38 HERALD SUN, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013
AU
VCE EXAM GUIDE
Further mathematics
Gary Motteram tells you how to see the bigger picture and avoid pitfalls
F
or Further
Mathematics, the
examinable content,
and the structure of the
exams, has remained
essentially unchanged since
2006.
That said, it is interesting
to note that examiners still
nd new ways each year
to challenge, and in some
cases better, the study and
revision practices of many
students.
Lets face it, the study
design has a nite amount
of content on which
questions can be based,
and each year examiners
provide advice and
guidance to students to
better inform their exam
preparation. Students are
also permitted a bound
reference of their choice
for both exams. So why
is it, that questions arise
every year that manage to
confound many students?
For example, in last
years Examination 1,
in the core and each of
modules 1 and 6, there
were two questions that
were correctly answered
by fewer than 50% of
students; in each of the
other modules there were
three questions that were
correctly answered by fewer
than 50% of students. In
Examination 2, all areas of
study had some questions
where the average mark
was less than 50%. The
sidebox highlights an
Examination 1 question
from 2012 that was
correctly answered by only
Specialist Maths
Elizabeth Burns offers tips for revision
y now we are well into
B Term 3 and many classes
will be aiming to nish
the course by Week 8 of this
term. You will be extremely
familiar with the areas of
study in this course, which
are Functions, relations and
graphs; Algebra; Calculus;
Vectors and Mechanics.
Your teacher will provide a plan
for your revision, both in and
out of class, but a few pointers
are worthwhile:
1 Go to the study design at
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/pages/
vce/studies/index.aspx. As
you work through a topic, use
the areas of study section to
ensure that you are familiar with
the language used in each of
the dot points, and then check
that you have understand
and can use each of the
key knowledge and key skill
descriptors.
2 Examination 1 contains
short-answer and some
extended response questions
covering all areas of study in
relation to Outcome 1. The skill
required here is the ability to
apply explain key terms and
concepts, and apply a range
of mathematical routines and
procedures without the use of
technology. This means that
you must be able to sketch
graphs, differentiate and
A trend line was tted to a deseasonalised set of quarterly sales
data for 2012. The seasonal indices for quarters 1, 2 and 3 are given
in the table below. The seasonal index for quarter 4 is not shown.
Quarter number 1 2
Seasonal index 1.2 0.7 0.8
The equation of the trend line is
deseasonalised sales = 256,000 + 15,600 X quarter number
Using this trend line, the actual sales for
quarter 4 in 2012 are predicted to be closest
A. $222,880 C. $318,400
B. $244,923 D. $382,080
41% of students.
This question, and all of
the other poorly answered
questions over the years,
did not require any
knowledge or skills beyond
the study design, and
related to concepts that
have been regularly tested
over the years. Surely, a
comprehensive bound
reference would come
to the rescue for these
questions?
Let us explore why this
approach falls down.
In the Assessment
Reports, particularly for
Examination 2 which
requires written answers,
examiners regularly
emphasise key reasons why
students fail to correctly
answer questions. Several
of these relate to what
are called engagement
problems whereby
students fail to show
working out, incorrectly
round answers, and
inadequately interpret
the meaning of solutions.
Why cant a great bound
integrate, solve equations
and all the other skills listed,
by hand. The VCAA Exam
Assessment Reports from
past years suggest that many
students are not sufciently
practiced in these areas. A
constant comment is the lack
of ability to know when, and
then how, to use the chain
and product rules, suggesting
possibly too much reliance on
technology.
3 Examination 2 focuses
on all three outcomes, with a
focus on Outcome 2 which
emphasises the application
of the knowledge and skills in
general cases and non-routine
contexts. Examiners have
commented on issues with
lack of clarity with answers,
poor use of vector notation,
confusion with units, and a
general inability to read the
question carefully.
