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keltingmeith

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'Stupid' Exam Questions
« on: October 29, 2014, 08:15:05 pm »
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No questions are stupid. Seriously, don't ever hold a question back for fear of being ridiculed.

Alright, now that the commotion from the English exam has calmed down (I did half expect the servers to crash. :P), here is your "stupid question" thread!

This time next week, you'll have finished your first methods exam - so any question you have now, there'll be no point getting an answer for it this time next week. I'll be updating this post with an answer to any "stupid" questions you might (and also posting replies), and I invite every other member to give insight into this as well. At the end of the day, if this answer could mean you doing slightly better on the exam, then the question itself is not stupid at all.

Of course, if you're too scared of being judged, feel free to inbox me and I'll post a reply to you and on here anyway (so, it's worth your while to come on and see OTHER'S questions, even if you can't think of any). I will be leaving myself open to you guys up until (and a day or so after) the specialist exam 2, so don't hesitate to ask me or post in here. I only ask that you keep all queries for help to specific questions to the Methods [3/4] Question Thread!. (also, feel free to ask these "dumb" questions even if you're in year 11 - the more the merrier!)

Now, here's some questions I prepared earlier:

(NOTE: you may notice some of these questions have answers for and against points - this is simply because no respondent here is a VCAA representative. Anybody who answers is very sure of there answer, however some equally reputable members have heard otherwise or slightly differently. For questions with multiple answers, it is up to you whose answer you feel safer trusting. For the most part, though, we are all in agreeance!)

Do I have to write in pen? I much prefer pencil...
That's okay. Often teachers will urge you to write in pen so that there's no chance of the graphite on the paper becoming too smudged to read. If you do use pencil, make sure it's well sharpened and you're writing dark (not lightly), and you shouldn't run into this problem! No matter what, it is highly suggested you do graphs in pencil, though.

What if I make a massive mistake and have to strike it out? Do I just say refer to page x?

1. i HIGHLY recommend you write in pencil, so you can just rub it out. be careful about saying 'refer to x page' because i'm not sure if they scan the exam and then give it examiners. but yeah, if you write in pencil, then you can rub it out, and start again. i do not suggest writing in pen AT ALL.

What happens if my calculator runs out of batteries?
You move on and focus on your exam without it. It will be hard, but it's still doable. Alternatively, you can bring in a spare set of batteries (assuming your calculator takes batteries). If your calculator doesn't take batteries, just make sure to leave your calculator on charge for the full night before your exam.

You can also bring in a scientific calculator alongside your CAS, for extra security.

How should I do exam 1?
Read through the exam thoroughly, immediately identifying problem areas. The questions you already know the answers to, remember those for when writing time starts, then jump through to them. After that, work in any way you like. Note, there is no "proper" way to do an exam, and this is only a suggestion from me.

How should I do exam 2?
There are multiple ways to do exam 2 - I personally suggest reading through extended response very quickly, then focusing on MC for the rest of reading time. Pick a few of the easy questions and answer them - then, when writing time starts, colour in their boxes on the answer sheet and jump to ER. Remember, you can always guess MC, but if time doesn't work in your favour, you can't guess ER.

Do I need to include units?
You should always include units - make sure to the read the initial information and the question you're on to know what units you're working with, and what units you should report your answer to. They're not always the same.

EDIT: New information indicating otherwise. Note that it was also mentioned you won't lose marks if your units are correct, if you want to include them anyway:
I asked several methods teachers from my school because I wasn't sure either, and they all said units aren't required. Also every SAC I've done haven't had any units in all answers, and not having them hasn't affected the mark I recieve on those Qs in any way, even the ones where it explicitly asked for "Area under curve in sq units".

I'm sure its somewhere in the VCAA study design and if not, welcome someone to email VCAA to confirm it as solid evidence.

Do not take this advise for spesh or physics though, in both of them units are mandatory.

^Can agree with the above that I have heard teachers say the units are not necessary (apparently they had a person come in and explain to them about the no units thing as well as 'mathematical rounding')... though personally I each time I do an exam I end up putting in units anyway :P
I'm not too sure about this. Let's consider a question which said "Find the area under the graph correct to 2 decimal places".
Say the correct answer is 3.25 square metres. VCAA will usually specify that they want an answer in square metres (the question will usually read: find the area correct to 2 decimal places in square metres). Because the question itself defines the units, the answer 3.25 is perfectly acceptable. If they didn't specify the units in the question, then I would certainly write the units. Otherwise, you could write something like 0.00 square kilometres and still be correct.

