Preparing for the
2011 HSC
MATHEMATICS
EXAM
Acknowledgements

Cath Whalan, Mathematics Head Teacher
Hornsby Girls High School for her
contributions to this PowerPoint.
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Overview
The Syllabus
 Draft Performance Bands
 Useful resources for mathematics
 Exam instructions and equipment
 Overview of the marking process
 Examiners’ comments
 How to study for mathematics
 Using the Standards Package

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THE SYLLABUS
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The Syllabus

A complete copy of the syllabus is
available from the Board of Studies
website: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

Up to 20% of the HSC examination paper
may be based on the Preliminary course
so you need to revise the whole course
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To access
the HSC
mathematics
syllabus click
here
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
(accessed 9/8/2011)
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Click on M for
Mathematics
Click here
Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre,
Mathematics & Numeracy
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Access the
syllabus and
other
materials
here for 2011
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/mathematics-advanced.html (accessed 28/9/2011)
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Syllabus Outline
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PERFORMANCE BANDS
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Access the
Mathematics
performance
band
descriptions here
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/mathematics-advanced.html accessed 27/9/2011
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DRAFT PERFORMANCE BANDS MATHEMATICS
The typical performance in this band:
90
80
70
60
50
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Draft Performance Descriptors

Which band best describes your
performance now?

Which band are you aiming to achieve in
the HSC?

What do you need to do to achieve this?
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Innovation Centre
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Table of Standard Integrals

Make sure you
are confident
with using the
table of
Standard
Integrals
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RESOURCES
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Useful resources for Mathematics

Your mathematics teacher, any mathematics
teacher, your friends, older brothers or sisters.

School assessment task exams.

Your own class notes and summaries.

NSW Mathematics Stage 6 Syllabus Outline

HELP EACH OTHER – you learn the most when
you can teach it to someone else
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Useful resources for
Mathematics



Board of Studies website
www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
2001 - 2009 HSC exam paper & Notes from the
Marking Centre
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exam
s/papers.html
2010 HSC exam paper, Notes from the Marking
Centre, Marking guidelines & sample answers
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exam
s/hsc2010exams/#m
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Useful resources for
Mathematics

NSW BOS HSC Exam Workbook Mathematics
This workbook is designed to help you prepare
for the HSC Mathematics exam. The workbook
consists of the 2010 exam and study resources,
including:
 marking guidelines
 marker feedback
 top-scoring student answers.
Available from the eBOS Shop Online for $15.40
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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Useful resources for
Mathematics

HSC examination timetable
In 2011, the Mathematics exam is
on Monday 24 October
9.25 am to 12.30 pm
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/events/pdf_doc/hsc-timetable-2011.pdf
accessed 27/9/11
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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Useful resources for
Mathematics

NSW HSC Online website www.hsc.csu.edu.au
This website provides study strategies, tutorials
in more than 40 HSC subjects, references, links
to useful websites and other important materials
for HSC students and teachers.
It is hosted by Charles Sturt University and
maintained by the NSW Department of
Education and Communities.
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http://hsc.csu.edu.au/ Accessed 2/9/2011
Click on this link.
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http://hsc.csu.edu.au/maths/ Accessed 2/9/2011
Click on this link.
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http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/glossary_keywords.html (accessed 28/9/2011)
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APPLY
SKETCH
CALCULATE
STATE
DEDUCE
KEY WORDS
MATHEMATICS
SHOW
EVALUATE
PROVE
FIND
SOLVE
JUSTIFY
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Useful resources for Mathematics
http://studentsonline.bos.nsw.edu.au/go/tips/study_tips_and_materials/
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
(accessed 28/9/2011)
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Useful resources for
Mathematics

HSC Advice Line (Phone: 13 11 12).

A telephone information service for students
preparing for the HSC examinations.

Provides an after-hours and weekend service
leading up to and during the examination period.

The cost is a local call.

Check dates and operating times closer to the
end of term 3.
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Useful resources for
Mathematics

MANSW - Mathematical Association of NSW
(Ask you teacher if they order copies through your school)
 Red
book of Past HSC (Mathematics 2/3 Unit
common), 2001— 2009 (Mathematics) exam
papers with worked solutions
T (02) 9569 9420
E office@mansw.nsw.edu.au
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EXAM INSTRUCTIONS AND
EQUIPMENT
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HSC Mathematics exam
instructions

TOTAL MARKS = 120

10 Questions each worth 12 marks.

Reading Time - 5 minutes (work out your plan of attack!)

