Will I get the full marks?

[studynotes]

for example its a 3 mark question asking for an area
it simply say- a. Find the exact value of the area of the shaded region
I set up the integral then= to the answer (from my CAS)
do I still get the full 3 marks? or do I have to show each of the steps? :/

[thushan]

for example its a 3 mark question asking for an area
it simply say- a. Find the exact value of the area of the shaded region
I set up the integral then= to the answer (from my CAS)
do I still get the full 3 marks? or do I have to show each of the steps? :/

P'haps. 1 mark could be for terminals, 1 for the integrand, 1 for the answer.

[Special At Specialist]

No. The 3 marks would come from:
1) Set up the definite integral which represents the area
2) Solve the integral around a square bracket with terminals shown
3) Obtain a numerical answer

[Hutchoo]

No. The 3 marks would come from:
1) Set up the definite integral which represents the area
2) Solve the integral around a square bracket with terminals shown
3) Obtain a numerical answer

I agree with this.

[thushan]

Hmm. Only reason why I'd disagree with that is because it's a CAS-active exam, and it'd be entirely reasonable to go:

area = (integral)
= answer

It would be a tad unfair if you lost a mark because you didn't put an intermediate step when you have CAS.

[99.00]

I know that when it says "use calculus" then you need to show ALL algebraic steps. But I'm not sure about 3-mark questions that just asks find the area. Is this a specific question that you found in a VCAA exam because Id like to have a look.

[paulsterio]

Then and again, what do you lose by putting in the antiderivative?

I would always put in the antiderivative unless it was something which doesn't have one i.e. e^(x^2) or something.

[Shenz0r]

We've been taught that if it's 3 marks, you need to show that you can antidiff it, before obtaining a numerical answer.

[FlorianK]

Normally this won't be a 3 mark question in exam 2 I'd say.
It might be 3 marks if the graph is going above and below the x-axis over the specific integral - just one integral won't I guess.
Otherwise show us a vcaa question where this is the case and I'll explain how to get the full-marks

[thushan]

We've been taught that if it's 3 marks, you need to show that you can antidiff it, before obtaining a numerical answer.

Yeah, that's fair enough and all. I just would have thought it'd be unfair to take off marks unless they explicitly asked for "use calculus" in the question, purely because students shouldn't have to 'guess' the marking scheme in order to attain marks; they should simply show that they know the answer and how to get to it, and if it's a CAS question, it is entirely reasonable just to write down the integral, showing you know how to obtain the area using the data given to you, and then solve it using technology. I would be annoyed if a question like that were 3 marks and a mark was taken off for not including the antiderivative unless it was expressly asked for in a CAS exam, because it'd unfair on students who aren't exposed to these 'marking scheme tips.'

[paulsterio]

Ahh, I really hate the idea of writing as little as possibly to get marks, it's a really really bad attitude, the way I've always done it (and the way I always try to teach it as well) is to be as meticulous as you possibly can, as in, try to write as much as possible. I know that it's over the top, but that's how I like to be - it's not an issue of marks - it's an issue of making it look good, neat and easy to follow. If you follow the dogma of writing as much as possible rather than as little as possible, you'll do well.

[99.00]

Ahh, I really hate the idea of writing as little as possibly to get marks, it's a really really bad attitude, the way I've always done it (and the way I always try to teach it as well) is to be as meticulous as you possibly can, as in, try to write as much as possible. I know that it's over the top, but that's how I like to be - it's not an issue of marks - it's an issue of making it look go
od, neat and easy to follow. If you follow the dogma of writing as much as possible rather than as little as possible, you'll do well.

yes but what about the issue of speed? Its obviously faster to do the least amount of steps so if it is possible to get full marks while showing the least amount of steps, I would do it.

[Special At Specialist]

Ahh, I really hate the idea of writing as little as possibly to get marks, it's a really really bad attitude, the way I've always done it (and the way I always try to teach it as well) is to be as meticulous as you possibly can, as in, try to write as much as possible. I know that it's over the top, but that's how I like to be - it's not an issue of marks - it's an issue of making it look good, neat and easy to follow. If you follow the dogma of writing as much as possible rather than as little as possible, you'll do well.

This is my attitude on a tech-free exam. On a tech-assist exam, I am so worried about running out of time that I try to only write down what's necessary to get the marks.

[paulsterio]

yes but what about the issue of speed? Its obviously faster to do the least amount of steps so if it is possible to get full marks while showing the least amount of steps, I would do it.

Well if you finish the exam 30 mins early, there's two things you can do:
1) Sit there and twiddle your thumbs for 30 mins, which is a waste of time
2) Check over your work, which is redundant because if you worked carefully the first time, you'd have picked up everything anyways

So my advice is to work slowly, carefully and meticulously and just work it through once. You'd find that VCAA exams are reasonable, I've never struggled to finish an exam before.

[BigAl]

not sure about methods but there was one question in last year's spesh exam and it was worth 3 marks.