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Work hard throughout the year, then start past papers at March. Do all the papers for your exam board and you should easily do well.
Hi,
As I assume you're currently in Year 9, or 10, you have plenty of time to pick up your grade! You may even surpass your expectations if you work at it.
I would start by identifying your weaknesses, which specific concepts you struggle with, and where your shortcomings are. I know it's easy to dismiss the stuff you struggle with, but it's important to consult your teacher, your peers, or the Internet, to see if you can understand it.
Are you being entered for Higher or Foundation? Foundation has significantly less room for error to get a C, you need around 70% across all three papers. (now 1 non-calc, and 2 calc due to the changes to 9-1) Higher will allow you not to completely understand some concepts, the ones later in the paper, and still get a C, requiring just 30-35%. I wouldn't really recommend ever walking into an exam knowing that you can't answer a certain kind of question, but I understand for some it's unavoidable. If you are considering looking at a B, you will need around half-marks overall, which you may find to be achievable
(if you're don't think you, don't sweat it! )
I will say: if you believe that you have any chance to get more than a C, go for Higher. If you don't already know, Foundation is capped at a C to differentiate between the significantly more advanced Higher qualification. (Foundation being a Level 1 Award, and Higher being Level 2)
What exam board are you taking? Although, granted, exam boards teach roughly the same topics when we're talking about the same qualification, it will help narrow down resources specific to the exam you will be sitting in, assumedly, 2017/2018.
Some general advice, I'd strongly recommend getting a decent scientific calculator which, if you're taking Higher, should have access to trigonometric functions, and other such features. The Casio FX-85GT Plus is pretty much standard in that regard, and should be sufficient. I'd recommend getting used to doing somewhat complex calculations with it (radicals [square roots, cube roots], fractions, etc.). It should help if you get such a question in the exam.
As I assume you're currently in Year 9, or 10, you have plenty of time to pick up your grade! You may even surpass your expectations if you work at it.
I would start by identifying your weaknesses, which specific concepts you struggle with, and where your shortcomings are. I know it's easy to dismiss the stuff you struggle with, but it's important to consult your teacher, your peers, or the Internet, to see if you can understand it.
Are you being entered for Higher or Foundation? Foundation has significantly less room for error to get a C, you need around 70% across all three papers. (now 1 non-calc, and 2 calc due to the changes to 9-1) Higher will allow you not to completely understand some concepts, the ones later in the paper, and still get a C, requiring just 30-35%. I wouldn't really recommend ever walking into an exam knowing that you can't answer a certain kind of question, but I understand for some it's unavoidable. If you are considering looking at a B, you will need around half-marks overall, which you may find to be achievable
(if you're don't think you, don't sweat it! )I will say: if you believe that you have any chance to get more than a C, go for Higher. If you don't already know, Foundation is capped at a C to differentiate between the significantly more advanced Higher qualification. (Foundation being a Level 1 Award, and Higher being Level 2)
What exam board are you taking? Although, granted, exam boards teach roughly the same topics when we're talking about the same qualification, it will help narrow down resources specific to the exam you will be sitting in, assumedly, 2017/2018.
Some general advice, I'd strongly recommend getting a decent scientific calculator which, if you're taking Higher, should have access to trigonometric functions, and other such features. The Casio FX-85GT Plus is pretty much standard in that regard, and should be sufficient. I'd recommend getting used to doing somewhat complex calculations with it (radicals [square roots, cube roots], fractions, etc.). It should help if you get such a question in the exam.
(edited 7 years ago)
Yes you are correct I am within year 10 and taking foundation levels in my mock I got a G ! that is so bad and I need to work at it because that's all I want really badly. I'm using the exam board of AQA for my school but how can I get G to C as fast as possible is there any online things I do have a tutor but I need to push past my goals.
Original post by _gcx
Hi,
As I assume you're currently in Year 9, or 10, you have plenty of time to pick up your grade! You may even surpass your expectations if you work at it.
I would start by identifying your weaknesses, which specific concepts you struggle with, and where your shortcomings are. I know it's easy to dismiss the stuff you struggle with, but it's important to consult your teacher, your peers, or the Internet, to see if you can understand it.
