Useful Tips for the Upcoming Maths Methods Exam

[Damoz.G]

Some Links that I found useful:
* Herald Sun
* The Age

[Alwin]

Oh, and for those of you interested there's also this, now that Damoz has reminded me

Mathematical Methods CAS Resources

There's a lot of useful stuff in there, makes me kinda regret not becoming an AN member before this year

EDIT: made the link look nice and pretty

[Damoz.G]

Oh, and for those of you interested there's also this, now that Damoz has reminded me

Mathematical Methods CAS Resources

There's a lot of useful stuff in there, makes me kinda regret not becoming an AN member before this year

EDIT: made the link look nice and pretty

I was gonna post the Links on that Thread, but then I feared that Warning message.

[b^3]

An obvious, but needed useful tip (for some of us anyways)

READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Then after you finish the problem.

RE-READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Then there's always the when needed.

[Alwin]

READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Then after you finish the problem.

RE-READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Thanks for the tip (I'm one of the people that need it) And there's also:

UNITSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsSsSsSsSs

[Damoz.G]

An obvious, but needed useful tip (for some of us anyways)

READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Then after you finish the problem.

RE-READ THE DAMN QUESITON

Then there's always the when needed.

That was mentioned in the Herald Sun Link. It actually said to read it 3 times in total.

[shadows]

Thanks for the tip (I'm one of the people that need it) And there's also:

UNITSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsSsSsSsSs

you can just leave your answer as a numerical value without the units right?

Eg instead of 5cm....

5.


Oh. and MOVE ON if you are stuck on a question. Make sure your timing is right. Try finish early so you can have time to check. However don't finish too early that you end up rushing and making stupid errors.

There may be weird question that at first you might have no idea to do. DON"T STRESS! If you don't know how to do it, chances are many other people would not know too. Keep calm!

Essentially on the day of the exams, you need to have good timing and cut down on your errors. Don't do anything too mentally strenuous the day before or on the day of exams. It's best to rest so you can think clearly in the exams.

Good luck! 

[Damoz.G]

you can just leave your answer as a numerical value without the units right?

Eg instead of 5cm....

5.

You should always write the units. Go with 5cm

You don't want to lose marks because of that, so just be on the safe side and give the units.

[b^3]

That was mentioned in the Herald Sun Link. It actually said to read it 3 times in total.

Wasn't counting reading it during working

i.e. Read through it once.
Write down key information, read through again as you do this.
Do working e.t.c
Get final Answer.
Re-read to check if you've answered everything the question asks.

[pi]

That was mentioned in the Herald Sun Link. It actually said to read it 3 times in total.

I'd go for:
1) Preliminary skim during reading time
2) Read once before answering question
3) Read after doing question to make sure you've answered it completely (units, +c, etc)
4) Read again when checking over your solutions at the end

[shadows]

Underline important info in the questions. Always be on the lookout for tricks. I'm always have this mentality that VCAA are trying to trip me up on every single question.

Look at mark allocation. If its 1 or 2 mark, don't write a whole heap of working out..... you are wasting time. (However it's important to show as much working out on show that questions)

Other things to note:

Does it say Use calculus, use algebra

Domain restriction on graphs, When graphing pdfs.... (remember to draw lines y=0, when the pdf is "stated as otherwise")

IS THIS CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY? Always ask yourself this if you have a question that could possibly restrict sample size...

Decimal answer or exact?

Also have a rough idea of how long you are going to spend on each question. What I am going to do is after reading time (I'll get an idea of difficulty and how fast I need to be working) , ill write the times when I would want to finish each section in my bound reference... So if I am behind, I know that I need to work quicker... or skip a question that I am stuck on...

For example.
3:15 (writing time starts) -- 3:40 (multiple choice)

4:00 FINISH question 1 extended response... etc...

[BigAl]

Don't forget dx with the integration

[Twanny666]

McNamara (Writer of the age article) is my teacher,
What a star!
Also took me for further last year..

[Sanguinne]

When graphing pdfs.... (remember to draw lines y=0, when the pdf is "stated as otherwise")

Am i suppose to draw y=0 on pdfs when it says y=0 otherwise

[b^3]

Am i suppose to draw y=0 on pdfs when it says y=0 otherwise

Yep! You can drop a mark if you don't draw them on (you've got to draw the whole function, not just the function on a subset of it's domain). Normally make it clear, i.e. do it thick enough that you can see it on the axes/draw it a tiny bit above the axes so that it's still 'on the axes'.