Problem Solving & Exam Technique

Question 1

How do you calculate a percentage change?

Answer 1

difference/original x 100%

Question 2

If the question asks, ‘what is the difference between’…?

Answer 2

you must mention BOTH e.g difference between diffusion and active transport - active transport requires energy is not enough MUST mention diffusion does not require energy.

Question 3

If the question asks, ‘calculate the average’…what do you do?

Answer 3

the total/the number of numbers you added together

Question 4

If the question asks, ‘calculate the average change’…what do you do?

Answer 4

total change/ time

Question 5

BUM?

Answer 5

Box the command word
Underline the key terms
Marks - how many is it worth? Have I done enough?

Question 6

If the question asks you to ‘describe’…what should you do?

Answer 6

As much detail as you can give.

The police have asked for a description of the person that stole your bike, you would not describe them as ‘man’.

Question 7

If the question asks you to ‘explain’…what should you do?

Answer 7

Tell me WHY

Question 8

What should you do if you have a graph with 2 lines?

Answer 8

Colour them in with 2 different colours

Question 9

How do you read a graph accurately?

Answer 9

Use a ruler

Question 10

What should you do if you see the word ‘reliable’ in a question?

Answer 10

Mention what exactly you are REPEATING and then calculate an average

Question 11

If the question asks for ‘percentage increase’…?

Answer 11

difference/original x 100%

Question 12

If the question asks for a ‘percentage decrease’…?

Answer 12

difference/original x 100%

Question 13

What is an independent variable?

Answer 13

The one thing that has been changed by the scientist in the experiment

Question 14

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 14

The thing that is measured to get the results in an experiment.

Question 15

Am*unt?

Answer 15

Don’t you swear at me! DO NOT use this term in your answer instead use volume, mass, size

Question 16

It?

Answer 16

NEVER use ‘it’ in your answer instead of the correct name. You say ‘it’, I say ‘what?’

Question 17

What is a ‘control’?

Answer 17

They prove that the variable being investigated is responsible for the result. Common examples include glass beads instead of living organisms and water in place of solutions.

Question 18

2 reasons why an experiment may be left for a period of time before measurements are taken?

Answer 18

1. allow living organisms to acclimatise to new conditions
2. allow apparatus to stabalise
3. allow osmosis/diffusion to happen
4. allow solutions to reach desired temperatures

Question 19

Why are percentage changes sometimes calculated in results tables?

Answer 19

If the starting figures were different it allows a comparison to be made.

Question 20

How would you predict a result from a line graph?

Answer 20

use a ruler to extend the existing line

Question 21

If a questions asks you to ‘Using data from the graph, describe’…what should you do? (not a trick question!)

Answer 21

Guess what, USE DATA FROM THE GRAPH!!! NUMBERS in your description

Question 22

What does DRAW a conclusion NOT mean?

Answer 22

Draw a picture

Question 23

Is a question asks you to ‘draw a conclusion’, what should you do?

Answer 23

1. Look at the aim and answer that
2. Mention the independent and dependent variables in your answer (the dependent variable might not be what is stated in the table/graph - look at the aim!!!)

Question 24

What should you do if the question asks you to ‘state variables that must be kept constant’?

Answer 24

Read the experiment carefully and decide which variables NOT mentioned already that would need to be kept the same to make it fair.

Question 25

3 possible examples of variables that must be kept the same?

Answer 25

temperature
volumes
concentrations
mass
surface area
diameter of samples
thickness of samples
time
pH

Question 26

What is never the correct answer for a variable that must be kept the same?

Answer 26

Am*unt - never use this word! It is swearing.

Question 27

Which variable always goes on the bottom of a graph?

Answer 27

The independent variable

Question 28

What should you do if the question asks you ‘how many times greater’ is X than Y?

Answer 28

Divide the big number by the small number

Question 29

How do you calculate the ‘average increase’?

Answer 29

total change/ time

Question 30

How do you calculate the average decrease?

Answer 30

total change/ time

Question 31

How do you calculate a simple whole number ratio?

Answer 31

Divide all of the numbers in the ratio by the same number until they cannot be divided any more.

Question 32

5 steps to answering questions about a passage of text.

Answer 32

1. Read the text
2. Highlight key word in question
3. Scan ands highlight key word in the passage
4. Read the sentences around the key word
5. Your answer can be copied directly from the passage - you do not need to put it in your own words

Question 33

How do you calculate what each small square is worth on the scale of a graph?

Answer 33

the increase in number between the big lines/number of small squares