Can i pass a maths GCSE in ten weeks?

[Hullabalooo]

I'm applying to do a social work Masters in September and through this process have realised that the crappy grade E in GCSE maths i got back in 1989 is not going to cut it. So to be accepted i need to retake the exam and get a C or grade 4/5 by the time I start the course this autumn 2019. Or I can't do the course.

I've only just found out. Is this possible?

I've always been rubbish at maths and the thought of this fills me with horror. Especially as simultaneously my EA ex is taking me to court to try to get custody of DC (not did any reason other than control. I'm a good mum so that's not the issue). I know the sensible thing would be to just wait a year and apply but I'm set on starting this year.

I'm sick of being self employed. I want a proper job and to earn some decent money and make a difference and I'd be really good at it. So i have to do this GCSE now.

Please give me ideas about what I can do to pass in the time available!

Good luck OP! I’m impressed by your work ethic!

Also whilst I’m sure your tutor will have covered this, do remember to clearly spell out your workings as you will normally only get a small portion of the marks for giving the correct answer by itself.

Also usual exam technique stuff of making sure you pace yourself, give yourself time to get through all the paper, move on it you are really stuck and come back and ideally 5-10 mins at the end to read through it and identify mistakes.

Some of the questions specify how to show your answer, eg in 2 significant figures or in standard form. Even if you don't know the answer put down any number in the form it states and you'll get 1 mark for it.

DD has her exam on Tuesday too. She's missed 3 years of school as she has ME and has only been well enough to be home tutored in Maths since January. She also just needs to pass, so DH (a teacher) has been studying the mark scheme and where to get the soft marks.

Good luck!

Are you doing AQA or Edexcel?

If AQA, never leave a multiple choice question blank even if you don't know the answer.

The papers start off easy, gradually getting harder.
Don't spend too long on one mark questions and if a question is worth 5 marks then make sure you answer it as fully as you can.
Don't cross anything out if you give up on a question, you may still get method marks.
Use a black pen for writing, pencil for drawing and ruler for straight lines. This sounds obvious but I know a student's who got a U for not doing his exam in pen.

I second the suggestion of going to onmaths to do a practice paper as it marks it for you as you go along.

You need to learn all the formulae for area of rectilinear shapes and circles. Remember that a triangle is half a rectangle so the area will be half a rectangle too.
Two trapezia make a parallelogram which so the area is half the sum of their parallel sides times the perpendicular height.

Think of mnemonics to help you remember formulae and methods.

Circumference = pi * D
Cherry Pie's Delicious

Area = pi*r^2
Apple pies are too

Dividing fractions: KFC
Keep - the first fraction stays the same
Flip - the second fraction so that it becomes the reciprocal
Change - the ➗sign into ✖️.

Have a google for breakfast warm up revision mats by Jo Morgan. The idea is that you do them in the morning of the exam to get you into maths mode. The answers are in the back so you can quickly go over them once you've attempted the questions.

I hope it goes well.

Someone upthread suggested looking up topics you haven't covered.

At this stage, I would just concentrate on the topics you are good at.
If it is topics like trigonometry then I wouldn't bother as the amount of time it takes to learn it is not worth the 2 or 3 marks if you get it all right. Last year, not one question on trig appeared in the foundation paper.

If it's standard form and you're already good at multiplying and dividing by powers of 10, and understand the rules of indices, then go for it.

You're all brilliant! Thanks so much.

I've been at it all day. Going to stop and have a rest and so some more after dinner. My brain hurts 🤯

I'm doing Edexcel iGcse

Anything maths related I can listen to in the bath?

Good luck to your daughter @bonnevacances hope she aces it!

No maths knowledge to impart, just be organised, calm and efficient.
Good luck!!

Don't have any maths audio things, but I think you'v earned your bath without further maths distractions!

Have you see these papers here

The answers and model solutions are provided as files too.

Also know your definitions on types of numbers and types of sequences:
Square
Cube
Integer
Factor including hcf
Multiple including lcm
Prime
Linear sequence
Geometric progression
Triangular

These are easy marks if you can provide examples of each type.

My top tip is, anything you are pushed remember like formula or rules, write them down on the exam paper before you look at the question. Takes a few mins but saves you a panic later.

Good luck OP.

No tips here but I just want to say OP I think you are brilliant and am wishing you all the luck!

Good on you op. I'm doing something similar for the same reasons as you and I had a rubbish gcse maths result which has held me back a bit.

Best of luck

Good luck!

Thanks everyone. Still revising like crazy! Up at 6am to drive to exam venue. Wish me luck. I really bloody need it!

And good luck to anyone else doing theirs!

Good luck!

Holding my thumbs for you

Only just read your post but wanted to wish you good luck!

Can you do a level 2 equivalent? It's much easier and usually accepted in these situations.

Good luck today!

Khan academy online explains each of the concepts really clearly. I can recommend it.
Also Bbc bitesize.