.jpg)
The IGCSE Math exam is often considered the toughest subject, but with practice, it can be easy. So, if you are gearing up for your IGCSE Math preparation, there are some need-to-follow tips you must follow.
Waiting until the last minute before the exam is not recommended, as it can be a nerve-wracking journey of preparation and revision. We have mapped out all the important details of the test, along with some study and exam tips to make your process easier.
You need to know what you're learning first!
There are two main IGCSE maths courses: CIE IGCSE Mathematics (0580) and Edexcel IGCSE Maths A. If you're studying math for IGCSE, you're probably studying for one of these tests. Talk to your teacher first if you don't know which test board or specification your course needs to follow.
IGCSE math for these two curricula have a lot in common, but they are also different in ways that you need to be aware of. For example, both Edexcel and CIE have two tests to take. However, CIE has one paper that requires a calculator and one that does not. In Edexcel, calculators are allowed on both tests.
Many of the things these standards cover are the same, but there are also some notable differences. At MTS, we have expert Edexcel and CIE tutors who will provide you with the past papers, revision notes, and other material made just for your course.
So, it's important to know what curriculum you're aiming toward so you can be as ready as possible.
At first, there were letter grades on IGCSE tests, with A* being the best grade possible and F being the worst. This system has been changed, though, and now most tests are graded on a scale from 1 to 9, with 9 being the best grade given. People think that this new plan, which has nine steps instead of eight, better shows how skilled the students are.
Here are some things to ponder over when it comes to the new way of marking:
You're in luck if you're good at math. That being said, this doesn't mean you shouldn't study for IGCSE Math ever. There are likely some subjects or math skills that you could do better.
The best thing you can do is work on these weak spots when you review the material again. It's also important to get used to the scoring system and know what the examiners are looking for in each type of question.
If math isn't your strong suit, you need to spend a lot more time studying and getting ready. You might want to go over everything on the syllabus carefully and regularly, as soon as you start prepping.
Make sure to divide the syllabus into three groups:
1. The topics you don't understand.
2. The ones you have prepared earlier or are easy.
3. Unsure topics.
Plan to spend the most time on the hardest subjects first and at the top of your study list. Of course, you might want to start with the things you like or find easier but don't do that. Put the things you know a lot about at the end so you have proper time to focus on the things that need the most attention.
IGCSE Math entails these subject areas:
Follow these tips religiously:
When you start an IGCSE prep, the first thing you should do is look at the syllabus and figure out how much time you have left until the exam.
Using these two pieces of information, determine how many hours of study you need each week and divide the topics to fit that time frame. Set a regular time to study every week to make it a habit.
A proper timetable will help you in the long term for not just your Math exam but other IGCSEs as well. You can't only study Math 24 hours a day, so make your timetable in such a way that you incorporate every subject to prepare in a day.
Without being hard on yourself, incorporate breaks throughout your day so you don't get fed up before exams.
See More: GCSE to A-Level Math: What's The Difference?
Some students do better when they work on problems, take notes, and take practice tests independently. This does not work for everyone, though.
You could also start your preparation with a group. If you compare yourself to your friends, you might find they understand some things better than you do.
When you study with other people, you can share knowledge and improve your work. It's a great way to learn to try to explain hard ideas to your peers (and the other way around).
Do you learn best by seeing, hearing, or talking about something? At this point, you should know what learning methods work best for the way you learn. Find them, and then use the best one for all your topics.
Make the most of all the tools you have. There are more things besides past papers that can help you get better at math. Different ways of learning can stimulate different senses, so you should try to use a variety of them.
Use study tools, math books, YouTube videos, quizzes, puzzles, learning maps, and other interactive resources as much as possible. Some of these tools help you get better at math in a fun and interesting way.
On math tests, you have to solve problems and answer questions in a certain way set by the test board.
Figure out how many points you need for each type of question on the test, know which questions are worth more marks, and don't skip these in any case. You need to make sure you answer the question in enough detail so you don't leave marks on the table that you can't claim.
For this to work, practice daily to strengthen your mathematics skills. It's better to solve problems for 30 minutes daily than to read math books for three hours. Use the mark scheme to mark them yourself so that you can get used to seeing where you lost important points.
Work with a friend on this if you think you need help. You can mark their answers while they do the same for you.
Your exam will only give you a couple of hours to answer all the questions, but this depends on the board.
If you want to do well on your IGSCE Maths test, you should keep track of time. Putting time limits on your practice tests will help you get ready for the real exam. Also, getting used to working under stress can help you do better at work.
