1. Exam Skills – Maths Questions
02 November 2019
Exam Skills – Maths Questions
Learning outcomes
I will be able to:
Calculate the mean
And give answers to the correct number of significant figures
And complete calculations which involve standard form
Numeracy Objective
Ensure graphs and tables have titles and units.
REMEMBER: units are put into brackets.
Literacy Objective
Correct tense and verb agreement. You must use the correct version of the verb to match the tense. E.g. I see / I saw I do / I did.
Main errors are:
We was Correct to: We were.....
Presentation reminders
Underline titles and dates.
Include full date annotation.
Use a pencil and ruler where appropriate for diagrams and tables.
BfL reminders
Reminder about phones/headphones given at start of lesson. If phones out after, the teacher will confiscate until the end of the lesson.
Maintain a calm, learning environment.
No eating, drinking or shouting out.

2. You add and divide for the mean
Averages/Means
In science we very rarely use the median or the mode so when we say average we mean.. The MEAN
You add and divide for the mean
= 60
60 ÷ 4 = 15
15 per minute

3. You MUST either use brackets (30 + 10 + 9 + 11) ÷ 4 = 15
Averages/Means
WARNING:
If you type
÷ 4 = WRONG
A simple check to know if you are probably right…
Your answer should be in between the highest and lowest values you added up.
51.75 is not in between 30 and 9 so is definitely wrong
15 is between 30 and 9 so is probably right
You MUST either use brackets
( ) ÷ 4 = 15
Or do it separately
= 60
Then 60 ÷ 4 = 15

4. Averages/Means WARNING:
Do not use anomalous results in your mean calculation.
They might warn you about anomalous results (more likely on foundation paper)
or they might not (more likely on higher paper)
Did you spot the mistake in the example?
= 30
30 ÷ 3 = 10
10 per minute

5. Averages/Means

6. Averages/Means

7. Averages/Means

8. Averages/Means

9. Averages/Means

10. Averages/Means

11. Averages/Means

12. Averages/Means

13. Significant Figures
Did anyone know what to do for this?

14. Round 17.46789 to 2 significant figures
When we round to significant figures, we start counting as soon as we reach a number that is not zero
Round to 2 significant figures
1 significant figure
2 significant figures, this will stay a 7 or go to a 8 depending on what the next number is
All the numbers after will become zero
Round to 2 significant figures=
or just 17

15. It’s more than 4 so we round up!
Significant Figures
Round to 1 sf 3 7 8 5 4 3 7
Look at the next number
It’s more than 4 so we round up!

16. It’s less than 5 so we round down!
Significant Figures
Round to 3 sf 3 7 8 4 3 7
Look at the next number
It’s less than 5 so we round down!

17. It’s more than 4 so we round up!
Significant Figures
Round to 2 sf . 2 9 8 9
Look at the next number
It’s more than 4 so we round up!

18. It’s more than 4 so we round up!
Significant Figures
Round to 3 sf . 2 8 9 7
Look at the next number
It’s more than 4 so we round up!

19. Significant Figures
Round-
0.23 to 1 s.f
0.3 2 A) B)
0.2 3 C) D)

20. Significant Figures
Round-
0.045 to 1 s.f
0.04
0.1 A) B)
0.0
0.05 C) D)

21. Significant Figures
Round-
623 to 1 s.f
600
620 A) B)
630
700 C) D)

22. Significant Figures
Round-
5328 to 1 s.f
5300
5000 A) B)
5330
6000 C) D)

23. Significant Figures
Round-
to 2 s.f
0.01
0.0050 A) B)
0.0051 C) D)

24. Significant Figures
Round-
to 2 s.f
426.21
430 A) B)
400.00
420 C) D)

25. Significant Figures
Round-
to 3 s.f
300
3000 A) B)
3010
3002.0 C) D)

26. Significant Figures
Round-
983.4 to 1 s.f
100
900 A) B)
980
1000 C) D)

27. Significant Figures
Round-
to 2 s.f
0.0045
0.004 A) B)
0.0046
0.00 C) D)

28. Significant Figures
Round-
to 3 s.f
36300
4000 A) B)
36000
45300 C) D)

29. Total to correct sig figs Total to correct sig figs
Significant Figures
Add the values below then write the answer to the appropriate number of significant figures
Value 1
Value 2
Value 3
Total Value
Total to correct sig figs
51.4
1.67
3.23
7146
–32.54
12.8
20.8
18.72
0.851
1.4693
10.18
–1.062
9.07
0.56
3.14
739762
26017
2.058
Multiply the values below then write the answer to the appropriate number of significant figures
Value 1
Value 2
Total Value
Total to correct sig figs
0.91
1.23
8.764
7.63
2.6
31.7
937
40.01
0.722
634.23

30. For each value state how many significant figures it is stated to.
Sig Figs
2.863
100000
x 107
100
356865
8.5 x 10-3
7.85
24.92 13
6400
17.99
5.18 x 1027
182.15
875.4
3.189 x 106
2.8
4.267 94
0.053
2.9970
0.02
94.0
0.422

31. What about these values?
Standard Form
For each value state how many significant figures it is stated to.
Value
Sig Figs
2.863
100000
x 107
100
356865
8.5 x 10-3
7.85
24.92 13
6400
17.99
5.18 x 1027
182.15
875.4
3.189 x 106
2.8
4.267 94
0.053
2.9970
0.02
94.0
0.422
What about these values?
They are written in standard form

32. 199600000 years ago. Example The Jurassic Age began
Standard Form
Example
The Jurassic Age began
years ago.
Write this in standard form.

33. 199600000 years ago. Example The Jurassic Age began
Standard Form
Example
The Jurassic Age began
years ago.
Write this in standard form. 8
1.996
x 10

34. Write this in standard form.
Question 1
The Earth is miles from
the Sun.
Write this in standard form.
Ans:
9.3 x miles 7

35. The average bucket of sand contains 3 180 000 000 grains of sand.
Standard Form
Question 2
The average bucket of sand contains
grains of sand.
Write this in standard form.
Ans:
3.18 x 10 grains 9

36. Converting from standard form to normal form
Example
Anglesey has rock that is
2.6 × 109 years old.
Write this number out in full.
Ans:
2.6 =

37. Write this in normal form.
Standard Form
Question 3
Light travels at 3 x 108 m/s
Write this in normal form.
Ans:
m/s

38. Worldwide sales of Wii Sports have reached 8.19 x 107
Standard Form
Question 4
Worldwide sales of Wii Sports have
reached 8.19 x 107
Write this sales figure out in full.
Ans:

39. Standard Form and Calculators
If you need to use standard form in a calculations then you will need to be able to type it into your calculator
EXAMPLE
3x108
Type 3
x10x 8
Your calculator may be different. You MUST get your own calculator so you can get used to it

40. Standard Form 1. Convert these numbers into normal form.
a) x 103 b) x 104 c) x 102 d) x 106
e) x 102 f) x g) x 103
2. Convert these numbers into standard form.
a) b) c) d)
e) f) g) 765
3. Convert these numbers into normal form.
a)  b)  10-8 c)  10-5
d)  e) 9  f)  10-9
4. Convert these numbers to standard form.
a) b) c)
d) e) f)
Calculate, giving answers in standard form,
(3.45   10-6)   
(2.31  105   10-3)

41. Standard Form

42. Standard Form
Hint: v = f x λ

43. Standard Form
Hint: v = f x λ