Examiners get tough with maths students

After several relatively painless papers last week, the examiners decided to get tough yesterday with the second maths exams.

The higher-level paper was described as "tricky" and "time-consuming", but teachers were more troubled by the level of difficulty at ordinary level.

Many students were reported to be disappointed by the paper, which placed a heavy emphasis on algebra. This emphasis has also been noticeable in the higher-level papers this year.

While last year's chief examiner noted "serious deficiencies" in algebra, including an "inability to factorise properly", this comment was made in the context of higher level, not ordinary level.

Maria Kelly, ASTI representative in Bishopstown, Co Cork, commenting on the ordinary-level paper, said: "There was a big emphasis on algebra, when this paper normally focuses on geometry and trigonometry.

"There were lots of Xs and Ys all over the paper," she said. The other problem was that section (a) in many questions proved very difficult.

"The (a) section of most questions is normally relatively straightforward and settles the candidate down. But in this paper the section (a) parts were often very challenging," she said. The section (a) questions were also broken into two parts, which posed difficulties, Kelly added.

She said question 6 had a "higher-level flavour" to it. "It was a probability question, but it was one of those you either grasped or you didn't and it certainly would have tested the weaker student."

She said question 11 (b) involved too many fractions and numbers in the millions. "It was defintely tougher than the first paper, a lot tougher, but I have seen worse in other years," she said.

John Evans, in Mount Temple school in Dublin, said the paper was "lengthy and very testing".

According to Evans: "Students reported that the linear programming question was difficult. This question dealt with building bungalows and semi-detached houses, and the student's difficulties probably arose from trying to set up the inequalities using land areas which were given as fractions of a hectare.

"There was no bungalow bliss today," he joked.

In terms of higher level, he said it was a "solid structured paper".

Teacher Cammie Gallagher of St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co Galway, said the higher-level paper was "extremely fair and well-laid out".

Many students who had dropped dwon to ordinainary level may have got more than they bargained for. Another difficulty was with the ordinary-level paper was tat some questions looked for short answers.

Kelly said" Some just wanted a one line answer, so students would find it hard to pick up marks for general work".

Evans said the foundation paper was "testing" but gave comprehensive coverage of the course.

"The well preparedstudent will do well at this paper" he said.