Solving the problem of the matrix

STUDENTS at Dublin’s Institute of Education on Lower Leeson Street emerged from the Leaving Certificate maths exam pleased with the papers.

The higher level paper, according to Eamon McNamee, was “a joke of an exam. I got all my questions done with an hour to spare”.

Ronán MacDubhghaill, another higher-level student, said that he was happy enough with the paper.

“I did very well on the matrix question; I was happy with that. None of it was too difficult. It was what I expected,” he said.

Robert Parkinson said that from reading the higher level questions, they did not seem too difficult. He understood them, except that there were some parts he was not able to finish.

“I was expecting different types of questions, so I put more work into certain types of questions,” Robert said.

“Those questions didn’t come up. But I could understand the questions as they were posed, but I hadn’t got them fresh in my mind. There were no surprises.

“For our school I would say most of the higher-level students wouldn’t have found it that difficult,” he added.

Rachel Carragher, from Loreto College on Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green, felt the higher level paper was okay.

Although some of the questions were tough, she was happy, explaining she had the “right stuff” studied. Myles McEntee, who did an ordinary level paper, said: “It was pretty easy. It wasn’t as hard as I expected it would be.”

Generally agreeing on the broad sweep of the exam, Barbara Bates and Stephanie O’Meara however, regarded part C as “quite tricky” and one that tested their ability.

Catriona Lawlor, who did the ordinary level paper, found the calculus questions tricky.

Her friend Ciara Hallinan, who did the same paper, described the questions as fair.