Working time = 3 hours (i.e. 18 minutes per question!)

Write using black or blue pen.

Board-approved calculators may be used.

A table of standard integrals is provided at the back of
the paper.
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HSC Mathematics exam
equipment



You may only take the equipment listed in the next slide
into the examination room. No other equipment is
allowed.
Any equipment brought into the examination room may
be subject to inspection before the examination
commences.
It is the student’s responsibility to supply equipment that
is in good working order. This includes calculators.
(taken from HSC Examination Timetable 2011, NSW BOS, page 3)
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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HSC Mathematics exam equipment
Students are expected to provide pens (black is
recommended), pencils and erasers, and a ruler marked
in millimetres and centimetres, for ALL EXAMINATIONS.
 Students may use a pencil sharpener and/or highlighter
pen.
For the Mathematics exam:
 A Board approved calculator (see slide 31 for details)
 A pair of compasses
 A protractor
 Set squares
 (optional) a curve drawing template
(see slide 32 for details)

(taken from HSC Examination Timetable 2011, NSW BOS, page 3)
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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HSC Mathematics exam calculator

In the Mathematics HSC examination students are
permitted to use Board-approved calculators.
A Board-approved calculator is one that appears on
the Board’s 2011 HSC list of approved scientific
calculators. This list can be found at:
www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exam
s/calculators.html
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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HSC Mathematics exam curve drawing template



Students may take into the HSC mathematics
examination templates for drawing curves and
geometrical figures, measuring, constructing etc.
Such templates may contain equations of simple
curves (eg y=x², y=sin x, y=1/x) that can be
drawn using the template, and decimal
approximations (eg for pi, e), but no other
printed formulae (eg sine rule, cosine rule,
quadratic formulae, area and volume formulae).
Acceptable templates include Mathomat,
Mathomat Senior and Mathaid (Non Formulae).
(taken from HSC Examination Timetable 2011, NSW BOS, page 2)
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Mathematics & Numeracy
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HSC MARKING PROCESS
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An overview of the marking process
for the HSC Mathematics exam

Each of the TEN questions is marked by a
team of ten experienced maths teachers two Senior Markers and eight markers.
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An overview of the marking process
for the HSC Mathematics exam

MARKING GUIDELINES, developed by the
examination committee, are given for all
questions – these guidelines indicate the
process for which marks will be allocated.

PART MARKS for each question are awarded
according to the guidelines.
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An overview of the marking process
for the HSC Mathematics exam

HALF MARKS are never used –full marks may
be awarded before the correct numerical answer
is reached

TRANSCRIPTION ERRORS (which do not
make the question easier) are not penalised.
(incorrect substitution into a formula is NOT
a transcription error)
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EXAMINER’S COMMENTS
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

SHOW substitutions and working out clearly—
marks are allocated for the PROCESS and the
answer, not just the answer.

Watch the number of MARKS allocated to each
part of the question — don’t write half a page of
explanation for 1 mark!
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

Take CARE—make sure you recall the
FORMULA correctly — marks lost from careless
errors are as ‘expensive’ as marks lost by not
doing the more difficult questions.

You have to WRITE the CORRECT FORMULA
and SUBSTITUTE correctly into it in order to be
awarded a mark.
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

When PROVING or SHOWING a given result,
check that your answer is the SAME as the
result given in the paper!

CORRECT answers from INCORRECT working
are not awarded marks - if you have made a
mistake, fix the error in EVERY line of working don’t fudge!
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

LINK parts of a question—If (a) has parts (i) and
(ii), often using the result in (i) makes answering
(ii) easier.

If a question has multiple parts, check that
you have answered the question in the
CORRECT part.
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics



Draw large, clear DIAGRAMS in pencil—about
1/3 a page is a good size and mark on it all
given information.
Use your diagram to PLAN your response (if you
think it, write it on your diagram)
If drawing axes, use a RULER, start the
horizontal axis on a line and mark off points
EVENLY.
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

READ the question carefully and UNDERLINE
key points.

Check at the end of each part that you have
ANSWERED THE QUESTION THAT WAS
ASKED.
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

Write working out CLEARLY—some students
can’t read their own writing, so markers have
some difficulty awarding marks. (i.e. ‘r’ & ‘n’ & ‘x’
often look similar, as do 5 & 8 and 4 & 9)

Read the question carefully — watch for
KEYWORDS
e.g. 3 significant figures.
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Examiners’ comments HSC Mathematics
Use NOTATION and TERMINOLOGY correctly.
Some syllabus outcomes:
 H9 - communicates using mathematical language,
notation, diagrams and graphs
 HE7 - evaluates mathematical solutions to
problems and communicates them in an
appropriate form
 E9 - communicates abstract ideas and
relationships using appropriate notation and
logical argument
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

Keep an eye on the TIME—don’t spend so
long on the early questions you don’t get
to Q10!

