Oxford PAT 2015

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They don't necessarily not match the syllabus. Consider the fact that each year the papers include different topics as the syllabus changes each year. For instance, questions on pressure are no longer common, as that's not on the 2014 (newest) syllabus.

I can bet you anything, tomorrow we will have to face something that isn't on the syllabus :biggrin:

Reply 181

ChronicBoredom

Original post by ombtom

A difference in potential.

Original post by Duke Glacia

The internal resistance drawes current so there is a voltage drop across the int resistance

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Sorry, I know what a voltage drop is. I meant how do I work it out in that example

Reply 182

ombtom

Original post by Crazecatlady

I can bet you anything, tomorrow we will have to face something that isn't on the syllabus :biggrin:

... Or, say, 20 things.

Reply 183

ombtom

Original post by MathsAstronomy12

Doing some last-minute lens, nuclear and quantum haha. As for Maclaurin series, they'll only ask you on binomial.

What do we need to know about lenses? I don't recall seeing anything about lenses anywhere ever. :frown:

Reply 184

funkyfig

what is everyone getting on past papers? I'm finding them quite difficult :frown:

Reply 185

TheFarmerLad

Original post by ombtom

What do we need to know about lenses? I don't recall seeing anything about lenses anywhere ever. :frown:

I don't know much haha but basically, the formula 1/u +1/v =1/f comes up sometimes, where u = distance of object from lens, v = distance of image from lens and f = distance from focal point to lens. Other than that, it's just a mixture of trig, refraction and TIR. See this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRsYzIdhXQI

Reply 186

TheFarmerLad

Original post by Crazecatlady

I can bet you anything, tomorrow we will have to face something that isn't on the syllabus :biggrin:

"Prove e=mc^2 given that......" :banghead:

Reply 187

Duke Glacia

Original post by MathsAstronomy12

"Prove e=mc^2 given that......" :banghead:

Loool better revise sr

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Reply 188

Crazecatlady

Original post by MathsAstronomy12

"Prove e=mc^2 given that......" :banghead:

If the test is easy, the pass mark will be higher
If the test is hard, the pass mark will be lower but I'm less likely to reach it since harder questions are...hard :frown:

It's a no-win situation!

Reply 189

-Gifted-

What are your scores like on the new specimen paper guys, not sure if it was an easy paper? Should i assume it to be the same range as the 2014 paper?

Reply 190

Poppymaijones

Quite liked the specimen paper...but I guess we'd already done the questions in it...I think you'd be safe assuming 55 as a worst case scenario - usually 50 is safe except for the crazy 71 for 2010!

Reply 191

ombtom

Original post by -Gifted-

What are your scores like on the new specimen paper guys, not sure if it was an easy paper? Should i assume it to be the same range as the 2014 paper?

It's mostly the same questions, so yeah. Although I did it a day after doing 2014, and it actually took longer...

Reply 192

funkyfig

Original post by -Gifted-

What are your scores like on the new specimen paper guys, not sure if it was an easy paper? Should i assume it to be the same range as the 2014 paper?

I thought it wasn't too difficult, nor easy so probably about 55-60 pass mark?

Reply 193

ombtom

Original post by Poppymaijones

Quite liked the specimen paper...but I guess we'd already done the questions in it...I think you'd be safe assuming 55 as a worst case scenario - usually 50 is safe except for the crazy 71 for 2010!

68 in 2013 wasn't far off. :tongue:

Reply 194

TheFarmerLad

Original post by ombtom

68 in 2013 wasn't far off. :tongue:

That paper wasn't even that easy either. Yet I suppose compared to 2012 it was. Any last minute tips? I'm literally on a hunt for every single type of question they can ask and preparing mentally how to counter it haha

Reply 195

Poppymaijones

Original post by ombtom

68 in 2013 wasn't far off. :tongue:

And then some years it's 47 😂 thank god they've taken out the long answer questions though...they were so hit and miss - if you hadn't covered the subject that was just 20 marks gone...

Reply 196

ombtom

Original post by MathsAstronomy12

I have no idea what I'm doing. :smile:

Original post by Poppymaijones

And then some years it's 47 😂 thank god they've taken out the long answer questions though...they were so hit and miss - if you hadn't covered the subject that was just 20 marks gone...

If you ignore 2010 and 2013, the average pass mark is 49.85, i.e. less than 50%. That's a nice statistic.

Reply 197

Poppymaijones

Original post by ombtom

I have no idea what I'm doing. :smile:

If you ignore 2010 and 2013, the average pass mark is 49.85, i.e. less than 50%. That's a nice statistic.

That makes me feel a lot better - thank you ☺️

Reply 198

-Gifted-

Just did the specimen, it was quite nice got a 69. But the cladding and optical fibre question was horrible and the maths drawing the derivatives. BTW is it actually true that you need specific marks on physics and maths to get shortlisted ?