4 Make sure that responses
are clear and readable. Many
students write in pencil, and
this is often difcult to read. Ask
you parents or someone other
than your teacher can they read
your responses, and not just
in daylight. If there is an issue,
then switch to pen. If you make
a mistake, this can be crossed
out neatly and easily when
written in pen.
3 4
E. $413,920
reference ensure that such
problems are avoided?
Firstly, a few quotes
from the 2012 Assessment
Report for Examination 2.
Failure to read the
question carefully cost
many students marks.
Some students did
not understand that this
question required
many students did
not follow the instructions
Its clear from these
comments, and others,
that a signicant cause
of incorrect answers, is a
failure to read and clearly
interpret the requirements
of the question. Students
are frequently attempting
to answer what they think
the question is asking,
rather than what it is
asking.
It would be glib to simply
say that students need
to read the questions
carefully, taking note of key
words and phrases, before
launching into the solution
process. Surely, students
5 Once you are condent
with the content and skills,
make sure that you practise
a number of papers under
examination conditions.
The average marks for each
question as recorded in the
examiners reports suggest that
many students do not nish
the papers. Marks attained for
the last question are invariably
lower than those earlier on in
the paper. This could be due to
the fact that sometimes the nal
questions are more difcult but
this is not necessarily the case.
Allocate time carefully and
move on to the next question
when faced with a time-
consuming difculty rather miss
out on marks on a later section
of the paper.
6 Sound mental and by hand
algebraic skills are essential for
success in mathematics, and
no less so here. Students need
to know how to use technology
judiciously and effectively. Do
not take shortcuts, and use
brackets wherever possible.
7 When looking at multiple-
choice questions, work out
what error the distractors are
focusing on. This will sharpen
your skill at focusing on the
correct answer.
are trying to do the best
they can, so why do new
wordings and presentations
of old questions fool so
many?
This quote from the
previously mentioned
Assessment Report
provides an insight.
Many unacceptable
answers seemed to be
direct excerpts from notes.
This suggests, and
it is supported by the
experience of many Further
Mathematics teachers,
that many students
believe that a patchy or
supercial understanding
of the skills and knowledge
can be papered over by
an encyclopaedic bound
reference that contains
denitions, worked
examples, previous exams,
and whatever else can be
added - just in case.
The student who did well
on a Further Mathematics
exam solely because he/
she had a good bound
reference does not exist.
Nothing can replace sound
and thorough content
knowledge .
So how can this help
you prepare for this years
examinations?
By all means, prepare
a bound reference. Most
likely, however, the act of
effectively producing a
reference reduces reliance
on it. Its easy to write and
collate the things that you
already know. How do you
write down the things that
you dont know? Imagine
how you might fare on an
Looking at Question 9 Examination 1 2012 may
serve to illustrate some of these issues.
Q9 The position of a particle at any time t is given by
r(t)=(2 t 2+2t 2)i +(2 t 2+2+2t) j
~ ~
a Find the velocity of the particle at any time t.
Obviously, we need to differentiate and I suggest that you write the expression with
indices prior to doing so. This will help identify the need for the chain rule
r(t)=(2(t 2+2) t 2)i +(2(t 2+2)+2t) j
~ ~
Now differentiating:
1 1
v(t)=(2X 2 (t 2+2) X2t2t)i +(2X 2 (t 2 +2) X2t+2) j
~ ~
and tidying up carefully
2t
2t)i +(
~
v(t)=(
~ ~
t 2+2
b Find the speed of the particle when t = 1 in the form c
where a, b and c are positive integers.
We have the velocity when t=1
2 2
v(1)=( 2)i +( +2) j
~ 3 ~ 3 ~
Be very careful expanding this use as many lines as you need so that you
dont make silly mistakes. And remember that (a+b) 2 =a 2+2ab +b 2
Rationalising each bracket
and then expanding gives
Elizabeth Burns is a member of the MAV Council.
HERALD SUN, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013
examination on quantum
mechanics, or some other
unfamiliar area, even with a
wheelbarrow full of relevant
texts and references. Time
spent on producing your
bound reference should
be kept to a judicious
minimum, so that more
time can be allocated to
other revision and study
activities.
