How to get a 9 in new maths gcse

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Just no.

Even getting an A* at A Level maths doesn't mean you're good at maths, it means you can memorise formulas and reproduce whatever the textbook says.

Well this is a silly argument because being "good" at maths is relative.

Your definition is clearly vastly different to mine.

Reply 61

alow

Original post by S2M

How about a degree in maths?

Yeah that would, as you've been taught how to solve problems, not plug everything into a formula.

Reply 62

S2M

Original post by alow

Yeah that would, as you've been taught how to solve problems, not plug everything into a formula.

I get where your coming from. Did you study Further Maths at A-Level?

Reply 63

charlott3

I am so late, but I think you should just try and aim for a 9, if you get an 8 it's okay too because you would've given everything you got and at least tried.
Good luck for the summer exams!

Reply 64

alow

Original post by S2M

I get where your coming from. Did you study Further Maths at A-Level?

Yeah, I did.

Reply 65

S2M

Original post by alow

Yeah, I did.

A*A* Maths and FM?

Reply 66

anna.tr

this is ridiculously true. I'm achieving A^ (A* distinction) in AQA L2 Further Maths and used to consistently hit the 97/100 mark for each maths paper in the old spec 2 years ago in year 9, but now the new format is so annoying with the long worded questions and the written reasonings/justification, the highest I've ever gotten was an 8+ which was 9 marks away from a 9 according to the boundaries of the specimen that we did for our mocks in December 2016. I'm predicted a 9 nonetheless but chances are so slim...

Reply 67

CraigBackner

Original post by Aklaol

I'd advise you to think carefully before making such a ignorant comment. Go and learn the depths of the new 9-1 system, and the content involved. A 9 is almost impossible, an A* in normal GCSE was brainless and easy.

ing peasant

Reply 68

A.J.Rimmer

Yes, the old spec was pretty easy in comparison to the new 1-9 one. My grade went down from an A* on the old spec(probably an 8, I was getting 95-100% on practice papers) to a 7 on the new one (although it has improved since :smile:

)

However, it's not impossible to get a 9. There's actually very little extra content for them. Off the top of my head, you need:
- Functions (gf(x), inverse functions etc.)
- Areas under curves
- The actual values of sin 30, cos 90 etc. (not just knowledge of the curves)
- Venn Diagrams (unions etc.)
- Iterations

However, the main difference I've noticed is that everything is a lot more tricksy. They try to slip stuff past you, or pose questions where it's not clear how to start. This may be weird advice, but I think I can do these questions because I've had lessons where we've been encouraged to look at problems from different angles, and to understand why we solve problems in specific ways, and so I'd recommend doing logic puzzles or something, because the information is always there, you just need to train yourself how to find it and apply it.

Reply 69

haseeb1805

AIM for a 9, and be happy with 7/8

Reply 70

TheAlchemistress

You can aim for a 9 but it's nearly impossible unless your the the top 2%, it's impossible even everyone this year doing their GCSE's are struggling to cope with it. The exam style questions are so complicated and hard it doesn't come across as easy, the topics have a difficulty level of like 10 unless you understand the concept.

Reply 71

_gcx

Study Forum Helper

Original post by TheAlchemistress

The top 4% will be receive a 9, whereas the top 7%, last year, received an A*. It really isn't as huge of a difference as many claim.

It depends on the candidate. Granted, the majority are finding the new specification challenging, but you cannot say "it's nearly impossible because everyone's struggling with it". That's simply not true.

Reply 72

TheMightyBadger

The new specification has a real emphasis on problem solving, not just doing easy problems. If you want to improve your problem solving, you may want to look into Intermediate maths challenge papers, although they don't really touch upon actual GCSE content, but they really do improve your problem solving skills. In this new syllabus, we will no longer be asked the generic questions that were asked almost every year in the previous specification. It requires thinking out of the box, to a certain extent, and applying what you learn.

This is coming from someone predicted a grade 9, who has not achieved anything lower than 75 out of 80 in any practice papers.

