Melbourne CBD Tutors

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Solve for following equation
Hope you wont have the SAME FEELING once you
receive your exam result during DEC!!
A) 20 B) 16 C) 15 D) 14
E) 13
Average
Above Average
Outstanding
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VCE / IB Maths A exam Tips and Strategies
By Ricky Liu
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Who is Mr. Ricky Liu

• 10 years of VCE / IB teaching experience in
  Victorian day schools.
• Experienced as a VCE Maths Method and Specialist
  Maths examiner.
• CEO of R.L Tuition Center.
• Director of a TAFE College.

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What Are we going to cover today?

• How to achieve EXCELLENT results in the exam.
• Its a long process
• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5

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WHY students struggle during the exam

• Lack of preparation and time management skills.
• Wrong Method trying to memorise questions from
  textbook, note, past exam papers.
• Every problem / question is different.(There are
  no patterns! )
• Trying to MEMORISE FAIL .
• Make sure you understand the meaning of the word
  UNDERSTAND
• Poor self-monitoring skill immature
  attitudes .

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How to get EXCELLENT results

• 5 Steps
• Use CORRECT structure when solving problems.
• Use proper Revision Skill.
• Time Management ( Before exam During exam )
• Only 4 months to go!
• Practise , practise and practise!
• Correct Mind-Set Self-monitoring

92 of the pervious RL students who achieved 90
ATAR or 7 in IB have followed these.
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Steps 1 Correct structure for solving problems

• Refer each question to a correct topic ( textbook
  / your note / RL note)
• Ask yourself, what have I learnt in that topic?
• Always have a plan about how to solve the
  question before you start.
• Never use your feelings to solve problem.
• Try to explain to / guide yourself when solving
  each exam question.
• Keep talking to yourself!
• Break down a BIG question into small parts, and
  solve each step separately.
• Understand the definition of HARD question.
• What is a HARD question?
• You dont understand what the question is asking?
• You cant interpret the information provided to
  you in the question?

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Eg VCE Maths Method Unit 3 4
3 SAC Unit 3 17
Unit 4 17
Exam 1 (40 Marks) 22 Exam 2 (80 Marks) 44
10 - 11 Questions multiple-choice questions (22 Marks) 4 Extended (58 Marks)
5 Easy 4 Modulate 2 Hard 10 Easy 8 Modulate 4 Hard Sub question a, b, c Easy last 2 sub question Hard
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Step 2 Revision Skill
Look at the different names of each chapter on
the index and ask yourself what have I learnt
in this topic?
example you are revising for maths method right
now and you are up to the topic of inverse
function. For Yr10 or below Linear Equation
what ideas have jumped into your mind?
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INVERSE FUNCTIONS
How about the next two points
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Linear Equation

• y mxc (m gradient , c y-int )

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Step 3a Time Management (During exam)

• I ran out of time!.. Why?
• Lack of practice.
• Relay too much on calc or not familiar with your
  calc.
• Not familiar with the index and concepts.
• Cant refer the question to the specific topic
• Using wrong method e.g over using quotient rule,
  not using the information provided in the
  question.
• Not using the READING TIME properly!

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How to use your 15 mins reading time Exam 2

• Use at least 10 mins to read through the Extend
  Response questions.
• Read with a calm attitude. Understand all the
  story and information provided in each question.
• Familiarize yourself with the questions by
  linking them back to a specific topic.
• After this 15mins you should have a rough idea
  which part of the question you can handle and
  which sub-questions are hard
• Well-managed reading time prevents you from
  running out of time.
• Keep your eyes on the clock, try to finish what
  you can do within the first 100mins. ( 70mins for
  Application part, 30mins for 22 MC )

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Skill to answer each question During the Exam?

• Make sure you know how many marks each question
  or sub-question is worth!
• Set up your solution structure by referring to
  the marks.
• One mark question answer mark only.
• Answers are less important than STEPS and
  structures.
• Who is going to read / mark your exam?
• Clear steps better score and less careless
  mistakes!
• For questions worth more than one mark,
  consequential marks will be given for each
  correct step even with a wrong answer.

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Skill to answer each question During the Exam?
(continued.)

• Dealing with easy or moderate level questions.
• Think about the relevant topic(s).
• Ask yourself what did I learn in that topic?.
• Avoid the careless mistakes!
• Dealing with the Hard question.
• Clear understanding of what is being asked and
  pick up the information provided by the question.
  
• Read the question again, again and again!
• A quick check before the next question..e.g
• Is the question asking for exact value or 2
  decimal places?
• Unit ? Correct unit i.e hrs or mins?
• Did you fully answer the current question?

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Lets Try it! 2 typical hard questions
What is being ask?
The information provided by the question are
indirect
A. -2 B. 2 C. - 3
D. 3 E. 0.5
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Step 3B Time Management (Before exam)

• Plan your own monthly / weekly / daily TIMELINE
  TIMETABLE from today until the day before the
  exam.
• Try to follow it! At least you will know if you
  are behind.
• Practise , practise and practise!
• At least 20 exam papers (paper 12) for each
  subject.
• Start doing past exam papers during term 2 break!
• Start from year 2013, 2 3 exams per week
• Finish the whole paper under exam conditions.
• Follow the reading time the writing time.
• If you are stuck on a Hard question, go over
  your notes or RL notes, before seeking help or
  checking the solution.
• Create a My Mistake Collection booklet.
• Copy down all the mistakes that you have made.
• Revise all the mistakes your have made 1 week
  before your exam.

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Special Tips for you (Steps 4 and 5)

• Understand yourself / your personality
• There is No miracles
• Dont lie to yourself!
• After exam, people say I dont care!
• Study in Library! ( Purpose ? )
• Lots of temptation during study!
• Set up an alarm, snooze every 15mins while
  studying.
• Make yourself motivated
• Youve studied 12 yrs for this upcoming exam.
• High ATAR A chance to choose your course and
  your dream
• 4 more months of HARD work 3 months of CRAZY
  WILD holiday.
• Set up a reward / bigger temptation, discuss with
  your parent!

(Excuse for loser)
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Good luck to all of you.

• 4 useful gifts from RL Tuition.

Work Hard, Play Hard
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