Time breakdown of a 4U HSC paper? (1 Viewer)

[emilios]

How do you all ration your time in a typical 4U HSC paper? When I do the pre-2012 papers, I can generally be done with the first half of the paper relatively quickly but then something happens and I get up to Q7 with only 40 mins-1hr left. Maybe it's because they start dropping conics and circle geo on you and those are massive time drains. I don't think I've ever finished a full paper. I did the 2010 HSC paper today and while Q8 looked relatively easy, I only got up to pt iii before I ran out of time and this sort of stuff makes me very worried.

How do you guys tend to go + how can I improve my speed? I think I'm too cautious when laying out my working so markers won't deduct marks for things I knew but failed to communicate properly. Can I afford to be lazier with my working?

Edit: One more thing, is the new format with MC quicker to get through than the previous format?

 

[Carrotsticks]

How do you all ration your time in a typical 4U HSC paper? When I do the pre-2012 papers, I can generally be done with the first half of the paper relatively quickly but then something happens and I get up to Q7 with only 40 mins-1hr left. Maybe it's because they start dropping conics and circle geo on you and those are massive time drains. I don't think I've ever finished a full paper. I did the 2010 HSC paper today and while Q8 looked relatively easy, I only got up to pt iii before I ran out of time and this sort of stuff makes me very worried.

How do you guys tend to go + how can I improve my speed? I think I'm too cautious when laying out my working so markers won't deduct marks for things I knew but failed to communicate properly. Can I afford to be lazier with my working?

Edit: One more thing, is the new format with MC quicker to get through than the previous format?

- I did Questions 1-6 (when I did the HSC, it was the old format) in roughly 2 hours give or take, then spent the last hour (or say 40 minutes if I was a bit slower with the others) on Questions 7 and 8.

- The improvement of your speed depends on your accuracy. If you are known to be inaccurate and make silly errors (like myself, I am terrible with accuracy at times), then improving speed can be difficult.

- The new format is, in my opinion, easier to get through than the previous format with 120 marks, despite the Multiple Choice. This is because you always have the option of say skipping Q9 or Q10 of MC if it's too hard, and only losing 2 marks. Pre-2012 did not have this luxury.

- Depends on what you mean by lazier with your working. Do you have any specific examples? It helps to look at the mark allocation and to know where the marks will be allocated.

- DO NOT WRITE THE INDUCTIVE CONCLUSION (Since it is true for n=1 .... blah blah) IN YOUR INDUCTION PROBLEMS, NO MARKS ARE ALLOCATED TO THEM.

 

[dunjaaa]

Also, during reading time, try to get a brief idea of the circle geometry question. As soon as the exam commences, write a note next to the question. Believe it or not, it helps, especially if your running out of time and feeling flustered, since circle geometry questions tend to appear towards to the latter half of the paper.

 

[mreditor16]

Also, during reading time, try to get a brief idea of the circle geometry question. As soon as the exam commences, write a note next to the question. Believe it or not, it helps, especially if your running out of time and feeling flustered, since circle geometry questions tend to appear towards to the latter half of the paper.

I really hope that you don't mean at the beginning of reading time. :/

 

[mreditor16]

- I did Questions 1-6 (when I did the HSC, it was the old format) in roughly 2 hours give or take, then spent the last hour (or say 40 minutes if I was a bit slower with the others) on Questions 7 and 8.

- The improvement of your speed depends on your accuracy. If you are known to be inaccurate and make silly errors (like myself, I am terrible with accuracy at times), then improving speed can be difficult.

- The new format is, in my opinion, easier to get through than the previous format with 120 marks, despite the Multiple Choice. This is because you always have the option of say skipping Q9 or Q10 of MC if it's too hard, and only losing 2 marks. Pre-2012 did not have this luxury.

- Depends on what you mean by lazier with your working. Do you have any specific examples? It helps to look at the mark allocation and to know where the marks will be allocated.

- DO NOT WRITE THE INDUCTIVE CONCLUSION (Since it is true for n=1 .... blah blah) IN YOUR INDUCTION PROBLEMS, NO MARKS ARE ALLOCATED TO THEM.

lol great insights, Carret.

 

[mreditor16]

emilios, btw I PMed you (a while ago), just not sure if you received it....

