Our Maths & Physics Tutor, Francesco, has shared his thoughts on the best way to prepare for the important end of school exams.
BEFORE MOCK / PRELIM EXAMS
Review the specific topics of the exam, starting from the theoretical background and moving through the essential formulas describing the phenomena or the given problem. Focus on the basics and how to manipulate formulas (e.g. solving equations for all possible parameters in terms of all the others) to obtain the required results.
MAIN EXAM TIPS
- Do not start thinking about numbers first, but focus on the elements you need to compute the correct answer.
- Practise everyday grasping the essential data for text, without wasting time in reading the whole text (remember: essential data are not just numbers, but it may be also some assumption made less explicit; learn to recognize them).
- If needed, take private lessons on Math/Physics, possibly indicating the specific things you want to focus on (not just topics, also methodology or approach, if appropriate.)
- Once you get the needed data from the text, think about how they relate to the formulas you know, which are relevant to the problem.
- Always check the consistency of units when substituing numbers in formulas and remember to explicitate them in your final results, at least (e.g. if you are asked to find a length of something and the combination of data in your formulas do not give you a length, that’s how you can spot and correct a possible mistake).
- With descriptive/ theoretical type questions, do not lose the point on what was asked you to describe/explain (e.g. if you are asked to explain a phenomenon from thermodynamics, do not lose the point of explaining the phenomenon, and using too much time in mentioning the first principles of thermodynamics).
