Reading the Question Carefully

The Most Important Skill

Every examiner's report says the same thing: students lose marks by not reading questions carefully. This is the easiest way to improve your grade.

Before You Calculate

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What exactly am I being asked to find? Underline or highlight the specific thing requested

2. What information have I been given? List all the numbers, facts, and conditions

3. What form should my answer take?

• Number? What units?
• Expression? Simplified?
• Explanation? How detailed?

4. How many marks is this worth? This tells you how much work is expected

The Highlighting Strategy

Use a highlighter or underline:

![Example question with key information highlighted]

"A rectangle has length $(2x + 3)$ cm and width $(x - 1)$ cm. The perimeter is 42 cm. Find the value of x."

Key things to highlight:

• What shape? Rectangle
• What measurement? Perimeter (not area!)
• What value? 42 cm
• What to find? x

Common Misreading Errors

Perimeter vs Area Read twice! These words look similar when you're nervous.

Estimate vs Calculate "Estimate" means round first; "Calculate" means use exact values

Simplify vs Solve

• Simplify: Make the expression simpler (same variable, fewer terms)
• Solve: Find the value(s) of the variable

Give a Reason vs Show That

• Give a reason: State a mathematical fact
• Show that: Demonstrate with full working

One Answer vs All Answers "Find the value of x" might mean one answer "Find all values of x" means there could be multiple solutions

Spotting Hidden Requirements

"Give your answer to 2 decimal places"

• Round only at the very end
• Don't forget to round!
• If you give 3 d.p., you lose a mark

"Give your answer in its simplest form"

• Simplify fractions
• Rationalise denominators if needed (Higher)
• Factorise if possible

"Give your answer in terms of π"

• Don't convert to decimals
• Leave as $25\pi$ not 78.54

"You must show your working"

• A correct answer with no working = 0 marks
• Every step must be visible

Context Clues

Real-world problems often contain hidden information:

• "A car travels..." — speed won't be negative
• "The probability that..." — answer must be 0 ≤ p ≤ 1
• "The length of a side..." — can't be negative
• "A school has..." — whole number of students
• "The price is..." — round to 2 d.p. for pounds/pence

Multi-Part Questions

In questions with parts (a), (b), (c):

The answers often link together

• Part (a) might give you a value to use in (b)
• Part (b) might give you an equation to solve in (c)

If you can't do part (a):

• Look at whether you can still do later parts
• Use the given information or any "show that" results

Don't repeat work unnecessarily: If (a) asks for an expression and (b) asks you to use it, don't derive it again in (b)

The Final Check

Before moving on, verify:

• ✓ Answered what was actually asked
• ✓ Correct units included
• ✓ Appropriate degree of accuracy
• ✓ All parts of the question attempted
• ✓ Answer makes sense in context