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[Exam Cram] Ask AQA all your A-level and GCSE Maths questions!

It's Exam Cram 2019!


This half term we have an amazing offer for you all currently working through your exam season. Ask your exam board the questions you need to make that final push through your revision.

That's right, this half term we are offering you the chance to talk to your exam board and get the help you need this half term on TSR. This thread is for the 28th of May 2019 or in other words........

Maths day! :eek3: :eek3: :eek3:

Post below your questions and AQA will reply! Ask about specific issues you are having with your revision, topics that you are struggling with or anything about the exams and the exam format themselves!

Just make sure you mention if you are studying at GCSE or A-level in your post so we know how to help!

Unfortunately there are some rules so we can make this thread work for everyone


1.

No asking what is in the up and coming exam, the exam board won't answer no matter how desperate you are!

2.

No asking for low boundaries! This isn't up to how the examiners are feeling on that day. Questions around grade boundaries are fine though :smile:

3.

Keep it civil !



You can start getting your questions in now and AQA will be come through and answer them tomorrow :smile:

Good luck for the rest of your exams guys! :groovy:

Scroll to see replies

Approximately what do you think the grade boundaries will be to get a 9 so far in maths gcse x
For A-Level Maths, are you making the paper easier than last year?
My teachers have predicted that it will be, because it was only Further Maths students doing it in 2018.
how many examiners are there per subject?
For exam marking in general - can you explain the process, and how examiners mark according to grade boundaries and what happens when grade boundaries change?

I'm also really struggling with the mechanics modules for A-Level. What essentials are there that I need to have down?
Do you not agree that edexcel are the superior examining board for maths? :giggle:
Original post by Infinite Series
For A-Level Maths, are you making the paper easier than last year?
My teachers have predicted that it will be, because it was only Further Maths students doing it in 2018.

I doubt they're gonna answer that :biggrin:
How do you make sure a Paper is appropriate for the time frame set out? Does it go through testing to make sure its possible to complete and not too easy/too hard?
Reply 8
Avatar for Cat?
Cat?
18
Prove that there are infinitely many twin primes.
Hi, it's impossible to predict grade boundaries exactly before the papers have been sat and marked. So, I'm afraid it is far too early to say.
Original post by sunflower69
how many examiners are there per subject?


The number of examiners depends on the number sitting the exam, and the amount of work we can reasonably expect an examiner to do. For AQA GCSE maths there will be about 600000 papers to mark so well over 1000 examiners will be needed if they mark the equivalent of 500 papers each.
Original post by Evil Homer
How do you make sure a Paper is appropriate for the time frame set out? Does it go through testing to make sure its possible to complete and not too easy/too hard?

Hi, once a paper has been drafted it is sat by a scrutineer who is usually an experienced teacher of the subject. They are trained to judge and let us know whether the length of paper is about right. They also comment on the amount of space for answers, whether the mark scheme makes sense and all other aspects that are important for the student experience when the exam is actually sat. We make changes based on their comments and, when we think the paper is all sorted, a second scrutineer works through it and gives final advice.
Reply 12
Avatar for Notnek
Notnek
21
Are you able to clarify when a calculator can be used in statistics exams? If e.g. a probability can be found directly on the calculator is any working required?
Original post by _thestudent33
I doubt they're gonna answer that :biggrin:


Original post by Infinite Series
For A-Level Maths, are you making the paper easier than last year?
My teachers have predicted that it will be, because it was only Further Maths students doing it in 2018.

Hi, we set out to make each exam the right standard independently of who might end up sitting the exam. So, there is no reason why this year's A-level will be easier or more difficult than last year's.
Original post by _thestudent33
Do you not agree that edexcel are the superior examining board for maths? :giggle:


That's an easy one to answer. No, I don't agree.
Original post by AQA Exam Board
Hi, we set out to make each exam the right standard independently of who might end up sitting the exam. So, there is no reason why this year's A-level will be easier or more difficult than last year's.

@Infinite Series told you :lol:
Original post by AQA Exam Board
That's an easy one to answer. No, I don't agree.

Of course you wouldn't :rolleyes:

What's your reasoning
In the mechanics section of A Level maths, do we need know how to solve ladder problems involving moments for the AQA spec, since I have so far only seen ladder problems on Edexcel and OCR?
Original post by sarahf1806
For exam marking in general - can you explain the process, and how examiners mark according to grade boundaries and what happens when grade boundaries change?

I'm also really struggling with the mechanics modules for A-Level. What essentials are there that I need to have down?

In all subjects including maths, examiners do not mark with grade boundaries in mind. Their job is to apply the mark scheme fairly and consistently for all students. Once all marking is complete, we use a mixture of statistical prediction and expert judgement to set the boundaries so that they are fair compared with previous years and across all exam boards. So, a more difficult set of papers may end up with slightly lower grade boundaries. Perhaps the most important aspect of ensuring an exam is fair is that it is set and marked so the full range of marks is used. If an exam is too easy or too hard, then the marks will be bunched up at the top or bottom which is not ideal for setting fair boundaries.
On mechanics, any aspect of the subject content may be tested so I don't want to mislead anyone by mentioning specific topics.
Original post by Funksy64
In the mechanics section of A Level maths, do we need know how to solve ladder problems involving moments for the AQA spec, since I have so far only seen ladder problems on Edexcel and OCR?


The mechanics content for A-level maths talks about 'simple statics contexts'. Our view is that does not include classic ladder problems.

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