Executive Engineer

EXAMINER TIPS FOR IGCSE MATHEMATICS (0580)
How to use these tips These tips highlight some common mistakes made by students. They are collected under various subheadings to help you when you revise a particular topic. Many of the tips relate to June 2004 papers General Advice • • • • • • • Three figure accuracy is required in questions where no accuracy is specified unless money is involved when two decimal places are required To achieve three figure accuracy in your answer you need to have at least four figures in your working Make sure that your calculator is set to degree mode before you enter the examination. On the papers where you write your answer on the question paper, it is not acceptable to give a choice of answers on the answer line In construction questions you are expected to be able to find a locus using just a pair of compasses and a straight edge. It is not acceptable to measure with a ruler or protractor and draw in the answers. Arcs showing your construction method are required. Do not make any assumptions about lengths and angle sizes in diagrams. If a triangle is right angled, isosceles or equilateral then the question will say so. You need to be careful with the use of the division symbol, a + b/2 is not the same thing as a + b . The division line must cover everything that is to be divided by 2. The 2 alternative is to use brackets to make your answer clear, as in (a + b)/2 The question papers assume that you will have all the equipment listed on the front cover. Make sure that you have all the items on this list the day before you go into the examination. No allowance can be made if you do not have the correct equipment In graph questions it is very important that you make sure that you are reading the scales correctly. If you have to draw a graph make sure that you have a sharp pencil. Examiners will expect a reasonable level of accuracy which may not be possible with a very blunt pencil. If you have to draw a curved graph make sure that it...