How to pass GCSE Maths in 5 steps
LikeStruggling with your maths classes? Here are your 5 strategies to succeed in GCSE maths:
1. Thoroughly read and understand the instructions: It may seem obvious, but how many times have you reread a practice paper and seen a thousand silly mistakes. Add in all the exam pressure, and you can expect these errors to increase. So my top tip is read each word of the question slowly and separately so that your brain doesn't guess what the question is asking.
2. Pay attention to wording of questions: Make sure you understand fully what each question wants, particularly multistep questions. Familiarise yourself with keywords like "show that". Furthermore, think about the marks available. If the question is worth 1 mark, and it is taking ages, move on and come back later. You have probably missed something simple and will spot it later on.
3. Check your work: This is a necessity for eliminating silly errors. Redo any calculations and check whether your answer is reasonable in the context of the questions. If your question asks how much do three apples cost, the answer is unlikely to be £2846843.67. And lastly check decimal places (if the answer is in pounds, you must give two decimal places to represent pennies no matter what).
4. Learn what examiners like: Present work clearly and comprehensibly, use rulers and indicate how you got to your answers.
5. The hard step: Practice, practice, practice! Every past paper ever made should be attempted. I know you probably have lots of other work to do for other classes, but if you want the best possible grade, you need to sacrifice some of your free time.
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