Edexcel 9-1 GCSE Maths (Higher) - 2017 Paper 2 [Official Thread] 8 June

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How did you find the 2017 Edexcel 9-1 Maths Paper 2 exam?

Amazing! :woo: 7%

Good :H 19%

Okay :bebored: 29%

Bad :cry2: 20%

HORRIBLE PAPER!! :@26%

Total votes: 1116

_gcx

Study Forum Helper

21

Edit: Find the list of predicted topics for paper 3 HERE!

Welcome to the,

Edexcel 9-1 GCSE Maths Discussion Thread [2017] - Paper 2

This thread is for discussing anything regarding the upcoming 9-1 Maths exams, specifically for the Edexcel exam board. We'll be the first cohort to sit this exam, so naturally there's a lack of information and past material; I've collated some resources below to help. :smile:

Exam dates (all dates are AM)

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Paper 1 (non-calculator) - 25th May 2017

•

Paper 2 (calculator) - 8th June 2017

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Paper 3 (calculator) - 13th June 2017

A few important notes

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We don't know, nor can we accurately predict any grade boundaries. It can be taken for granted that the grade boundaries of the new specification will be lower than that of the old specification.

•

The large majority of students are struggling with the new specification. If you're finding it difficult, you are not alone!

•

The difficulty of the papers will be roughly in line with that of the specimen material. I would suggest that it will resemble the mock material, though this is debatable.

•

A 9 certainly is not impossible to achieve, so don't think that you can't get one if you're an able student!

To address queries regarding grades
See this image, from Ofqual, for the estimated grade distribution for the new GCSEs in Maths and English.

Ofqual has offered the following information about grades:

Spoiler

Resources

Spoiler

Questions to get the ball rolling

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How have you found the new specification so far?

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How have you found the sample assessment material?

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How are you feeling about the upcoming exams?

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Which topics have you found the most difficult?

Good luck! :woo:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

Asma Faghirzade

1

i have done so many sample papers, literally every set that edexcel has released, but the actual paper- paper 1 was nothing like id seen before, i would get 6s on all the sample papers without trying, i probably barley passed this paper.

does anyone have any predictions for paper 2?

Reply 2

Gurman Hansra

5

watch onmaths videos on youtube, he was quite accurate about paper 1 so its worth a try...

Reply 3

Notnek

21

Below is my list of topics that haven't come up yet so it's worth revising them. Of course not all of these topics will come up and there could be some topics from Paper 1 that appear again in Paper 2 and 3.

•

Equation of a circle (including finding the equation of a tangent)

•

Estimating gradients and areas under curved graphs

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Graphs including quadratic, cubic, exponential, reciprocal and trigonometric

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Transformations of graphs

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Completing the square (and using this form to find turning points)

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Quadratic formula

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Algebraic fractions

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Making a variable the subject of an equation

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HCF/LCM

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Capture/recapture questions (see link for more info)

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Functions (including composite functions and inverses)

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nth term of sequences (arithmetic and quadratic) and questions about Fibonacci sequences

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Work with a general iterative process (e.g. questions involving a sequence with term-to-term rule $u_{n+1} = 3u_n + 1$ )

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Solving equations graphically

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Linear inequalities on a graph

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Solving quadratic inequalities

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Linear simultaneous equations

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Counting combination (e.g. how many ways are there of picking 2 people from a group of 20 etc.)

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Iteration

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SOHCAHTOA

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Sine/cosine rule/Area formula (cosine rule was in last question of Paper 1 but expect more trigonometry)

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Circle theorems

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Surds

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3D trigonometry

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Similar shapes (2D and 3D)

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Transformations (rotations, reflections, translations, enlargements)

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Bearings

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Loci and constructions

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Angles in parallel lines

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Polygons

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Plans and elevations

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Box plots

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Cumulative frequency

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Histograms

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Sets and venn diagrams

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”Given that” probability

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Recurring decimals

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Bounds and error intervals

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Finance e.g. compound interest

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Geometric progressions

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Non-algebraic fractions (adding, multiplying etc.)

