The key to success in
GCSE maths
Examiners estimate that candidates who show
working out get 10% more marks than those who don’t.
Remember every mark counts.
There is one mark difference
between Grade C and Grade D
Bring your own
scientific calculator to
maths lessons and learn how to
use it.
Make sure that you have all of the equipment
you need
Don’t give up. Keep
going. Use any spare
time to check
answers.
Read the question.
Answer the question.
Read the question again.
Show as much working out as
you can.
Do the working out the way you
want to do it.
Draw all diagrams
accurately using a pencil
If you are spending a lot of time
on a question
leave it and come back to it later.
Take care when
writing numbers
Use tracing paper for and
rotations
.
Never join the points on a
scatter graph.
Plot points
on graphs
carefully and join
them accuratel
y.
If you have worked out
two answers cross out
the one that you think is
wrong.
1 + 1 3
1 + 1 2
Don’t rush when answering
questions. Take your time.
min
Remember to write in the units when
they are needed.
£
m2
cm3
kgml
kmC
Read the scales on graphs
very carefully.
Check each
answer carefull
y
If you can work out the answer in two ways try both ways and check
that the answers are the same.
Remember that the answer to a
probability question must be
a fraction, a decimal or a percentage
Remember to put two figures after the decimal point when the answer
is in pounds.e.g. £2.30 not
£2.3
When multiplying out a bracket remember to
multiply everything in the
bracket.2(3a – 4) = 6a - 8
When you round a number
write down the full answer first.
22.455 = 22.5 to 1d.p.
Don’t assume anything about diagrams. Use
only the information you are given or can
work out.
Make sure that your answer
makes sense.Tree height 129mor
Tree height 12.9m ?
Check answers to calculations
by estimating what the answer
should be.
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211706798214808651328230664709384460955058223172535940812848111745028410270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527120190914564856692346034861045432664821339360726024914127372458700660631558817488152092096282925409171536436789259036001133053054882046652138414695194151160943305727036575959195309218611738193261179310511854807446237996274956735188575272489122793818301194912983367336244065664308602139494639522473719070217986094370277053921717629317675238467481846766940513230005681271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235420199561121290219608640344181598136297747713099605187072113499999983729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881710100031378387528865875332083814206171776691473035982534904287554687311595628638823537875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989380952572010654858632788659361533818279682303019520353018529689957736225994138912497217752834
Check to see if the answer needs to be written to a certain number
of decimal places or significant
figures.
Unless you are estimating an answer, don’t
round numbers part way through
a calculation
“Diagram not drawn
accurately”.
Don’t measure the diagram if it says
Remember that your calculator
doesn’t understand hours
and minutes. Don’t use a
calculator for time questions
Try not to leave any questions
unanswered. Make an
attempt you may get some
marks.
Examiners estimate that candidates who show working out get 10% more marks than
those who don’t.