Maths A Level Exam Assessment Query

[MeeAndYoo]

Hi. My DS has his A Level mocks coming up and he recently did a sample paper (Edexcel), which I marked for him. The instructions on the front of the paper say answers should be given to 3 significant figures, unless otherwise stated. DS didn't notice this so some of his answers weren't in 3 sig figs. Appropriate rounding wasn't mentioned explicitly in the marking scheme criteria for the paper, though it did mean that his answers didn't exactly match the answers in the scheme. He thinks this isn't important, but I think it possibly is and he may lose marks for it. Who is right? And if I'm right is there a document I can point him to which clarifies it?

Just answering as there was no answer yet, but I dont have the answer!
From the mark schemes I've seen at GCSE for maths and further maths he would drop one mark per question where not correctly rounded, but that's always been explicitly stated in the mark schemes I've seen (not Edexcel).
Might be one to ask the college how they interpret it as they'll be marking the mocks. If all exam answers are to be given to 3sf I'd have assumed that would have been drilled into them and been the standard for what they do in class.

He may be penalised if his answer is less accurate than three sig figs, e.g. if the answer is 0.0785 and he gives 0.1 or 0.08.

He won’t usually be penalised if he is more accurate.