Maths poses no serious problems

A question on Pythagorus's theorem was greeted with relish by Junior Certificate students when they opened their maths exam yesterday morning. They diligently answered questions on co-ordinate geometry, trigonometry, irrational numbers and currency exchange rates, and there were no serious obstacles posed by any of the questions, according to a number of teachers. Mr Mark Slocum, a maths teacher at CBS Youghal in Co Cork, said students were generally happy with paper 2 in both higher and ordinary level. "There were no problems," he said. Students were pleased and some felt that the higher level was "easier than last year". And they were "very happy" with question 4 on Pythagoras's theorem, he said.

The question on the ordinary level about exchange rates was "topical at the moment" and should have posed few difficulties for students who would have been "half-expecting it", he felt. Another topical question, question 2 about a leather football, involved calculating the internal radius of the circle. This may have confused some students and put them off, he said. There were some difficult parts in both papers but nothing that students could not handle, he felt. He said the trigonometery question on the higher-level paper was "straightforward". It has been more difficult in other years, he added. Mr John McKeon, TUI subject representative and a teacher at Maynooth Post Primary School, Co Kildare, also said there "was no negative reaction to either paper".

Parts of question 4 on the ordinary level, which quizzed students about an irrational number, were "very testing". On the higher level, he said the theorems that came up "were rewarding for children who had learned them". Mr McKeon said he liked the first question on the higher level. Students would have had to read the first part of question 2 "very carefully" because it was "quite testing".

Ms Eileen Scanlon, ASTI subject representative and a teacher at Salerno Secondary School in Galway, also said the higher paper was "a lovely paper with no surprises". She felt it should "encourage students who might otherwise be discouraged". The questions were interesting, she said.

She said the paper included a few "testing" questions but was very satisfactory. She praised the structure of the last question, which was split into a, b and c sections - with the first part acting as "an aperitif" leading students into the harder parts. This question "required a high level of spatial ability and it was a beautifully presented question". Each part tested different skills, she said. This type of structure relaxes the students, she finds. "I applaud this type of question and hope for more in the future," she said.