Are you being entered for Higher or Foundation? Foundation has significantly less room for error to get a C, you need around 70% across all three papers. (now 1 non-calc, and 2 calc due to the changes to 9-1) Higher will allow you not to completely understand some concepts, the ones later in the paper, and still get a C, requiring just 30-35%. I wouldn't really recommend ever walking into an exam knowing that you can't answer a certain kind of question, but I understand for some it's unavoidable. If you are considering looking at a B, you will need around half-marks overall, which you may find to be achievable (if you're don't think you, don't sweat it! )
I will say: if you believe that you have any chance to get more than a C, go for Higher. If you don't already know, Foundation is capped at a C to differentiate between the significantly more advanced Higher qualification. (Foundation being a Level 1 Award, and Higher being Level 2)
What exam board are you taking? Although, granted, exam boards teach roughly the same topics when we're talking about the same qualification, it will help narrow down resources specific to the exam you will be sitting in, assumedly, 2017/2018.
Some general advice, I'd strongly recommend getting a decent scientific calculator which, if you're taking Higher, should have access to trigonometric functions, and other such features. The Casio FX-85GT Plus is pretty much standard in that regard, and should be sufficient. I'd recommend getting used to doing somewhat complex calculations with it (radicals [square roots, cube roots], fractions, etc.). It should help if you get such a question in the exam.
As I assume you're currently in Year 9, or 10, you have plenty of time to pick up your grade! You may even surpass your expectations if you work at it.
I would start by identifying your weaknesses, which specific concepts you struggle with, and where your shortcomings are. I know it's easy to dismiss the stuff you struggle with, but it's important to consult your teacher, your peers, or the Internet, to see if you can understand it.
Are you being entered for Higher or Foundation? Foundation has significantly less room for error to get a C, you need around 70% across all three papers. (now 1 non-calc, and 2 calc due to the changes to 9-1) Higher will allow you not to completely understand some concepts, the ones later in the paper, and still get a C, requiring just 30-35%. I wouldn't really recommend ever walking into an exam knowing that you can't answer a certain kind of question, but I understand for some it's unavoidable. If you are considering looking at a B, you will need around half-marks overall, which you may find to be achievable
(if you're don't think you, don't sweat it! )I will say: if you believe that you have any chance to get more than a C, go for Higher. If you don't already know, Foundation is capped at a C to differentiate between the significantly more advanced Higher qualification. (Foundation being a Level 1 Award, and Higher being Level 2)
What exam board are you taking? Although, granted, exam boards teach roughly the same topics when we're talking about the same qualification, it will help narrow down resources specific to the exam you will be sitting in, assumedly, 2017/2018.
Some general advice, I'd strongly recommend getting a decent scientific calculator which, if you're taking Higher, should have access to trigonometric functions, and other such features. The Casio FX-85GT Plus is pretty much standard in that regard, and should be sufficient. I'd recommend getting used to doing somewhat complex calculations with it (radicals [square roots, cube roots], fractions, etc.). It should help if you get such a question in the exam.
Original post by Witham.lh
Yes you are correct I am within year 10 and taking foundation levels in my mock I got a G ! that is so bad and I need to work at it because that's all I want really badly. I'm using the exam board of AQA for my school but how can I get G to C as fast as possible is there any online things I do have a tutor but I need to push past my goals.
I'd talk to your teacher/tutor about where you went wrong. If you don't already have it, ask for the exam paper back. The first step is to evaluate where you went wrong, as with everything.
In terms of notes, an excellent site is BBC Bitesize, it starts each concept from a fairly basic level and builds it up from there. It even has quizzes, so you can test yourself on topics you are weaker at.
In terms of practice questions, OnMaths is absolutely brilliant for practice questions on specific topics, or even whole mock exams! Many of them have accompanying YouTube videos, which explain things pretty well (here). Of course, past papers are still king in terms of practice, the past papers for the new 9-1 spec can be found here, and the papers for the old spec (covers similar stuff, should still be good practice), here.
(edited 7 years ago)
With my tutor yes but i try but my teacher never sets homework.
Original post by B_9710
Do you regularly practice maths at home or watch videos and stuff like that?
Original post by Witham.lh
With my tutor yes but i try but my teacher never sets homework.
To get good grades you should be doing it on your own even without homework tbh.
