I hope your non calc paper went well. Now it’s time to focus on the calc paper and so i’ve looked through and tried to predict what topics you’ll get.
Please realise that this is my best guess and so you shouldn’t rely on this.
The topics in BOLD I think are very likely to be covered in the next exam. The others are not quite as likely. I know there is a lot here so try to concentrate on the topics you find harder.
o Trial and improvement – learn what to do at the end of your answer
o Estimation – remember to round to 1 significant figure
o Reverse percentage – get the percentage of the correct quantity
o Standard form – be able to swap into and out of standard form.
Know how to change 34 x 105 into 3.4 x 106 . Deal with calculations.
o Nth term eg 4, 7, 10, 13 is not n + 3 but it actually is 3n+1
o Bearings – measure from north (up the page) in a clockwise direction. It might well need you to use angles on parallel lines.
o Finding an estimate for the mean from a frequency table or a grouped frequency table – remember to use the guess in the middle of the group and to divide by how many results there are and not how many rows in the table.
o A proportion question – read the question properly. Read it three times to be sure.
o A bounds question – work out UB and LB of the numbers before doing any calculations.
o Area, circumference etc calculations on circles. – get the formulae right
o Trigonometry – either SOHCAHTOA or sine rule/cosine rule or both
o Vectors – check your answer by following the vector you give as an answer around the diagram.
o Changing the subject of a formula and inequalities – undo what is happening to the new subject, just like you do when solving an equation
o Algebraic fractions – two fractions are bad so + them or whatever is given in the question. One fraction is still bad so get rid of it with multiplication
These other topics might come up on the exam but i don’t think they are as likely.
o LCM or HCF – try lists of possible answers.
o Finding the equation of a straight line – might use parallel and/or perpendicular lines
o Moving average – with a 3 point moving average find the mean of the first three and then the next set of three and so on.
o Surds – simplification and rationalise the denominator
o Factorising and solving a quadratic equation such as 2×2 + 5x – 3 = 0 or use the formula for quadratics. Practise, practise, practise!
o Transformation of graphs – learn the translations, reflections, and stretches
o Recurring decimals – change a recurring decimal into a fraction.
o A congruent triangles question – learn the criteria for congruency such as ASA, SSS, SAS, RHS.
o Constructions and loci
o Other statistics diagrams such as histograms, pie charts etc
o Volume and surface area of solids like cone/pyramid.
I’ve been trying to get a past paper that I haven’t done off the Edexcel website, but it’s really confusing as they are all either IGCSE papers or they are wrong lengths of time (2 hrs or 1 hr 15 minutes etc.)
Could I possibly have a link to a suitable paper please?
Thank You
Hi Katya,
IGCSE is fine to practise on. There will only be one or two questions at the most that you haven’t covered; the rest are pitched perfectly. AQA and OCR papers are also very similar to ours.
JT
I’ll give them a go then!
Thank you
what is the difference between LCM AND HCF please help!
Hi Devina, hope you managed to ask this before the exam lol!
HCF is highest common factor ie the largest number which goes into Both of the given numbers.
LCM is the lowest common multiple ie the smallest number which is a multiple of both the given numbers.
JT