The M.

K IGCSE Random Tips

(I)

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1. Since rounding issue confuse many students in math, here is the solution. Whenever you get an
answer just round it to 3 significant figures but there are exceptions:
1. Unless it was specified in the question (For example write your answer to 2 decimal places)
2. If you got angles in decimal you MUST round to 1 decimal place
3. If it’s a bound question (For example find lower/upper bound) you MUST write the same
answer in the calculator .DO NOT ROUND
4.Its BETTER to round currency values to 2 decimal places
5. Bearing:
1. If it was a 2 digit number then you must put a zero before (For example 69 ………069)
2. If it was a decimal, round then make it a 3 digit number (For Example,68.9 ………069)
3. Don’t forget the degree sign
2. For math graph curves you ALWAYS draw with your free hand. You only use a ruler in three situation:
1.If the question asked to draw a straight line graph/tangent
2. If it was a line of best fit
3. You can use ruler to join points in cumulative frequency graphs
3. Sometime the question say the rate is ____ however it may not be the rate. For Example (Rate is 24
cm/s).That's not actually the rate although they sometime right that, so the key to differentiate between
rate and speed is the unit.
Speed unit is length/time (24 cm/s) ; Rate will be volume/time (24 cm3 /s) so always look at the unit.
To Your A* www.facebook.com/IGCSE2016 BY: M.K
4. For MCQs question, don’t ever think there is a pattern. Even if you got 5 consecutive same
answer don’t panic . Just go through them again to make sure if your answer are confident
enough for you.
5. The most efficient ways of solving mcq paper:
1. Always copy every answer immediately after answering. Many students solve all the mcqs
on the question paper and copy all answers at once. This is completely risky especially that
mcqs are going to be extended.
2. When you start solving, don’t ever stop at a question you don’t know . Just leave it and
come back for it if you have the time.
3. It's better to solve the papers in the “3-rounds way”. Round 1- you will solve all easy
questions which don’t take more than 10 seconds each to solve. Round-2 Solve the rest of the
questions. Whenever you get stuck in a tough question just leave it. Round-3 go back and
solve all of the questions you left. But always remember to read the question number before
shading. It’s a disastrous mistake if you left a question and then answered the next question
and shaded its answer in the question you have just left.
(For example: you left Q15 because it was hard .Q16 was easy but when you went to shade its
answer, you –by mistake- shaded the answer in Q15.So take care!
To Your A* www.facebook.com/IGCSE2016 BY: M.K
6. There is always an acid/base question in chemistry paper 6 which include a test with its recorded observation.
Always remember that observation is what you see and NOT what you know.(For example if the acid and metal carbonate react ,gas
released is CO2 but don't write in the observation CO2 is released (what you know), write bubbles are seen and limewater turn milky
(what you see).
7. Each and every observation in the question will be used to answer the rest of the questions whether it is to write a conclusion or
identifying a gas. So if the conclusion question has 2 mark or more and you only wrote 1 point , you should know that there is one
observation in the table you didn’t use. No observation will be given that you won't use.
8. It's BETTER not to write anything in this table (neither observation nor test column) . You are only allowed to write where spaces/lines
are given. (so keep your working and thoughts in the blank pages at the end).
9. In Chemistry graph questions, it is usually asked to get a value from the graph. Always remember whether or not he asked, you must
show how you got your answer on the graph and don’t forget the unit.
10. ALWAYS remember when writing readings from burette, you MUST write values to 1 decimal place even if the value was 0 .(0.0)
11. Whenever you are asked to draw a diagram either for physics, chemistry or biology, it's BETTER to always label.
12. In Chemistry paper 6 – never write precipitate as ppt.
13. Always check whether the diagram is full or it is a cross section is given. For example in bio, sometime in mcqs a diagram of a cross
section of a plant may be given and a key is given below to identify the plant. One of the points may include “flower has 4 stamens”.
Most students will look at the diagram and choose this answer forgetting that it is a cross section so the correct answer is 8 stamens.
14. In ICT, it might be a silly point but thought to mention it just in case. Usually in question 1 , group of devices are given where you
need to name them but the common mistake is writing the label in the wrong gap. Don't always thinks the order will be ABCD it can
also be ACBD
or

15. Note that paper 6 Chemistry will be out of 40 and not 60.
To Your A* www.facebook.com/IGCSE2016 BY: M.K