 

[Machiavelli1]

Usually for Newer papers with MC: 1-12 in an hour, 13-14 in an hour and 15-16 in an hour. Also its useful to bookmark several questions in Q16 that are simple so you can do them if you are close to running out of time.
For older papers: 1-4 in an hour, 5-6 in an hour and 7-8 in an hour.

 

[emilios]

Usually for Newer papers with MC: 1-12 in an hour, 13-14 in an hour and 15-16 in an hour. Also its useful to bookmark several questions in Q16 that are simple so you can do them if you are close tor running out of time.
For older papers: 1-4 in an hour, 5-6 in an hour and 7-8 in an hour.

That's a good outline. That's the thing that was tripping me out though, why should q5-q6 take as long as q7-q8? Weird.

 

[iStudent]

Yes, circle geo for the whole reading time haha. One of the few questions that you can do purely in your head!
I guess speed in the end depends on how fast you can think of the solutions to the questions. Really, the best way to improve this way is to do harder questions.
I should also add, when I get stuck on a question I move on after the minute. Then when I have time at the end to go back, it sometime just *clicks* (or at other times I find the mistake I made). Maybe consider doing this rather than staring at a question for 10 minutes to no avail.

edit: isn't finishing up to 7 in 40 min - 1 hr pretty good? I know it's not like MX1 where you can finish the exam in half the time, but MX2 papers are quite long...

 

[emilios]

Yes, circle geo for the whole reading time haha. One of the few questions that you can do purely in your head!
I guess speed in the end depends on how fast you can think of the solutions to the questions. Really, the best way to improve this way is to do harder questions.
I should also add, when I get stuck on a question I move on after the minute. Then when I have time at the end to go back, it sometime just *clicks* (or at other times I find the mistake I made). Maybe consider doing this rather than staring at a question for 10 minutes to no avail.

edit: isn't finishing up to 7 in 40 min - 1 hr pretty good? I know it's not like MX1 where you can finish the exam in half the time, but MX2 papers are quite long...

Yes finishing up to 7 with 40mins-1hr is the norm, but I got up to 8 with like 10-15 mins left today... I realized my problem though. Take a look at the circle geo in the 2010 paper - the last 2 questions had me stumped and instead of moving on I sat there stubbornly trying to get it out to no avail. Lesson learnt I guess

 

[Machiavelli1]

That's a good outline. That's the thing that was tripping me out though, why should q5-q6 take as long as q7-q8? Weird.

I think because they are usually the time consuming Q's ie circle geo, conics and mechanics, lots of proofs=lots of writing=English all over again LOL
but i think its possible to finish 5 and 6 fairly quickly if it is made of just proof questions's with simple practice. Basically what i've started doing now is targeting 5-6\13-14 and trying to them in ~45-50 mins with 0-2 mistakes so i can keep time for 7-8\15-16.

 

[Fade1233]

Wait so I assume that me currently doing the HSC exam papers with an average of 2hrs is good give or take like 3 marks from probability section? True Q8 2010) was all 4u integration with a bit of some 3 unit knowledge so it was not difficult. If they skipped the first few parts and gave total of 15 marks for the last 3 papers then that would be time consuming but in HSC they always give us step by step almost like spoon feeding us unlike University. Now that I mention it, I am just wondering what is Actuarial Studies like>>?

 

[emilios]

Wait so I assume that me currently doing the HSC exam papers with an average of 2hrs is good give or take like 3 marks from probability section? True Q8 2010) was all 4u integration with a bit of some 3 unit knowledge so it was not difficult. If they skipped the first few parts and gave total of 15 marks for the last 3 papers then that would be time consuming but in HSC they always give us step by step almost like spoon feeding us unlike University. Now that I mention it, I am just wondering what is Actuarial Studies like>>?

Um... do you seriously do the papers in 2 hours? I find that a little hard to believe. Don't get me wrong I'm sure you're brilliant, but even mechanically (mind the pun), sometimes you just can't move your hand fast enough through all the ugly proofs. Some of the best MX2 students I know still take the full 3 hours to complete the paper, leaving no time to check solutions.

And yes, if you were to answer every question save for 3 marks allocated to probability (with a relatively good degree of accuracy), expect a HSC mark exceeding 97+

EDIT: If you're doing Act. Studies cos you genuinely like mathematics and problem solving, you're way ahead of everyone else who's just doing it for the big paycheck at the end (which I'm sure is a good portion of students). But remember, it's a business degree that uses mathematics, not a mathematics degree that incorporates some ideas of business. It's what I'm aiming to get into as well.