# How many marks to get A1 for A Maths / E Maths for O Levels?

The official answer is not released by Cambridge / MOE, but it is definitely not 75 as the papers are subject to the bell curve (using normal distribution).

According to popular forum Hardwarezone:

Hello! Was wondering how much marks do I have to get in order to get A1… Many have been saying you need to get 90%. Is it really 90% for both Maths?

Cambridge has never revealed its score. Was wondering what you hve heard from your teachers or from other reliable sources. Thank you!

Appreciate it very much.

Ans by a forummer: 90 marks for emaths. 80+ for amaths

Now, getting 90 marks for E Maths is no mean feat. But it is possible with practice and the right coaching!

Getting 80+ for A Maths is no joke either. If you have taken A Maths before you know how difficult it is, and usually for any test in school more than half the class will fail.

We must approach the O Levels with the right positive mindset:

1) It is always possible to improve. No matter how weak the student is in Maths, it is always possible to improve. The key thing is to:

2) Start revision and practice early. The earlier you start revision and practicing Maths, the more chance of improvement you have!

3) Learn to love math and appreciate its beauty, or at least try your best not to hate math. Since Math is pretty much compulsory till JC, why not try to like it? Adopt a positive mindset and you will be able to study for longer hours for Maths, which will translate to a better score in the end.

If you are looking to brush up on your A Maths / E Maths skills and learn some tips on scoring during exams, join our weekly group tuition at Bishan!

# https://mathtuition88.com/group-tuition/

## Are you finding Elementary Maths (E Maths) or Additional Maths (A Maths) Difficult?

Do not be discouraged if you find E Maths or A Maths difficult. The main reason why you are finding it to be difficult is that it is new. You have not gotten enough exposure to the type of questions asked. It is like learning to ride a bicycle, at the start it is difficult and you may even fall down. But after you have mastered riding the bicycle, you will be able to ride as fast as you wish. You need to get over the initial difficulty of learning in order to master the art of riding the bicycle.

At our Group Tuition at Bishan, we constantly practice actual exam questions, be it on Trigonometry, Differentiation or Integration (A Maths), or Vectors, Matrices and Probability (E Maths). We learn different methods to check and do the questions. You will find out, at last, that once you master the art of solving O Level questions, all the O Level questions are just repackaging the same questions in different forms. Once you know how to do one question, you will know how to do all similar questions. Expanding your repertoire of questions you know will enable you to get that coveted “A”. Constant practice, as opposed to cramming one month before the O Levels, is absolutely necessary to avoid panic and to consolidate our Mathematical memory.

Some Math formulas like the quotient rule, $\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}(\frac{u}{v})=\frac{v\frac{du}{dx}-u\frac{dv}{dx}}{v^2}$, you will automatically memorize it once you have done enough practice.

In the end, you may even find that E Maths or A Maths is easy!

## Motivational Story to motivate you

THE OBSTACLE IN OUR PATH
In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

# Did you know, Pi day is also Einstein’s Birthday?

Pi Day is an annual celebration commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (or 3/14 in the U.S. month/day date format), since 3, 1, and 4 are the three most significant digits of π in the decimal form. In 2009, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation of Pi Day. (Wikipedia)

National Pi Day is actually a U.S. holiday. The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 224 in 2009, designating March 14 as National Pi Day. The resolution “encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them about the study of mathematics.” (Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/03/13/pi-day-friday-31415/6369483/)

Do you wish Pi day was a national holiday in your country? I sure do! Leave your comments below!

## Tips on attempting Geometrical Proof questions (E Maths Tuition)

Tips on attempting Geometrical Proof questions (O Levels E Maths/A Maths)

1) Draw extended lines and additional lines. (using pencil)

Drawing extended lines, especially parallel lines, will enable you to see alternate angles much easier (look for the “Z” shape). Also, some of the more challenging questions can only be solved if you draw an extra line.

2) Use pencil to draw lines, not pen

Many students draw lines with pen on the diagram. If there is any error, it will be hard to remove it.

3) Rotate the page.

Sometimes, rotating the page around will give you a fresh impression of the question. This may help you “see” the way to answer the question.

4) Do not assume angles are right angles, or lines are straight, or lines are parallel unless the question says so, or you have proved it.

For a rigorous proof, we are not allowed to assume anything unless the question explicitly says so. Often, exam setters may set a trap regarding this, making the angle look like a right angle when it is not.

5) Look at the marks of the question

If it is a 1 mark question, look for a short way to solve the problem. If the method is too long, you may be on the wrong track.

6) Be familiar with the basic theorems

The basic theorems are your tools to solve the question! Being familiar with them will help you a lot in solving the problems.

Hope it helps! And all the best for your journey in learning Geometry! Hope you have fun.

“There is no royal road to Geometry.” – Euclid

## O Level E Maths Tuition: Statistics Question

Solution:

From the graph,

Median = 50th percentile = $22,000 (approximately) The mean is lower than$22000 because from the graph, there is a large number of people with income less than $22000, and fewer with income more than$22000. (From the wording of the question, calculation does not seem necessary)

Hence, the median is higher.

The mean is a better measure of central tendency, as it is a better representative of the gross annual income of the people. This is because more people have an income closer to the mean, rather than the median.