General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

MATHEMATICS
Paper 4024/12 Paper 12

Key Messages To succeed in this paper candidates need to have completed full syllabus coverage, remember necessary formulae, show all necessary working clearly and use a suitable level of accuracy. General comments There were opportunities for all candidates to demonstrate what they knew and generally the paper allowed positive achievement across the whole ability range. There were many well presented scripts of a good standard, clearly written and easy to read. Occasionally, clarity in presentation was impaired by candidates initially working in pencil, and then inking over the final result. Also, in some cases, it was not always possible to read exactly what figure or letter the candidate intended. Indeed, it was clear that some candidates were themselves confused by their own script. Candidates were able to complete the paper comfortably in the time available. Inevitably, there were gaps where some candidates were not able to make responses to particular questions. Comments on specific questions Question 1 (a) (b) This was well answered although some candidates calculated (12 + 6) (2 8) or (12 + 6) 2 8. Again, this was well answered. Although it was expected that candidates would work in decimals, 13 some candidates gave a final answer of which was accepted. 25 (b) 0.52

Answer: (a) 7 Question 2 (a) (b)

Candidates struggled more with this question. The response 0.2 < n < 0.25 was a common answer. However, a value of n such as 0.21 was expected. This was one of the best answered questions in the paper. (b) 80

Answer: (a) Any decimal value of n such that 0.2 < n < 0.25 Question 3 (a) (b)

This was very successfully answered. A few candidates worked with decimals and if a decimal answer was given, credit was given for 3 significant figure accuracy, or better, only. This was one of the best answered questions in the paper. Here, the question asked for a fraction in its lowest terms, so other answers were not accepted. 7 24 (b) 7 18

Answer: (a)

Question 4 (a) (b) The general ideas of manipulating inequalities seemed to be well understood. Some candidates omitted to write the appropriate inequality sign, >, in the answer space. Approximately half the candidates earned the mark. Credit was given only if all four integers were stated. The answer -2 x < 2 was sometimes seen. (b) - 2, - 1, 0, 1

Answer: (a) y > 7.5 Question 5 (a) (b)

This was mostly accurate. There was a tendency for stray minus signs to appear. Candidates struggled more with this part. The modulus sign was not always understood. For example, the answer 8 + 6 was sometimes given. Since d represents a distance, negative or answers were not accepted.

Answer: (a) Question 6

2 10

(b) 10

Although well answered by some candidates, others seemed to be unfamiliar with the format of this question. Usually, the working space contained calculations of the required areas for which credit could be given. Full credit was not given for numerical answers, or expressions that contained as and bs. Some arithmetic errors were made, e.g. 0.5 x 6 x 9 was seen evaluated as 18. Answer: 9 + 27 2

Question 7 (a) (b) This was well answered generally. Common incorrect answers were 4 5 and . 5 9

Candidates were less successful in this part. Some obviously misread the information given in the question and assumed that there were 120 girls in the school. 4 9 (b) 840

Answer: (a) Question 8

This was generally well answered. Many candidates gave the equation y = kx in the working space, but this did not always lead to a correct value of k. Sometimes the correct work leading to 2 = 16k was seen followed by k = 8. Answer: 12.5 Question 9 Candidates found this question quite challenging with only the more able achieving full marks. Answer: y 3, y - 2x

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers Question 10 Again, a challenging question for many candidates. The most successful strategy to adopt in this noncalculator paper was first of all to find the cube root of the ratio of the given volumes. Some, who used the 3 3 ratio of the (unknown height) to 12 were successful, but most adopting this strategy got into difficulties with the ensuing arithmetic. Answer: 18 Question 11 The most common errors seen were from those trying, correctly, to use cos , and equating the given value, 7 35 with or simply to give the answer as 25. Before any credit could be given, it was essential to see 25 AD 35 21 . Attempts using sin, tan, the cosine rule for a general triangle, the sine rule and Pythagoras AD theorem were seen. Some candidates thought the area of the trapezium could be found. Answer: 50 Question 12 (a) (b) (i) (ii) It was expected that the shading would be clear and unambiguous. Any additional, unexplained shading scored 0. There was some confusion between n(P Q) and P Q. Candidates were given credit if it was clear that the answer was 2, however presented. This was the least well answered part in the paper. When extra elements were included, no credit could be given. 2 (ii) 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Answer: (b)(i) Question 13 (a) (b) (i) (ii)