Same goes for worded questions. Sometimes they say things like, if m Litres is the point at which the bucket is full, find the value of m. Since the question specifies that m is in litres, there's no reason to write m=5 litres. m=5 would suffice in this case. But if the question just said "Find the volume which fills the bucket" I would absolutely include the units. It's possible that this explains what your teacher was saying.

EDIT: One lovely user e-mail VCAA, and we have a response:
Dear xxx,

Thank you for your email enquiry about Mathematical Methods examinations.

The general advice is that units should be included where appropriate. Students should be guided by the question in the examination.

All the best for your exams.

 

VCE Examinations Unit
What happens if I forget to give a domain/sketch a graph with the wrong domain?
You lose a mark. Don't worry - normally there's a specific mark for the domain, so if you do everything else right, you'll still get majority of the marks.

Can I write in calculator syntax?
No. Just don't - bad idea.

Wait, so how do I answer probability questions - like normal distributions, they have no formula!
I cannot articulate in any way better than Stonecold has in this thread. I suggest giving it a read, and if you're still unsure, say what you're specifically unsure about and I can offer some more help. :)

OH CRAP I FORGOT HOW TO DO x FORMULA, WHAT DO I DO?!
You do that question last - answer all the questions you know first, then you can fudge an answer at the end. Doing nothing gets zero marks, showing you know how to do weird maths things you don't understand could pay you some marks.

How are marks for the graphs distributed?
In general, you have three marks:
1. The shape - you must get the shape right.
2. Scale/axes labels. Your scale doesn't have to be the same on both axes, but it must be consistent. You also need to label your x and y axes.
3. Important points. This includes ALL intercepts, turning points and endpoints. For good measure, you should also label the graph y=f(x) or similar.

Do I HAVE to give the domain for an inverse function?
As a general rule, you should. However, I was told by my methods teachers that if they say "find the rule for ", then you HAVE to give it, and in other cases you don't have to unless they also specify the domain. However, there are some users who have heard otherwise:
Just for clarification, I thought we only had to provide the domain when the question was alongside the lines of 'find the function of the inverse' rather than 'find the rule'?
A function is made of a rule and domain. If asked to find a 'function' you need both elements. If you're only asked to find one of these (such as find the RULE for f^-1(x)), then you only need to write that one.
If they only ask you to find the rule, you only need to specify the inverse functions equation.
If they ask you for the function, specifying the domain alongside with the rule is required.

Take home advice - if you put both the equation and the domain, you can't go wrong, no matter what the question is asking (as long as you get it right, of course, but that's not too hard - the domain of the inverse is just the range of the original)

What about for compositions/products/sums of functions?
This time, you always should list the domain. Always.

What if they give us an integral we don't know how to compute?!
Then they've given you some method of calculating the answer anyway. Often, methods does a thing where you find the area under/between curves. If you do it the normal way, you'll get an integral you can't compute. However, you might find a trick way by taking the area of a common shape in the graph, and then taking away the integral of one of the curves (or something similar).

Do we need to know about permutations and combinations?
No - they are not strictly assessable in exam 1 or 2. It is still worth having them in your notes book, but I wouldn't worry too much.

All my friends got this answer using x, and I got the same answer but I did y... Will I still get marks??
Of course! If the method you used is right (and it probably is if you got the right answer), then you can still get marks! Remember, at this level of mathematics, there's always more than one way to get an answer!

What happens if I run out of lines and have to write under them/around them?
Just make sure your writing is clear and legible, and that your working still follows an understandable order, and you'll be fine. If you have to, use arrows to indicate where your steps go. The markers want to give you marks, they do, so if you make it clear for them, they won't mind!

Advice from hamo94 (paraphrased): Try expressing fractions within one line. Using this method, hamo has ended up with around 2 lines spare for questions.

I never got around to making a bound reference - is it okay if I just use my textbook?
A textbook is disadvantageous in that it's very bulky - however, if you know your textbook well, there's nothing wrong with it! Another thing to note, however, is that making a proper bound reference is a good form of revision. So, if you still have time to make one, it is a great way to consolidate information, even if you decide that after your efforts that you'd prefer the textbook anyway.

