Maths questions
Maths questions will appear throughout both exam papers, and at both foundation tier and higher tier.
Don't forget to take a ruler and calculator into the exam.
Maths questions often start with the command word 'calculate', followed by a blank space for your working. It is important that you show your working - don't just write the answer down. You might earn marks for your working even if you get the answer wrong.
Always include the correct units for your answer, unless they are already given on the answer line. This may earn you an additional mark.
Check carefully to see if the question tells you to round your answer to a particular number of significant figures or decimal places. Don't forget to check your rounding.
Other command words you might see in maths questions include:
- 'predict' (look at some data and suggest an outcome - don鈥檛 just guess, look at trends in the data and use your scientific knowledge and understanding to make a sensible suggestion)
- 'estimate' (suggest a rough value without doing a calculation - don鈥檛 just guess, use your scientific knowledge and understanding to make a sensible suggestion)
- 'show' (write down the details, steps or calculations to prove that an answer is correct)
Maths questions might include tables and graphs as well as calculations. When drawing a graph, make sure you:
- put the independent variable (the factor you changed) on the x-axis
- put the dependent variable (the factor you measured) on the y-axis
- construct regular scales for the axes
- label each axis with the quantity and units, eg time (s)
- plot each point accurately
- decide whether the origin (0,0) should be used as a data point
- draw a straight or curved line of best fit if appropriate.
These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.
Learn maths skills with Dr Alex Lathbridge
Listen to the full series on 91热爆 Sounds.
Brush up on the maths you need for your exam - percentages, averages and converting units.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Estimate the diameter of a buckminsterfullerene nanoparticle.
Put a tick (鉁) in the box next to the correct answer. [1 mark]
| A | 1 脳 109m | |
| B | 1 脳 10-3 m | |
| C | 1 脳 10-6 m | |
| D | 1 脳 10-9m | |
| E | 1 脳 10-12 m |
| A |
|---|
| 1 脳 109m |
| B |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-3 m |
| C |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-6 m |
| D |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-9m |
| E |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-12 m |
| A | 1 脳 109m | |
| B | 1 脳 10-3 m | |
| C | 1 脳 10-6 m | |
| D | 1 脳 10-9m | 鉁 |
| E | 1 脳 10-12 m |
| A |
|---|
| 1 脳 109m |
| B |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-3 m |
| C |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-6 m |
| D |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-9m |
| 鉁 |
| E |
|---|
| 1 脳 10-12 m |
Sample question 2 - Higher
Question
Calculate the surface area to volume ratio of a cube of sides 2 cm.
Write the ratio in its simplest form. Show your working. [4 marks]
- surface area = 2 脳 2 脳 6 = 24 cm2 [1]
- volume = 2 脳 2 脳 2 = 8 cm3 [1]
- ratio is 24:8 [1]
- or 3:1 in its simplest form [1]
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
a) Calculate the surface area to volume ratio of a cube of sides 4 cm.
Write the ratio in its simplest form. Show your working. [4 marks]
The 4 cm sided cube is broken up into separate smaller cubes with sides of 1 cm.
b) Calculate the surface area to volume ratio.
Write the ratio in its simplest form. Show your working. [2 marks]
c) Write down whether the surface area to volume ratio has increased or decreased. [1 mark]
a)
- surface area = 4 脳 4 脳 6= 96cm2 [1]
- volume = 4 脳 4 脳 4 = 64 cm3 [1]
- surface area:volume = 96:64 [1]
- or 3:2 in its simplest form [1]
b)
- 96 cubes with surface area of 6 so total surface area = 96 脳 6 = 576 cm2 [1]
- each cube has volume of 1 cm3 so the total volume = 96 cm3
- surface area: volume ratio = 576:96
- or 6:1 in the simplest form [1]
c) the surface area : volume ratio has increased [1]