With GCSE exam season almost upon us, pupils across the UK are cramming as they prepare for what could be some of the most important exams of their lives. Parents often try and help with revision, but they may not be as helpful as they think.
Stats show that three in 10 students claim their parents often do not know the answers when asked. It has also emerged that 42 per cent of pupils don’t believe their parents could successfully sit their exams.
If you are stumped by your Year 11 child’s maths homework, you are certainly not alone. GSCE exams are set by different exam boards in England and Wales but, across the UK, students had a pass rate – achieving a grade of C/4 or higher – of 68.2 per cent, the lowest since 2019.
One question recently set by experts in preparation for the exam season had a whopping 92 per cent of parents stumped, with only eight per cent brave enough to attempt an answer. Fancy giving it a go yourself? Then take a look at the algebra question below – but no cheating!
The algebra question, provided by online revision platform SaveMyExams, features a shape with all its measurements given in centimetres, reports the Mirror. At first glance, the question might seem intimidating, but Lucy Kirkham, Maths Lead, advises those attempting it to break down the shape into manageable parts.
She said: “Seeing questions with loads of algebra can be scary but breaking them down into smaller chunks will help you work through them more easily. Our maths experts at Save My Exams create colour-coded model answers which break down each question into easier steps to carefully guide users to the correct answer.
“This question gives you the answer you’re working towards, which can sometimes be off-putting as you wonder ‘How am I ever going to get there? Don’t let it worry you, just try to start with the first step and you’ll surprise yourself with how far you can get!
“Even if you don’t get all the way through, marks are awarded for different stages of your working. You can always try to pick up some marks and use our model answers to see how you’d pick up the rest.”