Is a bound reference even important?
Bound reference is very nice to have! Even if you don't have something made up, at least take in your textbook. It's like a dictionary in an English exam - you probably won't use it, but if you need to and don't have it, you'll be spewin'.

Maths exams are the only place you're allowed to take A WHOLE BOOK OF THE CURRICULUM in - you should abuse this as much as possible!

Is the domain of a composite function always the domain of the inside function?
As far as methods is concerned, this is always the case. However, make sure to double-check that the composition exists, first! Remember - the range of the inner must be a subset of the domain of the outer.

EDIT: Initial information I had was wrong. What I've written above is true for when the range of the inner is a subset of the domain of the outer, however I was just shown a question of composition where this isn't the case. Here's an example of what to do from lzxnl:

You just want when the range of x^2 - 1 fits into the domain of sqrt x
It makes sense if you think about it; sqrt(x^2 - 1) has x^2 - 1 under a square root, so whatever comes out of x^2 - 1 has to go into a square root.
For the above example, here's a worked solution:


This is apparently the most controversial question on the list! Here's more talk of it from abeybaby:
Also, for f(g(x)), the domain is always the domain of g. Since f and g both have their rules and domains defined as part of their function, then if the range of g is not a subset of the domain of f, then the entirety of f(g(x)) DOES NOT EXIST. It's not as though f(g(x)) exists over a restricted domain, no. If you need to restrict the domain of g to get the function to work, then you can no longer call it g(x) and hence f(g(x)) does not exist. There would be some other function with the same rule as g, but a different domain for which the composition would work, but not for f(g(x)). Hence, if f(g(x)) exists, then the domain is always g(x).

Do I have to include my "+c" when I integrate?
If it's a definite integral, of course not.
If the question says "find AN antiderivative", you can include it, but you don't need to (I'd suggest not including it).
If the question just says "antidifferentiate f(x)" or "Find ", you HAVE to include it or your final answer is wrong.

What type of stuff would you suggest including in our bound references that will be super useful but we may overlook?
In the study design for both (particularly specialist), there is a list of assumed knowledge. For methods, this is just things from 1/2 - but for specialist, this includes a bunch of geometry related rules. Your average textbook won't go over this stuff (it is, after all, "assumed knowledge"), and so it is very easily overlooked. I highly suggest putting these in.

Particularly for specialist, your last complex numbers question WILL be (with 99% certainty) a type of question where you need to find the area enclosed by certain rays and circles that you developed earlier on in the extended response. I suggest putting a bunch of circle area formulas (sectors, arcs, etc.) as well as triangle area formula (there are a few), just in case you can't find the "intuitive" way of finding the area that the examiners want you to use.

Finally, the quadratic formula - it's NOT on your formula sheet. So, put it into your book. Also put in an example, so you know that , and so you know you can use the quadratic formula for that.

Other than that, anything is pretty much fair-game. Make sure to include anything you feel is relevant, and have a nice system in the book so you know where to find anything in a high stress situation(post-it notes are not okay - highlighting the sides of pages is okay).

Is it too late to improve?
It's never too late turn it around (welp, unless the exam is over, but that's another matter :P). Don't just crank out questions - VCAA are sneaky, and while they may put in questions with similar concepts as earlier exams, they will never be the same question.

You're much better off doing your best to see why the theory in the top range questions work. If you can understand how to answer those top range questions theoretically, you're in a good place to tackle your exam.

However, do not, under any circumstances, do questions that you don't have WORKED SOLUTIONS for if you're a day away from the exam. If you don't know how to do the question, and can't find a way of figuring it out, you will stress beyond belief.

Can I apply the chain rule in one step? I don't have to do the let u=blah, dy/dx=dy/du*du/dx, do I?
Certainly! Just make sure to include that intermediate step (where you distinctly show you're multiplying by the chain) so the examiners can see you've applied the chain rule.

I've seen some people start their answers with a line for example "using the quotient rule" or "for the inverse swap x and y". Is this necessary or just a waste of time?
It certainly shows the examiner that you clearly know what you're doing, in case they can't understand your working. However, if you're clear in your working out, you don't need to do it - just make sure the examiner can see what you're doing by not skipping too many steps.

I never wrote things like "using the quotient rule" and don't deem it necessary.

However, I did write "for the inverse swap x and y" or something similar and generally tell people to do so. With this being said, I can't recall if it is necessary, but it's probably outlined in the assessor reports or w/e they're called and would be dependent on how you formulate your solution.

For example, I'm almost certain you would be deducted marks if you were finding the inverse (take for example) and you began your solution like this:





...

Rather than:



To find the inverse swap and :



...

Definitely need to include the line "For inverse, swap x and y", because otherwise your lines are not true (as Phy124 said above), but yes, lines such as "by the quotient rule" aren't always necessary (but I included them on exam 1 because I always struggled to generate 2 marks out of a simple differentiation question).

When finding a derivative, what is the correct notation?
Let's say

Writing is so common, you often forget what you're doing/actually saying. You see, is an operator. When this operator is applied to a function (in this case, y), we know that we want to differentiate this function.

With this in mind, this means that when we write , this is just a neater way of writing . From this, if you write , since , this is just like writing or - which (hopefully) you know is not what we want to find.

You have two different options you can use - , or you can write .

If we have to sketch graphs like y=e^x+(-e)^-x or something (in Exam 1), how would we know what to do?
VCAA should not expect you to sketch something so tricky on exam 1 - if you do get it, I'd sketch the graph by addition of ordinates. You can find a video on how to do addition of ordinates here.

Do we have to make our indices positive/include root signs?
Definitely not. We often like to show things with positive indices, but the answer is still right if you don't "simplify". Particularly for differentiation questions, leaving indices as negative and not including square root signs is in your favour.

When solving trig equations with a domain, do we have to fiddle around with the domain/do we get marks for this?
Let's say we have the domain , and our equation is . When we apply the inverse sine to get the angle by itself, we need to find the domain of (as you should have learned this year). So, you should get marks for doing this, since it is an important step in solving the question.

Do we need to know how get general solutions for trig questions in exam 1?
You need to know how to give an answer in terms of a general solution. You can either remember the formula in your textbook, OR derive them yourself. Here you can find a guide by TrueTears on how to derive them yourself.

If a question has parts a,b,c,d, and in c they require you to find x and round to 2 decimal places, then in part d they require the use of the calculation in part c, are we meant to use the 2 decimal places or all the ones the calculator gives?

You should use the answer with more decimal places - it's much more precise. This is a good rule of thumb for all the science subjects, as well.

When defining parameters for Normal Distribution questions, can you write either X~N(mean, standard deviation) or X~N(mean, variance)?

Nope, the proper notation is . The notation for normal distributions uses the mean and the variance.

Can I use my calculator in reading time?
No, you cannot - sorry about that! If you do use it, you risk an automatic fail of your exam.

How do we know if we should use information from a past question or not? For example, I find in part c that c=6, do I use this for parts e and f?
usually VCAA has good wording. in part c), they would either say, HENCE find blah blah blah, or USING THE PREVIOUS ANSWER, find blah blah blah. if they do not do this, then they will say, find blah blah blah in terms of c. if not, then you'll just have to decide yourself. look at the following parts (i.e. look at part d) and part e)) to see if the value of c is still 6 etc. hope this helps!
EDIT: It has been brought up by a user that in 2012 exam 2, question 4, there's a question where VCAA doesn't EXPLICTLY state to use a previous answer, but you still need to use it. My thoughts on this is that VCAA don't tell you to use it because it's somewhat obvious - in this particular example, h and r can only be related in that way, no matter what other information they give you. So, this is why they expect you to know to use it.

x has happened to my book and I don't know if it's still in VCAA guidelines!! How do I know if I'm okay?
Here is specific information on what your bound reference should be like. If something happens at the last minute and the binding falls through, it's important to note that VCAA don't care about the form of binding, as long as there's a single spine. So, you can just go crazy with masking tape and glue.

Do we have to name the variable when defining a probability function? eg,
Short answer: Yes. W needs to be defined. Sometimes the question defines it (It sometimes says things like, W is the length of shoelaces in cm), and if it doesn't, then you need to write down "Let W be the..." before you continue.

Can we use abbreviations, such inv. for inverse, or for probability functions?
For inverse, I don't think you could write inv. BUT, if you ever want to refer to a probability function, a PMF (probability mass function, for discrete data) and PDF (probability density function, for continuous data) ARE valid initial-isms if you choose to use them (well, in the mathematical community, at least. VCAA should recognise them). Just make sure you use the right ones.

And yeah, just write the full word, but I'm sure no one is going to take a mark off of you for an abbreviation like that :P

When answering probability questions where it's a really long questions like, "what is the probability that that she plays tennis two times in the next week given that she played once already...". Is it necessary to write Pr(what is the probability that that she plays tennis two times in the next week given that she played once already)?
Of course not - incredibly wordy! At the very start, just write "let be the event she plays tennis x times on the nth week", then you can just write "= blah" or similar. Doing this at the start of extended response questions sets you up for a lot less writing during the extended response, too!

Best tips on what to do for last minute study?
If by last minute you mean now, make sure you know everything and crank out the most recent VCAA papers.
If by last minute you mean the night before, ONLY revise material. DO NOT do practice questions, PARTICULARLY if you don't have WORKED SOLUTIONS for the questions.

If there is an asymptote on the axes, how do we show it?
Just dot the asymptote line in, as normal. You should place it either just above or to the right of the axes - remember to label it y=0 or x=0!

If something is strictly increasing/decreasing, do we include the endpoints?
always use the square brackets, whether the points are differentiable or not, and whether they are increasing or strictly increasing. This is a bit long, but explains it perfectly. http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/bulletin/2011AprilSup2.pdf

Is something only not differentiable at end-points, discontinuities and cusps?
those are all the cases in which the derivative does not exist:)
A nice little trick is to draw the graph of the function and its derivative. Then, the function isn't differentiable at any discontinuities on either of these graphs, including end-points.

If we are told to find the derivative of something, but it is reallllly long, do we need to write the entire equation? Such as q3 e) of the 2010 exam 2 paper?
In that example, unfortunately you would need to write it all out since that derivative would be worth one mark which if omitted, may leave assessed wondering where you pulled your final answer though (basically don't risk it).

Can we read our bound reference in reading time?
Definitely! This is the best time to use it, actually, because you're not going to be wasting valuable writing time flicking through your bound reference. I actually used mine to double-check something that I was fairly confident with during reading time, just to remove any doubt.

Can VCAA do anything weirder than similar triangles on the exam? Such as something we learned in year 10 but don't remember?
Basically, anything from year 10 geometry and below can throw you off. This is more applicable to specialist, but make sure you remember the Z rule (angles of elevation/depression), adding angles up to certain degrees for inside/outside shapes, etc. Circle theorems isn't necessary, though, unless you're doing specialist.

Summation notation is something VCAA have never done before (not that I remember, at least. Did see it on some trial exams, though), but they could spring on you for some questions and completely throw you off - particularly for approximations of the area under the curve using left-hand and right-hand rectangles.

keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2014, 08:22:10 pm »
0
A textbook is disadvantageous in that it's very bulky - however, if you know your textbook well, there's nothing wrong with it! Another thing to note, however, is that making a proper bound reference is a good form of revision. So, if you still have time to make one, it is a great way to consolidate information, even if you decide that after your efforts that you'd prefer the textbook anyway.

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2014, 08:32:16 pm »
+3
Do I HAVE to give the domain for an inverse function?
As a general rule, you should. However, if they say "find the rule for ", then you HAVE to give it, and in other cases you don't have to unless they also specify the domain. But just to be safe, you should.

Hey Euler,

I appreciate the thread :)

Just for clarification, I thought we only had to provide the domain when the question was alongside the lines of 'find the function of the inverse' rather than 'find the rule'?
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keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2014, 08:35:50 pm »
+1
Hey Euler,

I appreciate the thread :)

Just for clarification, I thought we only had to provide the domain when the question was alongside the lines of 'find the function of the inverse' rather than 'find the rule'?

Tricky, once again comes down to wordings. I'm a little undecided as to which I'd say calls for the domain as well - parts of me want to say to both of those you don't need a domain, and parts of me want to say you do need a domain for both. Hence why I believe it's best to just always write the domain.

The reason I answered the question like that was because that's something my old methods teacher told me she heard from her "meet the examiners" session.

Edward Elric

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2014, 08:52:30 pm »
+1
Alright, now that the commotion from the English exam has calmed down (I did half expect the servers to crash. :P), here is your "stupid question" thread!

What a legend!!!
« Last Edit: October 29, 2014, 09:08:42 pm by Zealous »

Mieow

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2014, 08:54:04 pm »
+1
Thanks for this thread!

One question from me: where can I get spare batteries for my ti-nspire CAS calculator (black one)? Does anyone know if it is sold at Officeworks etc?
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keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2014, 09:02:12 pm »
+1
Thanks for this thread!

One question from me: where can I get spare batteries for my ti-nspire CAS calculator (black one)? Does anyone know if it is sold at Officeworks etc?

There are two black ones - I'm assuming you're talking about the one with the colour screen? You can buy it online, but I doubt it would come in time. However, I've heard from quite a few people that the charge will last you for the 2 hour exam quite fine if you make sure to charge it the night before (I'd charge it a couple of nights before, just to be safe, though, then use it minimally for the lead-up to the exam).

If, however, your calculator is the non-colour screen black one, I'm fairly certain it'll take regular AAAs.

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2014, 09:12:16 pm »
+1
Nice work Euler, love what you're doing. :D

I might drop in every now and then and answer some questions (if you haven't already). I have way too much time considering I got over a week until I start exams.
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keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2014, 10:02:15 pm »
+1
Nice work Euler, love what you're doing. :D

I might drop in every now and then and answer some questions (if you haven't already). I have way too much time considering I got over a week until I start exams.

Honestly, feel free to provide your own answers even if I've already given one! I'm not perfect, so my advice certainly isn't. :P

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2014, 10:04:35 pm »
+1
(not specifically for methods more for spesh)
What type of stuff would you suggest including in our bound references that will be super useful but we may overlook?

keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2014, 10:13:59 pm »
+2
(not specifically for methods more for spesh)
What type of stuff would you suggest including in our bound references that will be super useful but we may overlook?

In the study design for both (particularly specialist), there is a list of assumed knowledge. For methods, this is just things from 1/2 - but for specialist, this includes a bunch of geometry related rules. Your average textbook won't go over this stuff (it is, after all, "assumed knowledge"), and so it is very easily overlooked. I highly suggest putting these in.

Particularly for specialist, your last complex numbers question WILL be (with 99% certainty) a type of question where you need to find the area enclosed by certain rays and circles that you developed earlier on in the extended response. I suggest putting a bunch of circle area formulas (sectors, arcs, etc.) as well as triangle area formula (there are a few), just in case you can't find the "intuitive" way of finding the area that the examiners want you to use.

Finally, the quadratic formula - it's NOT on your formula sheet. So, put it into your book. Also put in an example, so you know that , and so you know you can use the quadratic formula for that.

Other than that, anything is pretty much fair-game. Make sure to include anything you feel is relevant, and have a nice system in the book so you know where to find anything in a high stress situation(post-it notes are not okay - highlighting the sides of pages is okay).

speedy

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2014, 11:21:13 pm »
+1
Any tips for improving at this late stage? Especially with the tricky, top range questions?
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psyxwar

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2014, 11:24:20 pm »
+1
alright just gonna double check something;

for that first diff question on the exam 1 I am allowed to just chain rule in one step right? So 5(4x+3)^4 I can just derive it and get 5(4x+3)^3(4) and simplify without doing the whole u=... and everything?
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keltingmeith

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #13 on: October 29, 2014, 11:29:55 pm »
+2
Any tips for improving at this late stage? Especially with the tricky, top range questions?

It's never too late turn it around (welp, unless the exam is over, but that's another matter :P). Don't just crank out questions - VCAA are sneaky, and while they may put in questions with similar concepts as earlier exams, they will never be the same question.

You're much better off doing your best to see why the theory in the top range questions work. If you can understand how to answer those top range questions theoretically, you're in a good place to tackle your exam.

Adendum: "It's never too late to turn it around", but DON'T do questions that you don't have WORKED SOLUTIONS for if you're a day away from the exam. If you don't know how to do the question, and can't find a way of figuring it out, you will stress beyond belief.

alright just gonna double check something;

for that first diff question on the exam 1 I am allowed to just chain rule in one step right? So 5(4x+3)^4 I can just derive it and get 5(4x+3)^3(4) and simplify without doing the whole u=... and everything?

Certainly! Just make sure to include that intermediate step (where you distinctly show you're multiplying by the chain) so the examiners can see you've applied the chain rule.

Note, you have derived that wrong, but I'm leaving that to it's late and you're tired. ;)

theshunpo

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Re: 'Stupid' Exam Questions
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2014, 11:54:10 pm »
+1
I've seen some people start their answers with a line for example "using the quotient rule" or "for the inverse swap x and y". Is this necessary or just a waste of time?
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