A much better use of
time is working through
previous examinations.
They are a good guide to
what you can expect this
year. However, do not just
add the questions with
which you struggled to
your bound reference. A
worked example in your
bound reference is unlikely
to provide a guide to
answering a new question,
unless you have a good
understanding of the
underlying knowledge and
skills. Take it as a challenge
to master that content;
research that particular
concept (its not surprising
that the Internet is loaded
with Further Mathematics
resources, including
excellent YouTube videos),
and ask your teacher for
additional explanations.
Its part of the learning
process.
Compare how your
generation adapts and
masters new technology to
how most senior citizens
struggle with manuals and
how to guides, without
ever really getting it. A
young persons advice to
them would be to just dive
EXAM DETAILS
For full details and timetables for examinations in Further Maths, Specialist Maths and Mathematical
Methods (CAS) go to www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/exams/timetable.aspx#written
~ When t = 1,
~ 1 3
~ ~ ~
2t
+2) j
t 2+2
a b
Hence the speed at this time is
v(1) = ( 2 2) 2 +( 2+2) 2
~ 6
3 3
2 eg (x+sin(x))dx .
2 24
Speed =
3 126 3+12+6 3 =
HERALDSUN.COM.
43
VCE EXAM GUIDE
Mathematical
in, do it, play and explore,
and develop mastery
through a lot of small
steps. And then the bigger
picture will unfold.
The same is true of
methods (CAS)
your studies in Further
Mathematics. A bound
Maree Granger says top preparation is key to success
reference manual or how
to guide is unlikely to round 16,000 students and capability with these and the areas that were of do. When you come across
provide the understanding
needed to see the larger
picture: to understand
A will undertake
Mathematical
Methods (CAS)
assessments.
However, attempting the
past examination papers
general concern.
Seek feedback by asking
your teacher to mark and
an unfamiliar concept
or technique; stop. Go
back to your notes, your
what examiners are examinations in November. is just the beginning of the comment on your solutions. text book or your teacher
asking in each question, That is a lot of competition! process. Once you have Sample solutions can be until you have a thorough
to understand what is an However, with the right completed the exam, your accessed from various understanding of all skills,
appropriate answer, or in preparation, a keen student next task is to read the sources if you require more concepts and techniques.
other words, to get it. can be competitive and can VCAA Exam Assessment detailed working than that As you gain condence,
Dive into past papers, excel. Reports. Not only can contained in the VCAA attempt the exams
but also explore a wide The single most you check your answers, Exam Assessment Report. under the relevant exam
range of other approaches. important aspect of but you can discover the When attempting your conditions for Examination
Discuss problem questions your preparation is the common mistakes that rst practice exams, do 1 and Examination 2
with your friends, try to completion of past and students made, the average so under open book and You are ready for the
explain to them how to do practice examinations. mark awarded in each untimed conditions. Use real thing!
a question that you have The number of exams that question, the percentage the exam as a learning During the actual exams,
newly mastered. Seek you complete will directly of students who answered experience to discover your success depends on
out other questions inuence your condence each question correctly what you can and cant reading, care and checking.
that relate to those
that have caused
problems. And as
The omission of brackets can lead
the bigger picture
grows, your
READING to incorrect working, for example
CHECKING
need to rely Read every question three times: log e (x+1) written as log e x+1 and
on a bound misinterpreted in further working as Allow time to check over your
reference during reading time log e (x)+1 . 1 solutions.
will be
reduced. before attempting the question Expansions with a negative Do they make sense?
after completing your solution. sign, such as: (x8) expanded
incorrectly as x8 . Are units required?