Start by taking the whole test at once and making good use of your time. You can do this by taking practice tests set up like real exams. As long as you prepare and don't cheat, it doesn't matter if you do it at home or school. Put your phone away, set a timer, and try your best.
IGCSE Maths past tests are a great way to improve your time management. They give you a good idea of the types of questions and test forms.
You'll get better at answering math problems the more you do them this way. "Get better" doesn't just mean getting the right answer; it also means finding more ways to solve a problem and making the best use of your time.
Make sure you have all of your notes ready and a list of all the things you want to cover before you start reviewing math. As you do this, you can ease into the process of preparation and it also makes things much more organized and simple to plan.
If you have made handouts throughout the year, then take them out and go over them to determine where you stand in terms of your preparation. For those areas that require extra attention, start preparing in detail from your course book.
To keep things interesting, you could give yourself little treats when you do good work. Enjoy and treat yourself, but only if you reach your goals and finish the things you need to do.
After every 2 weeks, take some time out to go on a walk and meet your friends. These activities will boost your energy and give you newfound motivation for the upcoming week.
To review math, you need to do math, not read it. 20 minutes of doing math likely is the same as 2 hours of reading math. If you are someone who wastes their time reading the textbook and going over examples, then you need to change your ways.
You will do better on the exam if you have solved and practiced those questions more. This makes you feel better about yourself and lets you enjoy studying, and you will do better on your test after this.
Since math builds on itself over time, it's always a good idea to go back to the basics every once in a while and review important topics from the past. Setting a specific time window for regular revisions is something we suggest. You could, for instance, set aside a day at the end of every month to study.
Interesting Read: Unexpected Applications of Math You Never Knew Existed
You can get endless help from tutors whenever you need it, but first, don’t shy away from admitting that you need it. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to get in touch with your teacher. These people will know how to help you study and check to see if you are ready for the test.
If your course teacher is not available, you can always hire a professional math tutor to help you at any time of the day.
Besides what you've already learned, there are a few extra things you might want to do to do well on the actual exam day.
We all know that taking tests is a stressful experience that most students find unsettling. To calm down, take a deep breath and consider how well you prepared during the course and all the problems you solved. Also, remember that it's okay if you get a lower grade than you thought you would because you can always sign up for GCSE resits and take the test as many times as you need to.
This is true for both how you plan your whole day and how you solve problems on a test. Plan for the day of the test to make sure you don't sleep in too late, get to the test center on time, and don't forget any paperwork.
When it comes to the test's difficulty, look at the whole paper for a few minutes to get an idea of what kind of questions you need to answer. Before you take on the hardest questions, solve the ones that you find easy first. This will help you feel more confident and calm your nerves during the test.
It's always amazing to see how many students don't read a question, even though it seems like common sense. They just get right to work on the question. One way to avoid making this mistake is to mark or check off each part of the question to make sure you don't miss any. The question is important in every way.
Do not fall for this. If you have to work through a question more than once and the answers end in long numbers, DO NOT round them up. The rounded number used in another part of the question will make the next answer go off in a different direction.
Most of the time, the questions in this group give us full answers. Unless there are some outliers, they are generally whole numbers. If you get awful decimal numbers, you might want to doubt your answer and try again. Find the mistake and fix it.
In these kinds of questions, you might have to figure out the value that was there before it went up or down. This can be hard, but if the answer isn't clear, it could mean there was a mistake that needs to be looked into.
See if the answer is always between 1 and 1. If the value is 0, the event never happened, and if it is 1, it is certain to happen. They sometimes get an answer that is bigger than 1. When trying to find the mean of a set of numbers, remember that the answer will be somewhere between the lowest and highest numbers. It's wrong if it's not in this band.
It's not worth your time to try to solve a quadratic problem with answers that need to be given to three or more decimal places. Do not try to factorize; it will not help. Use the method for quadratics.
Always double-check your answer after you're done with a question to make sure you meet the requirements for clarity. Find the details, like the first five numbers, three decimal places, or two significant figures. Why lose a mark when you don't have to?
Carefully read all the questions and make sure you haven't missed any details and have given all the information that was asked for. It will be easier for the graders to see how you did on the tasks and find your answers quickly if you organize your answers well.
During the last few minutes of the test, make sure you double-check all of your answers and ensure that none of them are wrong. You can even get out your calculator for one last time to make sure all of the answers are right.
After you finish the edits, don't turn it in right away if you still have time. Take your time going over the test, thinking about what you did well and what you could do better, or just take a break afterwards. If you couldn't answer any of the questions, don't turn in an unfinished paper. Instead, take some time to think about it.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)