As for how to get the 9, I don't really have much advice apart from for you to practice, as I can practically remember everything that I have been taught and revision for me mainly consists of reviewing concepts that I haven't touched upon in a while; not rigorous practice.

Reply 73

immigrant #963

At this point, a sacrifical peace offering to the exam boards is the only thing I can think of.

Reply 74

Notnek

There is no need to make the GCSE exams any harder than they are now. There will always be students who find GCSE maths easy like yourself, even after the change to 9-1 but these students are such a tiny minority that they should not be the focus of decisions.

And for universities the GCSE grades aren't really important - getting a grade 9 (or a 10 or 11 if they existed) becomes insignificant if you get the A* at A Level maths/further maths. So there's not much point differentiating between the very top students at GCSE level.

All making the exam harder would do is put the average student off maths even more than they are now.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 75

_gcx

Study Forum Helper

"Average" students are finding it hard as it is. All they need is unstructured problem solving (the term is often used loosely at GCSE) questions like those found in olympiads.

I do find it odd that differentiation is not taught, certainly.

Introducing trigonometric identities would likely be deemed too difficult for the majority of the cohort.

The concept of iteration is hardly "not used" within mathematics.

Reply 76

BobBobson

The real problem is the spread of mathematical ability of students. A lot of maths is natural ability and then from birth it snowballs so when you get to GCSE time you have people struggling with basic algebra like (x/5) + 4 = 24 to people who have already mastered early A Level topics. There really is not much you can do apart from have say have an AEA equivalent at GCSE. Thats what the further maths gcses are supposed to do but fail at because they take the approach of more quantity rather than quality. The Further Maths GCSEs are just as bad as the normal gcse and is just more memorisation of slightly harder topics. Memorising the rule of how you differentiate isn't that hard either.

Reply 77

bigoakley02

It's not dreaming unless you know of his capabilities; someone has to get 9s.

Reply 78

176

Original post by dannie.12

How do I get a 9 in the new maths GCSE in 2017? Also, could someone please give me a list of the new topics in the new syllabus? Thanks

The Mathematical concepts themselves, are not any more difficult, I have noticed whilst studying both curriculums. But there are a lot more traps and it is easier to make silly mistakes due to the questions' sneaky wording. Up to a level 7/8 is up to mathematical ability, the level 9 people are the people who have practised a lot and are very cautious of making mistakes in the working, i.e reading the question twice, checking each step of working. But unless you aim to be a pure, theoretical, mathematician, like me, and take the STEP paper, it shouldn't really matter. I have heard that you need to lose a maximum of around 20 marks over the whole 3 papers to get a 9.

Reply 79

Mxnn1

Original post by Aklaol

You're dreaming. A 9 is equivalent to an A**. You should focus on a 7/8, as I doubt that a 9 would be likely.

Ok let me clarify, A grade 9 in the new 9-1 GCSE Mathematics spec (first paper being tomorrow at 8:40 am) is admittedly a lot harder than obtaining a grade A* in the original legacy GCSE mathematics (2016 and previously).

That being said, it is still very attainable. Take me I achieved a grade 9 in my mocks obtaining 89% average across all 3 papers and I did really badly in paper 1 getting 78% but in paper 2 I obtained 93% and in paper 3 I obtained above 96%. I did achieve a grade 9 but JUST. (I used to get 100% in the old GCSE papers like you said easy and "brainless" I agree)

I'm doing Edexcel btw and a grade 8 is considered lower and easier to attain than the original A* grade from old GCSE Mathematics, so getting a grade 8 should be no trouble for A* students. However, that said being said, a grade 9 WILL require you to be not only an expert at the content but also an expert at time management and being analytical about each and every question in the paper.

Think of grade 9 as the original A* grade in terms of question difficulty but you will have to get more of these hard questions correct throughout the paper to actually achieve grade 9 overall.

More practice and familiarization with new question style is key! Good Luck :smile: