The Oxford TSA thread - 2015 applicants - 5th Nov 2014

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Q42.
I would start by finding how many multiples of 3 there are from 1-49. To do this just do 49/3 which is 16.3 recurring, so there are 16 multiples of 3.

Then find the numbers that end in 3 that aren't multiples of 3. So 13, 23, and 43. Then find the numbers that end in 6 that aren't multiples of 3, so 16, 26, 46. Then find the numbers that end in 9 that aren't multiples of 3, so 19, 29, and 49.

Finally, find the numbers that start in 3, that aren't multiples of 3, and don't end in 3, 6, or 9. These numbers are 31, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38. As we are only looking for numbers in the 1-49 range, we don't need to find the numbers that start with a 6 or a 9.

Altogether there are 31 numbers.

The answer is E, 31.

Don't have time at the moment to do the others sorry

You've given very clear and concise and detailed responses that have been very helpful. Thanks so much!

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Reply 501

hoollsss

For the essay should you make each point into it's own paragraph? Because I tried doing this and I went over the 2 page limit. Also how important is writing an introduction/how much should you write?

Reply 502

hoollsss

Also does anyone have tips on what they wrote if you practised essays 2, 3 and 4 from 2012 - I'm trying to write points for all of them but I really can't think of any

Reply 503

milkman94

Original post by hoollsss

Also does anyone have tips on what they wrote if you practised essays 2, 3 and 4 from 2012 - I'm trying to write points for all of them but I really can't think of any

Be precise and to the point. There is no need to set a context, just express your views coherently and clearly.

Ultimately, you should showcase your ability to not only give a balanced argument but something novel.

Reply 504

789tom789

Does anyone know are you meant to plan the essay on the two sides of A4 or under the notes section in the question paper? I assume it's notes but just checking...

Reply 505

romeoss

Hi guys!

So I've been practicing a few past papers (both official and from the book Think You Can Think?). The book suggested solving either all critical thinking questions first or problem solving ones since the way they are jumbled up in the question paper often requires your thought processes to switch back and forth. I thought this was a good tip so I have been practicing solving all the critical thinking questions first and then the problem solving. However, I realised 45 minutes is not an even split for the 2 sections. It's more like 30 minutes for critical thinking and 60 minutes for problem solving. Moreover, I frequently miss out on the last 2-3 questions of problem solving due to a lack of time. Am I doing it wrong, or are the problem solving questions supposed to take so long to think through and solve? Does anyone have any tips that could help me do them faster (aside from reading resources) ? Your help would be much appreciated, thank you! :smile:

Reply 506

maximator

Original post by milkman94

so you don't have to write an introduction? Is this an assumption or do you know it from a trustworthy source?

Reply 507

milkman94

Original post by maximator

so you don't have to write an introduction? Is this an assumption or do you know it from a trustworthy source?

establishing the context is not the same as writing an intro...

Reply 508

anonwinner

Original post by milkman94

establishing the context is not the same as writing an intro...

You should establish context in every essay you ever do...

Reply 509

Turtlefushsia

I'm only averaging around 57-60 I just can't seem to complete this paper in time.

Any tips? X

Reply 510

789tom789

Can no one answer my question? Really need to know whether or not you write your plan on the two sides or under the notes section.

Reply 511

Stillreading

Sorry if these have already been explained, but could someone explain 32 from 2009, and 30 and 21 from 2011 please? Thanks in advance :smile:

http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/99502-tsa_oxford_section_1_2009.pdf
http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/99504-tsa_oxford_section_1_2011.pdf

Reply 512

maximator

Original post by milkman94

establishing the context is not the same as writing an intro...

ok, think we are actually speaking about the same thing.
Sorry, I was a bit confused

Reply 513

Stillreading

Original post by Turtlefushsia

I'm only averaging around 57-60 I just can't seem to complete this paper in time.

Any tips? X

In terms of timing, go at a steady pace. Some of the problem solving ones take a little longer so you need to be quicker on other questions. As a guide, aim for around 1.5 minutes per question. Also, try and keep track of where you are i.e. at about 25 minutes, you need to have completed around 12-14 questions. At around 45 minutes, you need to be on or past question 25. If you find something hard or you don't understand it, rather than spending a long time on it, make a guess, move on and have a look at it at the end. This is better than missing out the question altogether.

Make sure you understand every question you attempt, even if you don't get it right the first time. And just keep practicing your problem solving and critical thinking skills. :smile:

Reply 514

Yii Yann

Which paper from the admissions testing website did you guys find the hardest? I thought 2013 was a bit trickier than the others... even though the score for full marks was less than that for 2011 (103.6 vs 106.1).

Also, does anyone have any resources for spatial-reasoning questions? They take up a ridiculous amount of time and are often the hardest qns on the paper for me.

Thanks!

Reply 515

uls1295

Original post by 789tom789

Can no one answer my question? Really need to know whether or not you write your plan on the two sides or under the notes section.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this notes section but I imagine the only thing that's sent to the college is the answer sheet, not the question book. So I would personally be sure to include some small plan (even if you do more notes on another sheet) on the answer paper so that the college can see some kind of plan

Reply 516

kimiaak

Original post by Yii Yann

It's not going to sound like the best advice but for the spacial reasoning questions I would really recommend taking a moment to fully appreciate the image the question is trying to create. Make sure you can imagine the shape in your mind. And then sometimes it is worth drawing on the paper or even moving the paper around to get a better idea of what is going on