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Algebra
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Forming, Using and Solving Expressions
[1*] How do you form equations and algebraic expressions from sentences or wordy questions?
[2*] When the angles of a triangle are given in algebraic form, do I have to find out what 'x' is?
[3*] When a questions requires to find the area and/or perimeter but the sides of the shape have been given as algebraic expressions, why do we use brackets?
Algebraic Fractions - H
[1] For Algebraic Fractions, what do you do to the numerator or denominator when there is a x^2 subtracting a square number?
Equations of Linear Lines (Gradients, Parallel - H, Perpendicular - H)
[1] What does the 'negative reciprocal' mean? - H
[2] For Equations of Straight Lines, will the x-coordinate always be 0?
Factorise, Expand, Simplify and Solve
[1] What does 'expand' mean?
[2] What is the difference between 'factorising' and 'solving'?
[3] When simplifying, can I take x from x^2 or add the two terms together?
[4] When solving, and there is a fraction on one side of the equal sign in algebraic equations, why do I multiply both sides by the denominator?
[5] When solving equations, such as 2y = -6, is it always RHS divided by LHS?
[6] If expanding, what happens when you multiply x^2 by x?
[7] When simplifying by collecting "like terms", do -px and -px cancel out, where p is any integer?
[8] When expanding triple brackets, can you multiply any two brackets together to begin?
[9] Does a^2 + a^2 = 2a^2?
[10] Is (-x)^2 still a negative or do the two minuses cancel out?
[11] Will we have to factorise cubic expressions?
[12*] When working out algebraic equations, can I move the numbers before the Xs?
[13*] When solving, does it matter which side of the equal sign I do more things to?
[14] In solving, and there is a square root on one side of the equals sign, to get rid of it, would I square the equation?
[15] When solving equations, do I equal it to 0?
[16] If the final answer includes 1/2, and it says "give your answer in its simplest form" which one would be right?
Functions | Inverse and Composite - H
[1*] Why do we change f(x) to y?
[2*] Where did gf(x) come from?
[3] What is the point of doing the inverse of a function?
Rearranging Formulae
[1] When rearranging formulae, will I get marks for factorising my final answer?
[2] Once I have rearranged an equation, is that it?
Sequences (Linear, Quadratic - H)
[1*] For Quadratic Sequences, what are the rules for formulating the nth term?
[2*] How do I work out the rest of the nth term of a Quadratic Sequence following the xn^2 part?
[3] In Quadratic Sequences, where does the extra number come from?
Simultaneous Equations (Linear, Quadratic - H)
[1*] What is the difference between Linear and Quadratic Simultaneous Equations?
[2*] How do you know when a question requires Simultaneous Equations to calculate and solve the word problem?
[3] For Simultaneous Equations, is it better to subtract the smallest Xs from the biggest, or the smallest total number from the biggest?
[4*] For Linear Simultaneous Equations, when do I use the adding method?
[5*] In Simultaneous Equations, what is a quick way of making the unknowns the same?
[6] For Linear Simultaneous Equations, do I have to multiply everything in the equation by the same number?
[7] For Simultaneous Equations, do I have to put 0x or 0y to indicate the elimination?
[8] Do Simultaneous Equations come up on the Non Calculator or Calculator paper?
[9*] For Linear Simultaneous Equations, where there are different operations in the equations, do I make those the same?
[10*] For Quadratic Simultaneous Equations, what is the point of finding two more values?
[11] For Linear Simultaneous Equations, does it matter whether you make the Xs or the Ys the same?
[12*] For Quadratic Simultaneous Equations, does the Linear expression always have to be / rearranged to 'y=...' whilst the other is 'x^2 + y^2 =...'?
[13] For Linear Simultaneous Equations, if I make the Xs the same, do I need to make the Ys the same as well?
Quadratics
[1] When solving, and I have a quadratic, what do I do next?
[2] In Quadratics, can I divide everything by x?
[3*] For Quadratics where there is a single bracket being squared, would I have to write the bracket out twice?
[4*] What is the FOIL method? How does it work? Do I always have to use it?
[5] When there is a square root on one side of my solving, can I not do anything with it?
[6] In questions with x^2, does a = 1?
[7] What does x-coefficient mean?
[8*] How do you know which method to use when solving / finding the values of x in a Quadratic?
[9*] In Solving Quadratic questions when the sides of a shape are in linear algebraic expressions, how do I know which of the x-values to choose from, if I need to substitute an x-value into an algebraic expression for a measurement?
Solving Quadratics | Factorisation (with Coefficients - H)
[1*] What does it mean by the 'difference of two squares'?
[2*] With Factorisation to solve for x values, for which do I have to find two numbers that multiply to get it, and then add to get something else?
[3] When solving quadratics by Factorisation, will it always be equal to 0?
[4*] How do I know which factor to put into which bracket?
[5*] How do I factorise quadratics with a coefficient of x^2? ie. a > 1
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Solving Quadratics | Quadratic Formula - H
[1] How do I know if I need to use the Quadratic Formula?
[2*] What is the discriminant?
[3*] When using the Quadratic Formula, do you put brackets around the square symbol too?
[4*] If 'b' is negative in the quadratic equation, then does it become positive for the '-b' part of the Quadratic Formula?
[5] For the Quadratic Formula, do I have to put the minus symbol with 'b'?
[6*] In the Quadratic Formula, how do I know what my a, b and c are?
[7] Is the Quadratic Formula equal to 0?
[8*] Do you have to write down both answers for 'x' in Quadratic Formula questions?
[9*] With the Quadratic Formula, what happens when both a and c are positive or negative?
Solving Quadratics | Completing the Square - H
[1] When solving Completing the Square questions, do you change the answer into a decimal or leave as a surd?
[2*] Why is there a 'p' in the Completing the Square question? ie. (x + p)^2 + q
[3*] When questions state "give answer in the form...", why is there a '+' there? ie. (x + a)^2 + b. My answer has a subtraction sign!
[4] In Completing the Square questions, when you need to find the minimum value, what is the purpose of the 'y'?
[5*] What do the 3 equal sign lines mean?
Graphs (Quadratic, Cubic and Reciprocal)
[1] What is a 'parabola'?
Geometry and Measures
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Angles | Parallel Lines
[1] What do the pairs of arrowheads on lines mean?
[2] For Angles between parallel lines, is it only co-interior angles that add up to 180 degrees?
[3*] Why are angles written as three letters?
Angles | Polygons (Interior and Exterior)
[1] COMING SOON...?
Circle Theorems - H
[1] For Circle Theorems, what does the 'O' mean?
[2] For Cyclic Quadrilaterals (in Circle Theorems), would I gain / lose marks for putting a + b = 180 degrees, if in a rush?
[3] In the reasoning for same segment angles (in Circle Theorems), os there a difference between saying "same two points" and "common chord" or are they the same thing?
[4] For Cyclic Quadrilateral reasons, do you have to include that all 4 points must touch the circumference of the circle?
[5*] Why are angles written as three letters?
[6*] In Circle Theorems, what would happen if you wrote descriptions / reasons the other way around? ie. Angle at centre vs. circumference
Circles | Circumference, Area, Arcs, Sectors and Segments
[1] Will I have to know the formulas of Circles - Length of Arcs, and Areas of Sectors and Segments?
[2] When answering questions that ask for the answer in terms of pi, do I still put the units afterwards?
[3] What is the difference between the term "shaded region" and "shaded segment" or are they the same?
Compound Shapes
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Pythagoras' Theorem (incl. 3D - H)
[1] Is there a quicker way of doing Pythagoras' Theorem questions?
[2] In Pythagoras, do I still have to square the longest side?
Shapes | Perimeters, Areas, Volumes and Descriptions
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Similarity and Congruence
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Trigonometry
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Trigonometry | SOHCAHTOA
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Trigonometry | Sine and Cosine Rules - H
[1*] How do you know when to use Sine Rule vs. Cosine Rule?
[2*] When using the Sine or Cosine Rule, does it matter how I label my own triangle? Can you label your triangle yourself?
[3*] For Cosine Rule (finding an angle), does it matter which numbers are a, b and c? How do you know which one to minus?
Trigonometry | Areas of Non Right Angle Triangles - H
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Trigonometry | Exact Values
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Vectors (Column, Proofs - H)
[1] What do the arrows on questions about Vectors indicate?
[2] How do we know when it is a Vectors' question?
Number
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BIDMAS / Rules of Operations
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Bounds - H
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Conversions | Decimals, Fractions and Percentages
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Powers and Roots
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Index Laws
[1] What happens when you multiply x^2 by x?
Standard Form
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Surds - H
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Using a Calculator
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Rounding
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Rounding | Decimal Places
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Rounding | Significant Figures
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Ratio / Proportion / Rate of Change
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Simple and Compound Interest, Rate of Depreciation
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Conversions | Units
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Direct and Inverse Proportions
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Statistics and Probability
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Averages
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Frequency Trees
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Scatter Graphs
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Venn Diagrams
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General
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Foundation Tier vs. Higher Tier
[1] What topics are only related to HIGHER Tier?
[2] If the Foundation Tier paper focuses on Grades 5-1 topics and Higher Tier paper focuses on Grades 9-4 topics, does that mean Higher Tier students do not need to know Grades 3-1 topics?
Mathematical Notation / Diagram Details
[1*] What do the 3 equal sign lines mean?
[2*] Why are angles written as three letters?
[3*] Will they always use the dashes on lines of equal length, ie isosceles triangles?
Terminology / Glossary
[1] What does 'x-coefficient' mean?
[2] What is a 'parabola'?
[3] What does 'expand' mean?
[4] What is the 'discriminant'?
Mark Scheme
[1] What is the difference between 'method marks' and 'accuracy marks'?
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