1 Use reading time to identify
those questions that involve
Use other methods, for example,
Notation. if anti-differentiation was required,
familiar concepts and when writing 4 differentiate your answer to check.
commences, start with those
questions. Include the dx in an integral,
Answer all multiple choice
for example cos(x)dx not cos(x) 2 questions. If all else fails, make
2 Read the question to
Gary Motteram teaches
mathematics at Mentone
recognise the key words,
extract all relevant information and
f (x), f 1(x) &
1
f (x)
a reasonable guess!
Girls Grammar School to understand any instructions. are different functions. 3 Ensure sufcient working is
included. The allocated marks
For example, you may be asked
to differentiate or integrate, where
f (x) is the derivative of f, f 1(x)
is the inverse function
are a guide. A one mark question
more than one mark is available requires an answer only. A question
suitable working must be shown. If and
1
is the reciprocal function. worth multiple marks may have some
the question states hence then you f (x) method and some answer marks.
must use the previous part or parts of After undergoing a series of Therefore providing an answer only,
the question. transformations, f is no longer the will give you, at most, one mark.
same function, so use an alternative
No marks are awarded unless the notation such as g or f 1. The exam instructions state
instructions are followed. 4 where a numerical answer is
c Show that at time t = 1, dy = 1+ 3
3 After completing your solution,
sin 2 (x) means (sin(x)) 2 ; sin 1(x) is
the inverse sine function,
required, an exact answer must be
dx 1 3
read the question again to not 1
given unless otherwise specied.
Here, we can use the answer dy dy X dt dy dx
from part c and the chain rule dx = dt dx = dt / dt
ensure that you have answered
exactly what is required. Do not
engage in the problem beyond the brackets.
sin(x)
coordinates must have round
So, in Examination 2, DO NOT use
technology to convert your answer to
a decimal approximation, unless the
question states, for example, correct
dy 2 dy 2 requirements. Not only is valuable
= (1 3) and = (1+ 3) time lost but you risk being penalised to 2 decimal places.
dx 3 dt 3 5 Annotation.
for any subsequent incorrect working.
Hence dy = 2 (1+ 3) / 2 ((1 3)) Explanations are often required 5 A show that question requires
dx in solutions. For example, when suitable mathematical working.
3 3
CARE ction it is
nding the inverse function
= 1+ 3
ect to go directly
mathematically incorrect
Many mistakes that students make from y =2x 3+1 to x =2y
2 3+1. However
are due to a lack of care rather ion
including the explanation
d Find the angle in terms of between the vector than a lack of understanding of the Let y =2x 3+1. For inverse
verse function,
3 i+ j and the vector r(t) when t =0. mathematical concepts. interchange x and y, soo x =2y
2 3+1
~
At time t =0, r(0)=2 2 i + 2 2 j makes the statement correct.
Take care with:
~ ~ ~
To nd the angle, we could use the dot product Arithmetic especially
1 6 Graphs
~a ~b
cos(0)= a.b 2 computations involving
decimals, fractions, indices, Label all intercepts,
~~ logarithms. stationary points and end
but easier to draw a 1
diagram and have a look 5 /6 points with coordinates.s.
0 /4
The angle between 2 1 0 1 2 2 Algebraic manipulation Asymptotes must be e
the two vectors is ion
labelled with an equation
1
5 7 3 early
and the curve must clearly
Brackets.
ote.
approach the asymptote.
4
=
12
Brackets should be included in
When the domain is restricted,
We can see that although this problem is not difcult, expressions such as: sin(x) , log e (x)
nt section.
sketch only the relevant
there are many places where carelessness will result and integral functions involving more
in lost marks. Remember that most questions are than one term, When a grid is provided,
ded,
sequential in nature, so you are expected to use accuracy is important, so plot
previous results. points and interpolate.
3 The mathematics examinations, the path to success is
paved with completed problems. Listen to your teacher,
You have devoted two years to studying Mathematical Methods (CAS).
=
4 6 seek assistance where appropriate and good luck!
The examinations are your opportunity to show off your knowledge. Go on, show off! Good luck!
3
Maree Granger is director of student management & engagement: senior sub-school Frankston High School