to ace your GCSE Maths
Tip 1 – Practice, practice, practice
Maths is a subject you can become better at through practice. If you struggle with a topic in class, focus on practicing more questions and build up your confidence and ability to try the more challenging questions. Practice, make mistakes, and learn from them. You will only improve through your own hard work.
Tip 2
EVERY MARK COUNTS!
Most questions are worth two or more marks, so even if you make a slip up and get the final answer wrong, you can often pick up a mark by showing you knew the right method.
Tip 3 – Does your answer make sense?
Does your answer look right? Maths relates to real life problems so your answer should make sense.
Tip 4 – Underlinethe key words
Use a highlighter or coloured pen to highlight the key words and points in the question. Label the diagram/picture or draw a picture of your own to help visualise the question.A question may seem quite difficult and daunting at first, but by focusing on the key information it will break it down into manageable chunks.
Tip 5 – Know your formula
There will be no formula sheet in the exam so you need to know your formula and how to use them.
Volume of a prism =
Area of cross section x length
Tip 6 – Use websites, youtube and twitter
There are great resources online to help you with your revision that can be accessed anywhere, even on your phone. Download apps to help you with revision on the go.
The best resources are:
Tip 7 – Find a revision method that works for you
Ask your teacher for different types of revision methods and find one that helps you learn effectively in your own time.
Tip 8 – Identify your weaknesses
Do not avoid a topic because you find it hard. Make a list of topics you are confident with and a list of topic you find more difficult. Be proud at what you are good at but make sure you spend more time on the topics you are weaker on and find a way to improve your understanding.
Tip 9 – Exam papers
Once you feel confident with a topic, apply those skills to exam questions. Allow yourself to become more familiar and confident with the style of questions so you are less likely to panic in the exam. Keep a folder of all the papers you complete so you can look back on them and work on your mistakes.
Tip 10 – Always be prepared
Come prepared to every lesson and test with a pen, pencil, ruler, calculator, protractor and compass. Do not waste valuable lesson time asking to borrow equipment.
And a final note to remember…
Nothing worth having is achieved without effort.
Make sure you know you put in enough effort when you open your GCSE results in August.