Standard form was well understood and most candidates achieved the mark. Again, most candidates achieved success here. This was less well answered than the previous two parts. The difference 1.34 10 was also accepted.
-5 7

Answer: (a) 2 10 Question 14 (a) (b)

(b)(i)

7.610 , 2.110 , 8.010 , 1.210

(ii) 1.34 10

This was very well answered. This was a more challenging question which required clear thinking. When not fully correct, some 3 credit was given if two of p, q and r were correct. Answers in the form 2 etc. were accepted, but to 1 gain credit for r = 1, it was essential to see 7 and not just 7 alone.
2 3

Answer: (a) 2 3

(b)

p = 3, q = 2, r = 1

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers Question 15 (a) (b) This straightforward factorisation question was very well answered. Again, this was very well answered. Even when not fully correct, a mark was usually obtained for a partial factorisation. In a minority of scripts, candidates went on to solve an imagined equation. (b) (4p 3)(2x + y)

Answer: (a) 3q(3p 4q) Question 16 (a) (b)

The bearing was generally accurately measured. Since the roles of A and C were reversed in this part, candidates were expected to find the bearing required without making any additional measurements. Credit was given for clearly adding 180 to the answer given in part (a). The measurement and use of scale was generally well done. (b) 237 (c) 237.5

(c)

Answer: (a) 057 Question 17 (a) (b) (c)

The conversion of units was generally accurate. Again, this was usually accurate. The most common incorrect answer was 6919 (from calculating 6959 40.) Again, this was usually accurate. In this difference question, because of the wording, the answer 381 was not accepted. 5.963 (b) 6999 (c) 381

Answer: (a) Question 18 (a) (i) (ii) (b)

This construction of the bisector of the angle was well done. Some candidates incorrectly drew the diagonal, PR. This construction was again well done. Some candidates drew the line from the midpoint of QR and parallel to PQ. The correct region was found by the majority of candidates.

Question 19 (a) In this part and throughout this question, the terms decimal places and significant figures were not always understood. A common incorrect response was 0.048. Although most candidates seemed to understand the meaning of 200 , they did not all manage to reach 14. Some candidates made attempts to add 2 decimal places to 14. It was essential to see relevant working in this question. A more careful reading of the wording might have saved some candidates from attempting this calculation with the original numbers. It seemed difficult for many candidates to write all three numbers correct to one significant figure. 14 (c) 1000

(b)

(c)

Answer: (a) 0.05 (b)

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers Question 20 (a) (b) Generally well answered, with the required interval described properly. Generally well answered. A few candidates used the interval width in their numerator, and some divided by 4. (b) 37.5 16 . 1
2

Answer: (a) 20 < n 40 Question 21 (a) (b) (c)

Generally well answered although some candidates left their final answer as

Generally well answered although some candidates left their final answer as 4 . Candidates struggled more with this part. The strategy pursued by most candidates was to find the
1

square root of each term first, accepting at this stage terms such as 4 2 . However many made errors, a common one being 2y x
4

= y .

Answer: (a) 16 (b) Question 22 (a) (b) (c)

16

(c)

Most candidates recognised triangle BOC as isosceles and correctly found the required angle. The connection between angle at the centre and angle at the circumference was often seen. Candidates struggled more with this part. Many candidates were able to find the facts needed for congruency without actually establishing it. A lot of attempts at showing that the stated triangles were congruent used the angles at the circumference, at A and D, together with the vertically opposite angles at E and the equal sides, AB and CD. Unfortunately, this is not a case of congruency, so full credit could not be given. Likewise, merely listing all the possible equal angles (and often stating sides that could not be shown to be equal, such as DE and AE) was not a demonstration of congruency, and so could be given limited credit only. In constructing geometrical arguments of this nature, attention should be given to the use of appropriate notation. It was not always clear, for example, what letters such as EAB were referring to. Was it the triangle EAB or the angle EAB? (b) 70

Answer: (a) 140 Question 23 (a) (i) (ii) (b)

The relevant multiplication was usually calculated correctly. This part was less successful and the calculation often went astray. Credit was given for a relevant calculation of a 20% increase. A common error was to apply this increase to the answer to part (i). This was generally well answered. The common error was to use multiplication. 560 (ii) 76.80 (b) 150

Answer: (a)(i)

