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.