C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM

Maths exam discussion - share revision tips in preparation for GCSE, A Level and other maths exams and discuss how they went afterwards.

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  1. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Anyone taking this? I've got this as a resit, as I cocked up first time around by having a panic attack in the exam hall and not being able to focus. If anyone needs any help on past paper qs or whatever, I'm happy to help/discuss or whatever.

    Haven't done any past papers yet but probably will do this weekend, just to remind myself of the content.
  2. Coursework.info's Avatar
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    C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
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  3. Kabelan1's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Hey, Im taking this exam too, I was not able to take this in January, but i noticed that this years January paper was slightly more harder then the previous C1 papers.

    What would be your tips, for this exam?
  4. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Kabelan1)
    Hey, Im taking this exam too, I was not able to take this in January, but i noticed that this years January paper was slightly more harder then the previous C1 papers.

    What would be your tips, for this exam?
    Well, it's not a calculator exam, so double check each calculation you make. I've lost count of the number of times I've written something stupid like '2-1=3' and '33=9' - and that gets really frustrating after a while.

    The last question's usually on coordinate geometry - gradients, distances, midpoints, circles, equations - that sort of thing. Try to remember how the equations are derived (eg Pythagoras) so if you forget whether an equation has a plus or a minus etc, you can work out the equation yourself. If they ask you to find something and you have no idea where to start, look at the information they've given you and see what you can calculate. Chances are it'll lead you to the answer.

    Know your transformations. Make revision cards with general terms on them (so translation, a units, positive x direction: y=f(x-a)) so you can answer those immediately. If you're not sure, do a sample calculation to see where points are mapped to.

    I can't really think of much more as I haven't really looked at the content yet - if you can find something you're not sure on, I'll have a look. It's been a while since I did this exam, I took it in Jan 11.
  5. Kabelan1's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Yeah, Thanks for that,

    Hopefully this exam goes well, I also noticed that the graphs they use for the transformation questions are either a Quadratic, Root(x), or 1/x, graph. In all the past papers I have done so far there has never been any other graphs involved.

    Could you think of any other graphs that could come up in the Exam?

    Btw, what are you aiming for in this Exam, I guess your aiming for an A, as it is Core 1.
  6. emanuela15's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Ahhh I have this, but because it clashes with politics I'm in isolation the entire morning :angry:
    i've been getting Bs on my past papers but i'm guessing it's because i'm so bad without a calculator. hopefully everything will be better in c2 :sadnod:
  7. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Kabelan1)
    Yeah, Thanks for that,

    Hopefully this exam goes well, I also noticed that the graphs they use for the transformation questions are either a Quadratic, Root(x), or 1/x, graph. In all the past papers I have done so far there has never been any other graphs involved.

    Could you think of any other graphs that could come up in the Exam?

    Btw, what are you aiming for in this Exam, I guess your aiming for an A, as it is Core 1.
    y = \dfrac{1}{x^2}? Circles? Sometimes they use linear equations with an intercept that's not at the origin and a gradient that's not 1.

    Going for 100 UMS this time - got 81 first time around and my head of maths said I should be aiming for full marks. You?
  8. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by emanuela15)
    Ahhh I have this, but because it clashes with politics I'm in isolation the entire morning :angry:
    i've been getting Bs on my past papers but i'm guessing it's because i'm so bad without a calculator. hopefully everything will be better in c2 :sadnod:
    Oh, exam clashes, how lovely are thee.

    What questions do you find yourself dropping marks on? I know what you mean about the calculator thing, I tend to make easy mistakes that I can usually check and correct when I'm using my calculator. Are you taking C2 this summer as well?
  9. emanuela15's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Contrad!ction.)
    Oh, exam clashes, how lovely are thee.

    What questions do you find yourself dropping marks on? I know what you mean about the calculator thing, I tend to make easy mistakes that I can usually check and correct when I'm using my calculator. Are you taking C2 this summer as well?
    Yeah, I'm taking C1 and C2 next week. For a reason I can't fathom, you're not allowed to sit modules in January in my school :confused:
    I tend to mess up a whole lot on sequences/differentiation, almost always because I either make a silly mistake, or read the question too quickly.
    *le sigh
  10. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by emanuela15)
    Yeah, I'm taking C1 and C2 next week. For a reason I can't fathom, you're not allowed to sit modules in January in my school :confused:
    I tend to mess up a whole lot on sequences/differentiation, almost always because I either make a silly mistake, or read the question too quickly.
    *le sigh
    That's C2 though, right? What calculator do you have? My calculator's really useful for checking sequences and calculus, and it really helped me in C2. Apart from the very last part of the last question, which I didn't check and missed out on 2 UMS because I didn't notice it gave inequalities.
  11. emanuela15's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Contrad!ction.)
    That's C2 though, right? What calculator do you have? My calculator's really useful for checking sequences and calculus, and it really helped me in C2. Apart from the very last part of the last question, which I didn't check and missed out on 2 UMS because I didn't notice it gave inequalities.
    No I mean the arithmetic ones, I just never seem to score full marks for one reason or another :confused:
    Today I have a load of free periods so I'll have plenty of time to practise hopefully
    You've actually reminded me that I need to borrow a graphical calculator for S1 next week, thanks for that haha
  12. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by emanuela15)
    No I mean the arithmetic ones, I just never seem to score full marks for one reason or another :confused:
    Today I have a load of free periods so I'll have plenty of time to practise hopefully
    You've actually reminded me that I need to borrow a graphical calculator for S1 next week, thanks for that haha
    Example? Wish I had lots of frees

    Graphical? Why's that? I did up to S3 and didn't need one
  13. ChristianCulford's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Hey guys im istting it as well next week. . . someone any tips how to improve my score? I can't get over 70% :P
  14. emanuela15's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Contrad!ction.)
    Example? Wish I had lots of frees

    Graphical? Why's that? I did up to S3 and didn't need one
    Here's an example:
    - Find the sum of all intergers between 1 and 1000 which are divisible by 7.
    that's only the first part, but the second part I can do. For some reason when the word 'divisible' is in an arithmetic question, I just can't get the right answer
    Yeah I find the graphical ones useful for questions on regression lines etc. they work out sum of x^2 for you
    S3?!?!?! :eek: I'm impressed lol
  15. Kabelan1's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by Contrad!ction.)
    y = \dfrac{1}{x^2}? Circles? Sometimes they use linear equations with an intercept that's not at the origin and a gradient that's not 1.

    Going for 100 UMS this time - got 81 first time around and my head of maths said I should be aiming for full marks. You?
    I want an A, overall in maths, i need decent A from Core 1 and Core 2, because I have to take Decision, which I find to be a pain.
  16. darkshadow1111's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Im taking this. I got 79 ums 1st time im hoping for above 90
  17. shaksmo's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    Is there a collection of like all the "hard" questions which have been on the papers?

    I've done a lot of past papers and doing the easy questions time and time again seems to be not a good usage of the little time left until the exam..
  18. choccandy21's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    I think this is the exam I'm doing..
  19. Contrad!ction.'s Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    (Original post by halii_94)
    I think this is the exam I'm doing..
    Might want to check, it's in a couple of days!

    Haven't really revised much, here's hoping it's in my memory.

    (Original post by shaksmo)
    Is there a collection of like all the "hard" questions which have been on the papers?

    I've done a lot of past papers and doing the easy questions time and time again seems to be not a good usage of the little time left until the exam..
    Try doing the last two or three from each paper, generally those are the hardest.
  20. Kabelan1's Avatar
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    Re: C1 (Not MEI) - Wednesday May 16 2012, AM
    A day and a bit left for the exam.
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