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers Question 24 (a) (b) (c) (i) (ii) This was mostly accurate. Again, this was accurately answered by most candidates. Most candidates substituted the correct values of x and y into the given equation. However some candidates then had problems solving it. Less success was seen here, and a fair proportion of candidates omitted this part. (b) 1.2 (c)(i) 4 (ii) - 1.5

Answer: (a) (0.5,4) Question 25 (a)

Generally well answered, although after the brackets had been removed, there was some difficulty in grouping the terms appropriately in order to solve the equation. The actual removal of the brackets was not always successful. For a few candidates their first step was 7(2x 1), or 10 6x 1. Generally, sensible multiples of the given equations were found from which one variable could be eliminated. Since the value of y was negative, care was needed to achieve this. A common error was to do basically correct arithmetic, but to find that y was positive. 1 1 3 (b) x = 5, y = - 3

(b)

Answer: (a) Question 26 (a)

Since the answer was given in the question, it was essential to see that the area of the rectangle was the product of its length and width and how this led to the equation given. So it was expected 2 to see (2x + 3)(x 1) =12 in order to gain the method mark, and at least 2x +3x 2x 3 =12 in the working leading to the given conclusion. Both approaches, factorisation, which was expected, and the quadratic formula, needed care in order to achieve full marks. It was expected that candidates would use their positive value from part (b) to calculate the perimeter of the rectangle. With only one mark available, no credit could be given for an answer left as an algebraic expression. 2.5, - 3 (c) 19

(b) (c)

Answer: (b)

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

MATHEMATICS
Paper 4024/22 Paper 22

Key Messages To succeed in this paper candidates need to have completed full syllabus coverage, remember necessary formulae, show all necessary working clearly and use a suitable level of accuracy. General comments The new format did not appear to cause any difficulties for the candidates with the available working space generally being used sensibly and the work being set out in a way that was easy to follow. The paper appeared to be of an appropriate length with most candidates completing the required four Section B questions. There was a slight concern that a small number of candidates who did not complete the last question had not noticed the instruction to turn over at the foot of page 23. The presentation was generally good, although a small number of candidates did all their working in pencil and then either inked over it or left the working in rather indistinct pencil and inked in just the answer, or, on some occasions, erased all their working - inevitably losing any chance of gaining method marks. Although in one or two of the one mark questions the answer could be written down without working e.g. Question 3(a) and Question 4(a)(i), it was slightly worrying that other answers, which clearly needed a number of steps, were written down without any evidence of working. Candidates were clearly ignoring the instruction If working is needed for any question it must be shown in the spaces below that question. Candidates should be aware that they will lose marks if they do not show the relevant working. In both graph questions, Question 9 and Question 12, a small number of candidates ignored the instruction to draw a smooth curve and used a ruler to join the points. Quite a large number of candidates lost marks by not reading the question carefully. For example in Question 3 they ignored the instruction to give the answers as fractions in their simplest form and in Question 9(d)(ii) to give each answer correct to 2 decimal places. Candidates should be made aware of the statement on the cover page of the question paper, that If the degree of accuracy is not specified in the question, and if the answer is not exact, give the answer to three significant figures. Give answers in degrees to one decimal place They should also take special care in transferring the final result in their working to their response in the answer space. Candidates should also be reminded that when a method involving several stages is used, especially when Pythagoras is one of the stages, it is imperative that they keep intermediate answers to at least 4-figure accuracy, and make full use of the memory function on the calculator. Comments on specific questions Question 1 (a) (i) This was often answered correctly, although the final answer was sometimes given with the x 2 appearing as a power of the 10, or in the numerator. Many took a common denominator of 10x and correctly evaluated the numerator as x, but then did not simplify. The majority of candidates used the correct common denominator. Most arrived at 4(x 3) + 7x as the numerator, but many were unable to reduce this to its simplest form, with many strange 2 cancelling methods used. A few started off with a denominator of x 3 or x + x 3.

