1. What is the difference between the two exams for Units 3 and 4?
Exam 1 goes for 1 hour with 15 minutes reading time at the start. This exam is comprised of around 10 short answered questions. Calculator or notes aren’t allowed to be taken in for this exam. Exam 2 goes for 2 hours with 15 minutes reading time at the start. This exam is comprised of around 22 multiple choice questions and 4 or 5 extended response questions. The extended response questions are usually based on each topic eg. one for probability, one for calculus etc. This exam allows you to use your CAS and bring in a bound reference book.
2. What’s the best way to study for my exams and SACS?
The best way to study is to do practice questions. You can never have enough practice. The best practice is to do past exam questions, as these are the exact style of questions that you will receive on your exam. Do not stress too much about how many exam papers or questions you complete. Try to learn from the questions that you got wrong and ensure that you know the correct method. VCAA exam papers are best, however, there are many companies that produce exam papers, just ask your teacher.
3. What do I put in my reference book?
The reference book can be a very useful tool if done correctly. You can choose what you want to bring in, however it must meet VCAA’s requirements. As the exam is only two hours long, you will not have enough time to be flipping through pages to try find the information that you want, so either keep your book short or include a contents page with page numbers. I recommend putting in more past exam paper questions than textbook questions as they will be more similar to the questions on your exam. Try to work on your reference book throughout the year, so you don’t have to stress about making it a couple of days before your exam.
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