y = 3 - 4X Gradient is - 4
Y = -5X + 4 Gradient is - 5

31. 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

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

33. GSCE EXAM TIPS The Range The range of a set of data is just one number
Find the range of , 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

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

35. 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˚

36. 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 of the money
The common incorrect answer is 1 3

37. 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

38. 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 = = 120 miles per hour
Common mistake 60 ÷30=2

39. GSCE EXAM TIPS
Median
Make sure numbers are in order before you calculate the median
Find median of , 7 , 1 , 5 , 1
In order , 1 , 4 , 5 , 7
Correct answer 4
Common mistake 1

40. 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.
Correct final answer 3 x 2 3
Remember product means multiply

41. GSCE EXAM TIPS Show full method Find 20 % of £10.90
10 % £10.90 ÷10= 1.09
20 % £ 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

42. 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

43. 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

44. 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
− Translate a shape 1 unit left , 4 units up

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

46. Vertically opposite angles are equal

47. Angles on a straight line add up to 180

48. Angles at a point add up to 360*
DO NOT SAY ANGLES IN A CIRCLE ADD TO 360

49. Angles in a triangle add up to 180

50. Base angles of an isosceles triangle are equalX X

51. Angles in a quadrilateral add up to 360

52. Alternate angles are equal

53. Corresponding angles are equal

54. 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