Exam Tips (in no particular order)

1 Spend two minutes at the start of the exam writing out some formula you have learnt, e.g.
parametric volume of a solid
2 Scan the paper. You can do the questions in any order. Start with all the familiar questions first.
There are always questions you have never seen before. Do them last.
3 You can write on the exam paper. Draw on diagrams to help you (especially the vectors questions!)
4 Do a sketch e.g. for those questions that involve tangents and normal. Dont try to hold the
information in your head! IF IN DOUBT, SKETCH IT OUT!
5 Tick off question parts as you go so you dont leave any parts out. Highlight what the question
wants (underline accuracy wanted e.g. 2dp). Dont move onto the next question until you have
checked you have answered the question.
6 Write in black ink only. Dont use tippex or highlighters as your answer paper is scanned.
7 Have multiple attempts at a question. Write attempt 1, attempt 2, They will mark your best effort.
Only cross it out if you are sure it is wrong and then cross it out with a single line. If your crossed
out work is not replaced the examiner will mark it.
8 Give all answers to good accuracy, then you can round to 3sf (unless stated otherwise).
9 Dont use a rounded answer in another part of the question .Youll get a final rounding error.
10 Give an exact answer means leave your answer with a fraction or or root in it. Dont give a
rounded decimal.
11 If you cant do part a) DONT GIVE UP! Make up a value for part (a) and then use it in subsequent
parts of the question to earn method marks. Often you can use a solution from a) and carry on to b).
12 Roughly work at a rate of a mark per minute. That leaves 15 mins for you to check your work at the
end.
13 Dont get hung up on a one mark question. Look at how many marks there are for a question.
14 Write within the space given for each question. Dont do question 5 in question 6s space as the
papers are scanned in question by question. If you need additional paper ask for some. Label
parts of questions clearly a), b), c) etc.
15 Hence means use what you have just found out.
16 If you are asked for coordinates, dont forget to give the y value.
17 Dont forget +c
18 CHECK, CHECK, CHECK (e.g. solving a trig equation, substitute your values into the original
equations to see if you are right, use your calculator to check integration and differentiation)
19 Make sure your calculator is in radians when you go into the exam switch it back if the trig
question wants degrees. If in doubt, use radians.
20 Using calculus means differentiation or integration.
21 A show question needs a final statement at the end. Either write it out again or write proved
22 A show question needs it written in exactly the same way. So if it wants 3x+2y=7 dont write 2y+3x
=7
23 Some students are finding Exam Solutions useful. http://www.examsolutions.net/ and The Student
room http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/ .
24 RTQ Read the Question