First maths paper was tough test of algebra

MOST of the 53,500 Leaving Certificate maths students took ordinary level Paper 1 after lunch, but Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) spokesperson Imelda Moloney said not many of those candidates would have been jumping for joy.

She said the inclusion of first principles in differentiation in question seven instead of in question six as usual would have been unexpected but it was otherwise a fair paper.

She pointed out that part (c) of an algebra question was difficult.

Christina Kennedy of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) also thought the final parts of questions, including those on arithmetic, sequences and series and algebra, were tough.

She raised the concerns of some students about difficulty navigating the formulae and tables book used in the exam and suggested a simpler two or three pages be used to give ordinary level candidates just the information they need.

Another ASTI member Elaine Devlin thought the higher level Leaving Certificate paper was fair but said the phrase ‘arg’ in one question was used in a context students would not be used to, and the presentation of an integration question was also different to what is normally expected. She questioned the inclusion of an arithmetic sequence question in part of the arithmetic section, as many students would have left sequences and series out of their studies entirely.

Ms Devlin said the higher level Junior Certificate maths paper was straightforward but the opening parts of some questions may have been difficult for weaker students. She questioned the use of the word reciprocal in one question, feeling it was outdated.

Ms Kennedy said the ordinary level paper was very manageable and similar to those in other years, with just a few tricky bits.

Leaving Certificate Geography papers were taken by more than 26,000 students in the morning.

ASTI subject spokesperson Jimmy Staunton said the inclusion of eight parts in some short questions on the first section was much more than the usual four parts.

He said efforts to make the subject relevant and topical were aided by questions like one based on a map showing tectonic plates around Haiti, which was devastated by an earthquake in January.

Other topics relevant to today’s world were financial services and changing migration patterns.

Dr Tom Hunt, TUI geography spokesperson, said the higher level paper was a bit more challenging than in previous years, with significant variation in difficulty level between some questions. The paper included questions on metamorphic rocks and the development of large urban areas, the first time they were examined since the current syllabus has been in place.

The Leaving Certificate ordinary level geography paper was considered a fair exam, with a lot of information given to students to build answers around.

Jacqueline Sheil of the TUI said the Junior Certificate higher level exam should have been well within the capabilities of well- prepared students. The questions were clear and fair, though some urban students may have been challenged by questions about pastoral and arable farming.

Mr Staunton said the higher level paper featured no surprises, with topics such as over-fishing and climate having come up in pervious years. He thought the ordinary level exam contained nice short questions and the diagrams were clear and colourful.

Ms Shiel also noted the excellent use of colour but thought some students may have found part of a question about population pyramids challenging.