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Maths Methods Application Task Tips

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Maths Methods Application Task Tips

Uploaded by

Buddy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tip 6 – Validate your answer with CAS.

Maths Methods Application Task Tips Even if you are required to show/include working out, you can use your CAS to verify that what you are doing is
correct. You should always be able to get the answer correct!
For example, use your CAS to determine the equation of the derivative, the location of stationary points, points of
intersection, etc. and then make sure that you show appropriate working out.
Tip 1 – Read the question carefully!
Underline key words, values and restrictions so that you know exactly what you are asked to do.
Tip 7 – Give exact value answers unless you are instructed otherwise.
If a question wants the answer as a decimal, it will tell you so. [e.g. Give your answer to 3 decimal places]
Tip 2 – Don’t get stuck!
If you haven’t been able to ‘get started’ on a question aer two minutes (which includes looking in your bound
reference)… move on to the next part. Spending minutes on a question to only complete some of it is not as Tip 8 – Do not write calculator syntax as working out (unless specified)
productive as coming back to the question later.
Write statements about what you did on the CAS, but do not write down the process that you used.

Write Use CAS to solve f(x) = 0 Use CAS to find f ’(x) then solve f ’(x) = 0.

Tip 3 – Make sure that you set out your calculations correctly.  d 2 
Your teacher needs to be able to work out what you are doing, so it good practice to:
Don’t write 
solve x 2  3 x  2  0, x  solve 
 dx
 
x  3 x  2  0, x 

 Write down the formula you will use.
 Substitute in known values.
 Evaluate/simplify the expression. Tip 9 – Make sure to include units of measurement
 Write your answer.
If variables have units (e.g time in seconds, height in metres), include units of measurement with your answer.
Work down the page, like you do in your workbook, and start a second column if you need to.
e rate of change has a unit of measurement. For example, if a graph/equation links distance (in metres) and time
(in seconds), the unit of measurement for the rate of change will be ‘metres per second’.
Be careful to check that you don’t need to convert units. e question may ask for your answer in seconds, but the
Tip 4 – Be concise… don’t write an essay. calculation had a unit of minutes. is might seem sneaky, but it identifies those that are reading questions carefully.
When answering questions that require worded answers (e.g. explain, discuss, compare) don’t over-explain things.
e more that you write the greater than chance you have of including information that is incorrect. You don’t
receive ‘bonus marks’ for writing more than required. Including graphs can avoid needed to write long explanations,
Tip 10 – Don’t worry about the marks
as it is easy to refer to a graph than describe its appearance.
Some questions have a marking scheme on them, but many don’t. ose that don’t have a marking scheme will be
marked using a criterion that assesses the quality of the response, not the number of lines of working out shown.

Tip 5 – Match your CAS graph screen window to the question.


By matching your graph screen window to the question, you can sketch the graph with high accuracy.
Tip 11 – Don’t worry about the result
e purpose of the SAC is to rank students. If the SAC is difficult, and the average mark is low, that is OK.
e teachers that designed the SAC did their best to make the SAC accessible (i.e. not too easy and not to hard) and
to predict the amount of time that it will take most students to complete the task.
Everyone completes the same SAC, so if the task is too easy or difficult, it will be for everyone!

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