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Frequency trees

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Circles, arcs and sectors

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Use of a calculator

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Speed/time graphs (including finding acceleration and distance from the graph)

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

dcencima

14

Original post by Gurman Hansra

watch onmaths videos on youtube, he was quite accurate about paper 1 so its worth a try...

for foundation or higher

Reply 5

dcencima

14

Original post by notnek

Below is my list of topics that haven't come up yet so it's worth revising them. Of course not all of these topics will come up and there could be some topics from Paper 1 that appear again in Paper 2 and 3.

•

Equation of a circle (including finding the equation of a tangent)

what do u mean with counting combinations is combinations and permutations if so do u have any practice questions for me try i haven't really done much of it and also do u have any resources for edexcel which can make me get higher grades in the paper 2 and 3 i did okay in the first one made silly mistakes making me drop marks any way i can prevent this your advice would be helpful whether it be for maths in general or exam techniques

thank you hope you reply

Reply 6

BlueHighlighter

11

Original post by notnek

Below is my list of topics that haven't come up yet so it's worth revising them. Of course not all of these topics will come up and there could be some topics from Paper 1 that appear again in Paper 2 and 3.

•

Percentages (including reverse percentages)

Reverse percentages was on Paper 1; when finding the price of the TV before it's 20% increase.

Reply 7

Notnek

21

Original post by BlueHighlighter

Reverse percentages was on Paper 1; when finding the price of the TV before it's 20% increase.

You're right - I've edited the list.

Reply 8

lionike123

15

I think that functions is going to come up for paper 2

Reply 9

lionike123

15

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4737254

Reply 10

Notnek

21

Original post by dcencima

what do u mean with counting combinations is combinations and permutations if so do u have any practice questions for me try i haven't really done much of it and also do u have any resources for edexcel which can make me get higher grades in the paper 2 and 3 i did okay in the first one made silly mistakes making me drop marks any way i can prevent this your advice would be helpful whether it be for maths in general or exam techniques

thank you hope you reply

Here's some questions on this topic taken from specimen exams.

For stopping making silly mistakes you need to practice as many exams as you can so you become confident working in exam conditions and have time left at the end for checking your work. Get used to checking your answers as much as you can e.g. if you solve an equation always check that your solution works for the original equation. This is especially important in Papers 2 and 3 because you can check often answers easily with a calculator.

(edited 6 years ago)

Sin and cos graphs

what mark out of 80 is a 9?

Reply 13

Notnek

21

Original post by lafee

what mark out of 80 is a 9?

It depends on how hard/easy your exams are and how students do nationally. So there's no way of knowing and I would ignore guesses since they could be wildly wrong.

Reply 14

Lucallah

10

Original post by notnek

Below is my list of topics that haven't come up yet so it's worth revising them. Of course not all of these topics will come up and there could be some topics from Paper 1 that appear again in Paper 2 and 3.

•

Counting combinations (e.g. how many ways are there of picking 2 people from a group of 20)

•

Graphs including cubic, exponential, reciprocal and trigonometric

•

HCF/LCM

•

Functions (inverses)

•

3D trigonometry

•

Transformations (rotations, reflections)

•

Plans and elevations

•

Questions about

•

Fibonacci sequences

•

Solving equations graphically

•

Solving quadratic inequalities

•

Circle theorems

•

Surds

•

Loci and constructions

•

Angles in parallel lines

•

Polygons

•

Conditional probability

I've just googled the GCSE method for counting combinations and I can't believe I forgot about multiplying them together ... What about using the binomial coefficient? I realise that this involves dividing to remove permutations in different order - how obvious will it be whether order is important? What answer will they actually be expecting?
There's this question that my teacher and I both thought was very annoying:

Spoiler

I always forget the shape of cubic graphs... I'd better look over all of these.

HCF and LCM slightly worry me because I never remember how to work them out, but it's never been that difficult to make it up on the spot - LCM has to be bigger than the numbers and HCF has to be smaller.

Working out the inverse function worries me, too. There was a really easy question that I got wrong...

f(x) = \frac{x}{x+4}

I've revised this now, though. :smile:

For 3D trig, transformations and plans: I'm terrible at visualising! Do you have any tips? (Spotting right angles between different planes is so so weird. Is it safe to say that half the time I can just assume there is?)