(ii)

17

2011

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level 4024 Mathematics June 2011 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers (b) (i) (ii) This part was almost always correct. Many candidates knew how to find the inverse expression, but a significant number were unable to 1 progress from (4x + 3) to c = 2 and d = 1.5, not realising that c was the coefficient of x and d the 2 numerical term. Most of those who started by correctly equating a number went from 6g =3 to g = 2 or . A significant number of candidates solved g = 1 (2x 3). 4 (b)(i) 0.25 (ii) c =2, d = 1.5 (iii) 0.5
2( g ) 3 4

(iii)

1 (2g 3) and g were able to reach 0.5 although 4

and a few tried to solve equations with

mixed variables such as g = 1 10 x

Answers: 1(a)(i) Question 2 (a) (i)

(ii)

11x 12 x ( x 3)

Most candidates made a good attempt at this part. The usual difficulty was in the handling of the
1 2A 2A d h. Occasionally d in the last line of working became in the answer space. A 2 h h

number of less able candidates substituted values from part (ii). (ii) (b) This part was usually answered correctly. Less able candidates made errors in multiplying out 2 2 brackets and a few interpreted 22 cm as 22 . This proved to be one of the more challenging parts of the paper with many candidates not having a full understanding of the work on upper and lower bounds, not appreciating what was meant by a measurement being given to the nearest centimetre. (i) (ii) A large proportion of candidates found the perimeter using 32 and 20 (reaching 104) and then subtracting 0.5, giving 103.5 as their answer. Similarly in this part many calculated (32 20) (26 14) and gave their final answer as 276.5. Most candidates realised that they should subtract the inner area from the outer to find the area of the frame but a large proportion of these used the upper bound dimension values in calculating both areas and obtained the very common wrong result of 282. Only a very small number realised that they should use the lower bounds in finding the inner area.
2A d h

Answers: (a) (i) Question 3 (a)

(ii)

(b) (i)

102

(ii) 322

Apart from a small number of candidates who left their answer as 2 , almost all candidates were successful.
6

(b) (i)

Many assumed replacement and evaluated multiplying.

1 3 2 . 6 6 6

A few added the fractions instead of

18

2011

(ii)

Again, a large number of candidates assumed replacement and arrived at an answer of correctly arrived at values of them incorrectly (

5 . Some 36

1 1 for ANN and for ANA but then either did not add them, added 20 10

1 1 2 + = was seen several times) or multiplied them. 20 10 30 1 20

Answers: (a) Question 4

1 3

(b) (i)

(ii)

3 20

Some candidates were unfamiliar with the suffix notation and used, for example un for n. Some used the expression a + (n1)d, often without simplification. (a) (b) (i) (ii) This was generally well answered, the sequence in part (ii) usually following on from their answer to part (i). un = n + 3 was the most common incorrect answer. Answers involving n and/or 2 were common, but it was relatively rare to see 2n. Most candidates attempted this part by multiplying their earlier expressions, but relatively few were able to get to the correct answer. Many did a lot of work to no avail. Very few selected just the terms in n. A few used corresponding terms (usually the first) to obtain an expression such as 2 4 15 = 17 + kx1 6 1 , which was usually solved correctly. 3n + 1 (ii) 61 (b) (i) 17 2n (ii) 49

Answers: (a) (i) Question 5

A wide range of marks were gained on this question as even the least able candidates were able to gain some credit and yet the most able sometimes struggled with the last part. Most errors arose either from misreadings of the axes, particularly the time of day axis, or from assuming that there were 100 minutes in an hour. (a) (b) This part was almost always correct. This was generally well answered, but there were many answers of 78, from candidates who gave each small division a value of 6 instead of 3. A second common incorrect answer of 79 arose when candidates tried to subtract the correct scale readings of 13 15 and 12 36 but assumed 100 minutes to the hour. A small number of candidates confused the location and gave the distance from home, but overall this part was well answered. The return journey was quite often taken to be 1
1 hours instead of 3 hour, producing an answer 4 4

(c)

(d)

of 14.4. A few candidates gave the answer as 0.4 i.e. in km/minute rather than km/hour. (e) (f) There seemed to be some misunderstanding of this part. Some calculated the speeds for the different sections and then named the two sections with the slowest speeds. The majority of candidates correctly found Salims time to the shopping centre, but many then took this time from 1 hour 36 minutes to give the common wrong answer of Salim arriving 24 minutes before his brother, ignoring the fact that Salim started his journey 15 minutes later than Ravi. 11 30 (b) 39 (c) 8 (d) 24 (e) park and shopping centre (f) Salim, 9

Answers: (a)