Remember Q2 is not as difficult as Q10 —
don’t look for trouble!
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

When using a CALCULATOR, don’t round off
too early and watch for radians/degrees.

Check that your answer is REASONABLE.
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics

If you make a mistake, just put a LINE
THROUGH it—NEVER use liquid paper.

A note on multiple attempts of a question...
YOU GET TO ATTEMPT A QUESTION
ONCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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More than one attempt on a question worth 2 marks
CORRECT
Award 2
INCORRECT
Award 0
Subtract 1 mark for multiple attempt..........Award 1
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More than one attempt on a question worth 2 marks
CORRECT
Award 2
INCORRECT
Award 0
Ignore incorrect as it is crossed out......Award 2
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More than one attempt on a question worth 2 marks
CORRECT
Award 2
INCORRECT
Award 0
Subtract 1 mark for crossing out correct response ........Award 1
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Examiners’ comments
HSC Mathematics
When showing maximum/minimum/concavity,
NO FUDGING is allowed.
X
dy d 2 y
/ 2
dx dx
You
must
indicate
these
You must SHOW
substitutions, not
just write: >, < etc.
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HOW TO STUDY
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How to study for Mathematics

Practise doing questions from textbooks, study
guides, other schools’ Trial HSC’s

Learn your formulas

Do past HSC papers – the more the better!

Correct your work – ask for help
Just Do It !!!
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2002 HSC Mathematics exam
question practice

Do the solutions for Question 1 – we will
then have a look at the marking guidelines
and see how you went!
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2002 HSC Mathematics Question 1
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Using the 2002 Standards Package

Exemplar solutions are given in the 2002
Standards Package

Use them to mark your solutions for
Question 1
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Innovation Centre
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Exemplar sample
Question 1(a), (b) and (c).
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Using the Marking Guidelines

Marking Guidelines are given on the BOS
website for all past HSCs

These guidelines are used by
HSC markers
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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Exemplar sample
Question 1(d), (e)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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Exemplar sample for Question 1(f)
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Notes from the Marking Centre

The markers comments for the past HSCs
are available on the BOS website are

Let’s look at the comments for 2002
Question 1
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2002 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre - Mathematics
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Using the 2002 Standards Package

The following are student work samples
for students at the band cut offs for parts
of Q1 on the 2002 HSC.

What do you notice?
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 5 / 6 Cut-off Question 1 (a), (b) & (c)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 5 / 6 Cut-off Question 1 (d) & (e)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 5 / 6 Cut-off Question 1 (f)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 3 / 4 Cut-off Question 1 (a), (b) & (c)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 3 / 4 Cut-off Question 1 (d) & (e)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 3 / 4 Cut-off Question 1 (f)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 1 / 2 Cut-off Question 1 (a), (b) & (c)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 1 / 2 Cut-off Question 1 (d) & (e)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Band 1 / 2 Cut-off Question 1 (f)
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2002 HSC Mathematics Exam

Do the solutions for Question 6 – we will
then have a look at the marking guidelines
and see how you went!
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2002 HSC Mathematics Question 6
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2002 HSC Mathematics Question 6
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Using the Marking Guidelines

Marking Guidelines are given on the BOS
website for all past HSCs

These guidelines are used by
HSC markers
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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2002 HSC Mathematics Marking Guidelines
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Using the 2002 Standards Package

Exemplar solutions are given in the 2002
Standard Package

Use them to mark your solutions for
Question 6

To see samples of the band cut-offs,
check the standards package
at your school
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Exemplar Sample Question 6(a)
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Exemplar Sample Question 6(b)(i)
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Exemplar Sample Question 6(b)(ii)
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Exemplar Sample Question 6(b)(ii) & (iii)
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Exemplar Sample Question 6(c)
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2002 Notes from the Marking Centre

The markers comments for the past HSCs
are available on the BOS website

Let’s look at the comments for Question 6
2002
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2002 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre - Mathematics
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2011 HSC Mathematics Exam
ENJOY!!
May You Get the Marks You Deserve!!
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