And for all of them I'd just be interested in some practice. Are the resources in OP good? Do you have any questions for them? :smile:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 15

Notnek

21

Original post by Lucallah

I've just googled the GCSE method for counting combinations and I can't believe I forgot about multiplying them together ... What about using the binomial coefficient? I realise that this involves dividing to remove permutations in different order - how obvious will it be whether order is important? What answer will they actually be expecting?
There's this question that my teacher and I both thought was very annoying:

Spoiler

I always forget the shape of cubic graphs... I'd better look over all of these.

HCF and LCM slightly worry me because I never remember how to work them out, but it's never been that difficult to make it up on the spot - LCM has to be bigger than the numbers and HCF has to be smaller.

Working out the inverse function worries me, too. There was a really easy question that I got wrong...

f(x) = \frac{x}{x+4}

I've revised this now, though. :smile:

For 3D trig, transformations and plans: I'm terrible at visualising! Do you have any tips? (Spotting right angles between different planes is so so weird. Is it safe to say that half the time I can just assume there is?)

And for all of them I'd just be interested in some practice. Are the resources in OP good? Do you have any questions for them? :smile:

Questions about combinations should be quite simple in the exam so you don't need to worry about complicated questions. Here's some questions from specimen materials.

There's a nice quick way to do HCF and LCM which I think you'll like (you may know this method already). E.g. let's say you need the HCF and LCM of 24 and 180:

First write them as products of prime factors in the normal way:

24 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3
180 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 5

Then draw a venn diagram with two circles representing 24 and 180 and fill in the prime factors like this:

Then to find the HCF you multiply the numbers in the intersection : 2 x 2 x 3 = 12.

And to find the LCM you multiply the numbers in the union : 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 5 = 360

For 3D visualisation, some people have a natural ability to visualise. If you don't then you just need to keep practicing. You can follow this process to find the angle between a line and a plane, which can often be quite hard to see.

The resources in the OP are very good. The JustMaths resources are excellent since these are questions from specimen materials so you can see the types of questions asked.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 16

Lucallah

10

Original post by notnek

There's a nice quick way to do HCF and LCM which I think you'll like (you may know this method already). E.g. let's say you need the HCF and LCM of 24 and 180:

First write them as products of prime factors in the normal way:

24 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3
180 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 5

Then draw a venn diagram with two circles representing 24 and 180 and fill in the prime factors like this:

Then to find the HCF you multiply the numbers in the intersection : 2 x 2 x 3 = 12.

And to find the LCM you multiply the numbers in the union : 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 5 = 360

Yeah, though I'd never bother to draw the diagram. I'm more likely to write the factorisation in columns (which will organise which factors are common in a slightly less obvious but much quicker way than a Venn)...

Unparseable latex formula:

[br]\begin{tabular}{c|c c c|c c|c}[br]24 & 2 & 2 & 2 & 3 & \\[br]80 & 2 & 2 & & 3 & 3 & 5 \\[br]\end{tabular}[br]

Then I'll stare at that for a bit and end up multiplying the shared numbers for the HCF and all of the unique numbers for the LCM

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 17

Notnek

21

Original post by Lucallah

Yeah, though I'd never bother to draw the diagram. I'm more likely to write the factorisation in columns (which will organise which factors are common in a slightly less obvious but much quicker way than a Venn), then just make up which multiplication will make the HCF and which will make the LCM (like I said, the smaller one and the bigger one)

If you're happy with this method and you can always find the HCF and LCM quickly then this sounds good. I like the Venn diagram method because once you've drawn it (which doesn't take long), no more thought needs to go in to finding the HCF and LCM and it also helps visualise what's happening for harder questions.

Make sure you can do trickier questions like this using your method. Many students use a trial and error approach to HCF/LCM and struggle with questions like this.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 18

Elleee1234

18

Hi everyone this is for the old gcse not 9-1 grade gcse I was wondering how everyone is feeling for the exam I'm feeling okay I just hope they throw trial and improvement stem and leaf and some good 4-5 marks in

Also after the exam if anyone wants post answers to questions that would also be greatly appreicated by everyone :smile:

Good luck everyone 😊