STEP Prep Thread 2016

I got a little bit of insight into the marking of STEP on Friday btw

Mind sharing? Has anything novel/new come to light?

x

Well it's marked by graduates at Cambridge and some DoSs etc. all in the CMS, with people assigned to one question each, so there might be 4-5 assigned to question one as it's generally quite popular and there is a very precise marks scheme for each showing where all the marks are given, except there are generally more B marks in STEP skills said, and accuracy marks and method marks usually come together at that level.

He still says that 4 good questions will give you a 1, although boundaries differ it generally works that way and he begged is not to ever attempt more than 6 questions, but to go slowly through the algebra and to always "decompartmentalise" with questions.

If you run out of time on questions always try to write what you would have done if you didn't have time/ got stuck and do it in bullet points as although this might not give any marks ( although at times it might, but in general all the head markers like to see a good ATTEMPT at a method before rewarding marks for it) it may help your case in Cambridge if you are to miss your offer and the DoS at your college sees your thinking.

He also emphasised making your work neat. Leaving room between everything, using the correct mathematical language and lining up equals signs on a page so it looks presentable and readable!

If anyone has any other questions feel free to ask them to try and jog my memory as to what else was said lol

Somewhere in one of the examiner reports (can remember which though), it's says no marks are given for writing down what you would do. However, if you were a borderline case it may work in your favor (if the DoS sees it)

CLT is in Edexcel I think?

But generating functions I don't think is in the A-level spec.

I think generating functions are still part of OCR (or possibly MEI, can't remember which!).

Well worth looking at them - probably the most interesting part of A level probabillity! Get hold of an old Edexcel S5 book if you can.

Is there any assumed knowledge for generating functions?

What colleges give out 1,2 offers and under what circumstances?

Girton give it out as standard, not sure how/why.


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As in everyone that applys there gets an offer for that?!

Renzhi will be... if anyone else ia doing step this year and wants to join the chat, let me know :-)

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Lol bit late to this, but mind if I also join?

Not at all

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Renzhi will be... if anyone else ia doing step this year and wants to join the chat, let me know :-)

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Could I join as well? I'll probably be doing STEP I/II

I'm going to be doing STEP 1 to 3, this year. Could i be added to this chat?

Is the solution for STEP I 2001, Q8 incorrect? They seem to have used cos^2(x/2) instead of cos^2(x^2/2). I'm also not too sure how they got y = acos^2(x/2) + bsin^2(x/2).