Stage 1 Math Methods A Exam Guide 2020
Uploaded by
Maan PatelStage 1 Math Methods A Exam Guide 2020
Uploaded by
Maan PatelSACE Stage 1
Mathematical Methods A
Examination Guide
Tuesday 16 June 2020
9:00am – 11:10am
Exam Materials
summary sheet (x 1 A4 sheet - double sided; handwritten; no photocopies)
approved graphic calculator (check batteries)
pens, pencils, eraser, ruler
Exam Revision
Don’t put off starting – don’t wait until you “feel like it”
Ensure you have all the relevant notes; worksheets; topic tests
Cramming a few days before is not effective – it will not help you develop a strong understanding
Plan a sensible, realistic study program
Allow yourself plenty of time & allocate days/times that you will dedicate to revision.
Dedicate a specific folder/book for all your summary notes & practice questions
Break up your revision into small, manageable pieces
Checklists & study planners help you keep control of your revision
Revision of Key Ideas
Review all key ideas – this includes actually going back over all topics and noting all the main
ideas/formulae and key examples (see attached checklist)
Go over all key examples thoroughly (actually re-do them)
Revise chapter questions - practice by re-doing a mixture of questions (particularly the harder ones).
Re-do topic tests/worksheets/quizzes
Keep a list of the questions you can’t do & make sure you get help as soon as possible.
While practicing questions, keep a note of what should be included on your exam summary sheet.
Summary Sheet
X1 A4 double sided page
Must be hand-written; no photocopies
Do not fold
Aim to create this as early as possible so you can practice using it!
(Remember, there is no point having a summary sheet unless the information on there is correct, useful
and you know how to use it! Don’t wait to the exam to see if it works!!!!)
Exam Practice Questions
Complete past exams using your summary sheet, under exam conditions (have a time limit).
Mark your paper. This will highlight areas of strength and weaknesses and hence guide you as to what
you still need to and if you need to modify your summary sheet.
Graphic Calculator
Make sure you are able to use the:
Graph Mode to graph functions and use the V- window (to set up axes) and G-SOLVE (to
find y-int, roots (x-int), max/min and points of intersection)
Equation Mode to solve quadratic, cubic and simultaneous equations
Other Useful Hints
Maths is NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT. Don’t just read the questions, you need to actually do them!!
Learn rules/processes carefully and precisely and practice applying them to a wide range of
questions. In other words, don’t just write formulae down on your summary sheet.
Aim to understand all questions.
Remember the questions you avoid or leave out might be the ones that turn up in the exam.
Ask questions no matter how trivial they may seem. This can often save you several frustrating hours.
If you have revised well, you will not go blank during the exam. Revising well though does not mean
cramming the night before and just copying some questions on your summary sheet,
Practice working quickly, under pressure & with a time limit.
Attempt the complex questions, don’t underestimate your ability to go deeper.
Treasure your mistakes, learn from them and make sure you don’t repeat them.
Condition yourself to reading questions carefully and thoroughly, looking for key words.
During the Exam
Allocate your time carefully. If you allow about 1 minute per mark you should have plenty of time for
checking and thinking about your answers.
Read each question carefully before you start to answer. You may find it useful to underline/highlight
the important information in the question.
Sometimes a question may look totally unfamiliar. DO NOT PANIC. The question will require you to
use one of the processes covered in the course! If the context of the question is new to you, all the
necessary information will be given in the question.
Don’t leave any questions blank! PERSEVERE. Always attempt all questions.
If you can't find the answer to an earlier part of a question, you should still attempt the later parts.
Look at the marks allocated to each question. More marks means that you should expect to spend
more time and to show more steps in your logic.
Work in black or blue pen in your exam book, although you may use pencil for diagrams and graphs.
Make your working and graphs as neat as possible. If your writing is untidy, you may misread it and
make careless errors.
Show appropriate steps of logic in your solutions. These steps are awarded marks.
Draw a single line through any working that you think is incorrect, and redo the solution. Any attempts
at questions should be readable so that you can be given some credit for your work. You should not
use whiteout/liquid paper in the exam as you may waste time waiting for it to dry and it makes your
previous attempts unreadable.
Check that your results are reasonable. If they are not, make a comment to that effect.
Key Ideas (Checklist)
Functions & Graphs (Chapter 3)
3B 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10
Function Notation
Quiz; Worksheet
3C 3, 6, 7
Domain and Range
Worksheet
Composite Functions 3D 2, 3, 4, 5
Sign Diagrams 3E 1, 2, 3
Circles
2 2 2
Complete the Square Form: ( x−a )
+ ( y −b ) =r 3G1 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
2 2
Expanded Form: x + y + Ax+ by+ C=0 3G2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Polynomials (Chapters 2 & 4)
Solving Quadratic Equations using
Factorisation 2A1 1, 2, 3
Completing the Square 2A2 1, 2, 3, 4
Quadratic Formula 2A3 1, 2
The Discriminant of a Quadratic 2B 4, 6
2C 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Sum & Product of Roots
Worksheets
Quadratic Functions & Graph Sketching
2D2 2
Using Complete the Square Form
2D3 2
Using Expanded Form
2D4 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The Discriminant & the Graph of Quadratics
Positive & Negative Definite Quadratics
2E 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Quadratics from their Graphs
Worksheet
Where Functions Meet 2F 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
2G 6, 10, 11
Problem Solving
Worksheet
Optimisation 2H 1, 2, 3, 5
Polynomials 4A1
Polynomial Equality 4A2 1, 2, 3,
Zeros, Roots and Factors 4B 1 to 5, 6
Factorising Cubic Polynomials 4C 3, 4, 5
4D1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Solving Cubic Equations
4D2 1
4E 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Cubics & Quartic Graphs; Finding Equations from Graphs 4F 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Worksheet
Key Ideas (Checklist)
Trigonometry (Chapters 5 & 7)
Radian Measure (Degree- Radian Conversion) 5A 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5, 6
Arc Length & Sector Area 5B 1, 2, 3, 4, ,5 ,6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Unit Circle - Cartesian/Polar Coordinates
5C 2, 4
Quadrants of the Unit Circle
Trig identity cos 2 θ+ sin 2 θ=1 5D1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Finding Angles (θ ¿ [using a calculator] 5D2 1, 2
π π
Multiples of and
6 4 5E 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10
[Finding trig ratios & angles on the unit circle]
7B2 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5
Sine Function (features; graphs; general sine function)
7B3 2, 3, 4, 5
Solving Trigonometric Equations (algebraically) 7E3 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
Using Trig Functions (modelling) 7F 1, 2, 3, 4
Revision Checklist
Key Ideas
Text Book Quiz/
Topics Rules and
Questions Worksheets
Topic Test
Formulae
Functions & Graphs
General Revision
Polynomials - Quadratics
Summary Sheet
Polynomials - Cubics
Exam Revision Questions
Trigonometry
2018 Exam
2019 Exam
