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Alternative method Marks for maths?

So does Edexcel or any other exam board give you the method marks as long as your answer is correct and the same as the mark scheme?

I was doing Solomon papers and they did not have any alternative method marks.
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All examiners will give method marks for alternative valid methods and accuracy marks for the correct answers that result.



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Yes, they do
Original post by Legal drugdealer
So does Edexcel or any other exam board give you the method marks as long as your answer is correct and the same as the mark scheme?

I was doing Solomon papers and they did not have any alternative method marks.


As long as your method is correct and your answer is correct, then you will get all of the method marks. However, the mark scheme generally gives the 'best' solution so it's definitely worth looking at and understanding what they've done.

The actual mark scheme examiners use is not the same mark scheme as the version that's available online. The real mark schemes are much, much longer and generally cover alternate methods if they exist. They also cover scenarios like what happens if a student misreads the question, etc.
Original post by Chlorophile
As long as your method is correct and your answer is correct, then you will get all of the method marks. However, the mark scheme generally gives the 'best' solution so it's definitely worth looking at and understanding what they've done.

The actual mark scheme examiners use is not the same mark scheme as the version that's available online. The real mark schemes are much, much longer and generally cover alternate methods if they exist. They also cover scenarios like what happens if a student misreads the question, etc.


so say in a question they gave me angles in radians and i converted them in degrees and got the same answer i would get all the marks?
Original post by Legal drugdealer
so say in a question they gave me angles in radians and i converted them in degrees and got the same answer i would get all the marks?


Was your final answer in radians? As long as you converted your angles back into radians, you should get full marks - although I don't know what the point in converting them to degrees is, radians are much easier.
Original post by Chlorophile
Was your final answer in radians? As long as you converted your angles back into radians, you should get full marks - although I don't know what the point in converting them to degrees is, radians are much easier.


I know thats what everyone says but i just like to do it that way. Yeah or if they are asking for an area.
Original post by Legal drugdealer
I know thats what everyone says but i just like to do it that way. Yeah or if they are asking for an area.


If you prefer to do it with degrees, it's because you've not practiced with radians enough. If you continue to use degrees in radian questions, not only are you going to irritate the examiner (which you don't want to do), but you'll vastly increase your chance of making a mistake and you'll get into issues if you go on to do anything mathematics/physics/engineering based at University or beyond. As I said, you won't get marked down for doing it, but I urge you not to do it.
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alow
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Original post by Legal drugdealer
so say in a question they gave me angles in radians and i converted them in degrees and got the same answer i would get all the marks?


Depends. If you had to do any differentiation or integration then your method would be invalid if you used degrees.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by alow
Depends. If you had to do any differentiation or interaction then your method would be invalid if you used degrees.


I'm doing AS so i haven't come across any differentiation involving radians and by interactions what do you mean?
Original post by Legal drugdealer
I'm doing AS so i haven't come across any differentiation involving radians and by interactions what do you mean?


When you do calculus with trig functions (mainly integration), you'll need to use radians to get the limits right. If you're learning about polar coordinates, they use radians as well.

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Original post by Chlorophile
If you prefer to do it with degrees, it's because you've not practiced with radians enough. If you continue to use degrees in radian questions, not only are you going to irritate the examiner (which you don't want to do), but you'll vastly increase your chance of making a mistake and you'll get into issues if you go on to do anything mathematics/physics/engineering based at University or beyond. As I said, you won't get marked down for doing it, but I urge you not to do it.


right ill try to break out of the habit and practise some questions on it thanks for the insight and help.
Original post by majmuh24
When you do calculus with trig functions (mainly integration), you'll need to use radians to get the limits right. If you're learning about polar coordinates, they use radians as well.

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right so basically i cant avoid radians for ever?
Original post by Legal drugdealer
right so basically i cant avoid radians for ever?


Pretty much. If you go into anything Physics/Maths/Engineering related, they'll pop up all the time, so may as well learn them now :smile:

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Original post by majmuh24
Pretty much. If you go into anything Physics/Maths/Engineering related, they'll pop up all the time, so may as well learn them now :smile:

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Okay got the message thanks for the advise :smile:

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