It is so hard to I'm really bad at it and there is nothing online videos are full of rubbish as they do not talk about it all. BBC bitesize is rubbish as it never really explains it and is boring. My maths only covers the easy simple stuff and when actually doing it its rubbish for answering questions . What else can i do if I'm not with my tutor
I have my tutor for homework thanks
Original post by B_9710
To get good grades you should be doing it on your own even without homework tbh.
Original post by Witham.lh
I have my tutor for homework thanks
Yeah I know, but doing the minimum amount of work isn't enough.
Between me and my tutor is alot within homework therefore I see why you need to discuss this when you are being rude
Original post by B_9710
Yeah I know, but doing the minimum amount of work isn't enough.
Original post by Witham.lh
Between me and my tutor is alot within homework therefore I see why you need to discuss this when you are being rude
I'm not being rude, i'm being very honest.
I'll have a look thankyou
Original post by zeldor711
I'm pretty sure that examsolutions has videos for GCSE maths, check them out
Original post by Witham.lh
I dont think you should particually judge when you do not see how much effort I put into work after school and within school sorry
That's why I was only asking earlier.
Apologies
Original post by B_9710
That's why I was only asking earlier.
Do as many past papers as you can and soon enough you'll realise that the same types of questions come up each year even though they may be 'disguised' in the application questions.
Whilst doing a past paper, if there is a question you can't do circle it and come back to it at the end. Instead of just going straight to the mark scheme, try using your other resources such as your textbook or revision guide and read the explanation for that topic first and then see if you can apply that information to your question. There may also be youtube channels that go through past papers for your exam board and so you could watch the part of the video for your question so you can see exactly how they did the question and perfect your technique instead of just getting the answer for that 1 question.
When you have time (maybe 10-15 minutes a day this summer or something), print off the specification. Then get your textbook and do a range of questions (some of the easier ones at the beginning and the later harder ones) for each point on the spec. Mark these questions and if you feel comfortable enough with the topic, tick it off and move on. If not, highlight this so you can see the areas you need to target and you have lots of time to work on these areas before exam season.
I never did any of these and only did past papers but I really do think that they would be quite useful. Good luck and I hope you achieve a C or above next year. With a bit of hard work, there's no reason why you can't get an A* - one year is more than enough time for a turnaround
Whilst doing a past paper, if there is a question you can't do circle it and come back to it at the end. Instead of just going straight to the mark scheme, try using your other resources such as your textbook or revision guide and read the explanation for that topic first and then see if you can apply that information to your question. There may also be youtube channels that go through past papers for your exam board and so you could watch the part of the video for your question so you can see exactly how they did the question and perfect your technique instead of just getting the answer for that 1 question.
When you have time (maybe 10-15 minutes a day this summer or something), print off the specification. Then get your textbook and do a range of questions (some of the easier ones at the beginning and the later harder ones) for each point on the spec. Mark these questions and if you feel comfortable enough with the topic, tick it off and move on. If not, highlight this so you can see the areas you need to target and you have lots of time to work on these areas before exam season.
I never did any of these and only did past papers but I really do think that they would be quite useful. Good luck and I hope you achieve a C or above next year. With a bit of hard work, there's no reason why you can't get an A* - one year is more than enough time for a turnaround
Original post by Witham.lh
It is so hard to I'm really bad at it and there is nothing online videos are full of rubbish as they do not talk about it all. BBC bitesize is rubbish as it never really explains it and is boring. My maths only covers the easy simple stuff and when actually doing it its rubbish for answering questions . What else can i do if I'm not with my tutor
Try to go through the exam paper, identify the questions you got wrong, or didn't answer, and, more importantly, identify why you got it wrong. Was it a slip-up in the method, mistakes while using a calculator, slip-ups in mental calculations, etc.? Consider these things. Sorry if I'm not of much help, it's just that you can never improve at a subject, without knowing your weaknesses within it. It's not good enough to say to yourself, that you're not as good as you wish, you need to ask: why? Once you identify those flaws, then start resolving them, with as much practice as you need. I do commend you for asking for help, too many people struggling like this, just give up, or keep quiet. Has your tutor recommended any techniques or websites?
I hope you can get something out of this
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