Question 6 Attempts at this question were usually very good, with some of the less able candidates gaining a good proportion of their marks here. (a)(b)(c) The success rate in the first three parts was very high, candidates handling well the proportionality between the sector angles and the income of the five employees. Usually the required incomes 1 and the angle were found directly from 270 5 in part (a), of their answer to part (a) for part (b) 6
( )

and

405 a 360 for part (c). Occasionally candidates used areas with rather less success. A quite

common error in part (c) was to assume that Carol and Brian made up half the circle thus producing an answer of 120. (d) (e) This was usually answered correctly although occasionally candidates would get as far as 80 and give that as their answer, while others stopped at 450. Again, many correct answers were seen, with just a few taking off the 20% correctly, but then finding 6% of the 216. A small number found 26% correctly, but then left this (70.20) as their answer. There were many good attempts at this part, using one of a number of methods, although at times it was difficult to follow the working shown. The usual errors were in simple arithmetic; in calculating x% of 324 instead of 450 or in assuming that the deductions were 287.55 instead of 450 287.22. There were many who made the predictable error of finding 92% of 270 and the answer 248.40 was very common. A smaller number realised that they should be working with 108 but then multiplied by Answers: (a) Question 7 (a) (i) (ii) Almost all candidates gave the answer 2, although just a few wrote either 6 or 1. Attempts at this part showed that many candidates had little, or no, understanding of vectors. Of those who did have some understanding, it was common for them to assume that DC = r, BC = q or YB = 2 p.
3

(f)

(g)

108 instead of the reciprocal. 100

1350

(b)

225

(c)

108

(d)

300

(e)

199.80

(f) 9

(g)

250

(a) (b)

r q was regularly seen although there were many correct answers to this part. There were relatively few correct answers to this part. After correctly adding q to 2p for the first two stages of the journey from F to C, many then assumed that DC was +q and ended with an answer which simplified to 2p.

(c)

Many thought that AY was 2 p and others, who correctly recognised the ratio 3:1, forgot the vector

2p and gave the answer as r + 3. (d) There were very few correct answers to this part, with many assuming BC to be r or/and CX to be
1 q. 2

(b)

There were more successful attempts at this part of the question and many candidates gained all three marks. A few assumed that all the interior angles of the hexagon were equal, even though one was shown as 140 and others took PS to be parallel to UT. 2 45 (ii)(a) q r (ii) 95 (b) 2p q r (iii) 80 (c)
3 pr 2

Answers: (a)(i) (b)(i) Question 8 (a) (i) (ii)

(d)

1 1 pq+ r 2 2

Errors were made in both parts, but these were almost always arithmetical. The most common error here was in calculating the fourth element, 2 (2), as 0 rather than 4. Others gave 2 (3) as 5. Very many correct answers were seen with the most common errors appearing in the calculation of the determinant with 2, 22 or 22 all appearing fairly frequently. A few candidates simply gave the adjoint as their answer. The most common error was to give x = 1 as the mirror line. Less able candidates had difficulty with the language and phrases such as mirror image, along the line or parallel to the x axis were often seen instead of the accepted expressions. Many candidates correctly wrote enlargement although a few described it as diminished, shrink or magnification. The usual errors were in giving the wrong coordinates for the centre of enlargement after drawing lines on the diagram or in giving the scale factor as 2, 2 or . There were rather fewer correct answers to this part with reversed coordinates or answers of (3, 2), (5, 4) and (7, 4) being fairly common. Most candidates recognised this as a rotation but a significant number did not give both the centre and the angle of rotation. 3 2 1 2 (ii) 1 4 1.5 2.5 (b) (i) Reflection in the line y = 1 (ii) Enlargement, scale factor , centre (5, 0) (iii) (2, 3), (4, 5), (4, 7) (iv) Rotation, 90 anticlockwise about centre (0, 0)

(b) (i)

(ii)

(iii) (iv)

Answers: (a) (i)

Question 9 This was a very popular question and the majority of candidates gained good marks. (a), (b) Very many excellent curves were drawn after candidates correctly calculated the two values required in part (a). However some candidates did not check their answers to part (a) when their results gave a graph that was clearly not a quadratic. This proved to be the most difficult part of the question, particularly the first two parts. (i) (ii) Many gave just one solution, some gave coordinates and a few tried to solve algebraically. Candidates struggled with this part. The curves usually had y = 6 as the minimum value and this was the value given as their answer to this part. Few realised that the curve must go below this line for symmetry. Most candidates attempted to draw the tangent, but some of these did not find an acceptable value for the gradient.

(c)

(iii)

(d) (i)

Many candidates showed a good understanding of what was required here and realised that they should equate the two expressions for y. Occasionally slips were made, and some candidates tried to fiddle the given result, but most were successful. Candidates were usually successful in gaining either 3 or 4 marks. The quadratic formula was applied efficiently and the most common error was not giving the answers correct to 2 decimal places. A small number made arithmetical errors, either using 3 instead of 3 or 8 for similar. 65 or

(ii)

Answers: (a) 5, 6 (c) (i) 2.2 to 2.35 and 1.65 to 1.85 (c)(iii) 8 to 10 (d) (ii) 1.27 and 2.77 Question 10 (a) (i) (ii)

(ii) 6.4 ans < 6.0

This part was almost always correct, with most candidates recognising that it was 90 minus the given angle of 15. Those candidates who used the cosine rule were mainly successful, although the usual errors of adding instead of subtracting, or of using A BcosC = (A B) cosC occurred quite regularly. Other candidates split the triangle SCB into two right-angled triangles and if they realised that the given length 300 referred to BS, and not from S to the point where the horizontal line from C met BS, they were largely successful. There was some confusion as to which was the required angle. Some attempted to find the angle CSB and others SCB. Those who did appreciate which angle was required had a good choice of method to use and many were successful providing that they realised which length was SB. There were few problems here, with many candidates having already found the required length in part (a). A few applied the wrong ratio and found CD. This was well answered by the majority of candidates, although a few worked out sin30, producing the fairly common answer of 12500.
1 200 250 2

(iii)

(b) (i)

(ii)

(iii)

More able candidates recognised that DN was the diameter of the circle, but a few were confused and answers such as 450, 241.5 and 120.9 were seen. 75 (ii) 337 (iii) 44.3 (b)(i) 241 (ii) 12100 (iii) 225

Answers: (a)(i) Question 11

This was the least popular question, with many candidates not coping well with the first part. candidates started this and then abandoned the whole question. (a) Those candidates who realised that the heights were

Many

1 2 H and H were usually successful, 3 3

although most worked with h and 2h and never introduced H. A few who started with the two expressions for the volume were unable to combine the two fractions. (b) (i) (ii) (iii) Most used Pythagoras to show the result correctly. A few tried to solve using volumes or surface areas instead of lengths. A very small number of candidates used the formula for area, but most of those who attempted this gained the 2 marks. Candidates coped well with this quite difficult concept. The approach using arc length was slightly more popular than that using areas, but many of those who had the right idea were able to complete the proof correctly. A few equated an area to an arc length, and a few confused the radii 10 and 18.

(iv)

A few attempts at volumes were seen, but generally 2rh and rl were used. Some candidates did not realise that h = 30, but the most common mistake was to add in two or three circular areas, because candidates remembered the formulae for the total surface areas of the cone and the cylinder.
7 2 r H 9

Answers: (a) Question 12 (a) (b) (i)

(b)(ii)

62.8

(iv)

2760

This part was almost always correct. Candidates generally used the scales stated - just occasionally the horizontal scale was halved. A more common error was to have an almost correct horizontal scale except for the spacing between 100 and 120 minutes being halved. Occasionally the curve was drawn from (70, 24) to the intersection of their axes, which was not necessarily the point (60, 0). Nevertheless the quality of the graph work was generally good and an acceptable ogive was drawn despite the occasional plot being slightly out. Most candidates knew how to find the median and the interquartile range and many gained all 3 available marks. Part (c) proved to be a little more challenging and many found the percentage of students who took less than 95 minutes rather than at least 95 minutes.

(ii)

(iii) (a) Many candidates did not appear familiar with the term 20th percentile and read off the value of 69, working from 20 on the vertical scale. (b) This was often answered correctly although many gave their answer as 75% (not subtracting from 100) or 225 (by reading from 95 on the horizontal scale). (c) Candidates were expected to use either the percentage of students taking at least 95 minutes or the medians to make their comparisons and then to make a statement about the two tests. Many simply wrote about the number of students or the time taken and even then did not make it clear which test they were referring to. Answers: (a) 220, 288, 312, 320 (b)(ii)(a) 83 to 85 (b)(iii) (a) 76 (b) 25% (b) 13.5 to 16.5 (c) 15 to 19%