GCSE Maths Revision

GCSEs are getting easier

2012-01-04T07:18:00.001-08:00

Are Maths Exams getting easier?

The old question that emerges on GCSE results day relating to whether or not Maths exams at GCSE level are indeed getting easier, as more students pass year on year. This is always met with controversy and heated debate. On one side of the argument traditionalists who believe in the old O Level exam system believe that the replacement to the O level system is inadequate and doesn’t prepare students with skills that they need to equip them for the real world, is far easier to pass as shown by the year on year increases in the number of people who pass Maths at GCSE level. Advocates of the GCSE system believe that it is a far better replacement to the O Level system and believe that the GCSE system enables more people to achieve the grades that they deserve, with more emphasis on coursework and less on exams.

Education expert Steven Britton CEO at maths tuition Top Grade Tutoring believes that the truth “lies somewhere in the middle”. Mr Britton reveals a shocking statistic that in the 2011 summer exams it required only 20% to obtain a grade C in GCSE Maths. Mr Britton then goes onto reveal that “The exams are not getting easier but the students are doing worse year on year so in order to compensate for that the grade boundaries are brought down by the exam boards, so in effect students don’t need as many marks to get a C, the equivalent of the old O level pass”. This has been happening ‘year on year’ as it seemingly appears that students are doing better year on year. According to Mr Britton based on current trends unless drastic action is taken to improve Maths skills in the classroom by 2021 students will only need a mere 10% to pass a GCSE Maths exam. When this happens Mr Britton claims “The consequences for the economy and society do not bear thinking about”.

No newcomer to the world of education, Steven Britton has personally taught over a hundred people on a one to one basis on Mathematics, advised the conservative government on numeracy strategy and has developed numerous products on Maths revision, namely the GCSE Maths Master that was developed in partnership with the Princes Trust.

2011-09-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

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2011-09-07T06:40:00.001-07:00

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Maths Revision

2011-08-01T08:16:00.001-07:00

In this post we will look at 5 essential maths revision tips that are essential for success at GCSE level in Mathematics.

The first tip is preparation. Preparation for gcse maths is essential, be it past exam papers, revision classes, study groups or DVD based revision materials.

The second tip is to list your weaknesses and strengths. Now focus on your weaknesses not your strengths, as this will be wasting time. Go through each weakness and keep practising until you start to improve. If you have any problems overcoming your weaknesses then speak to your teacher, attend study groups or seek out help and advice off the internet.

The third tip is positive mental attitude. Positive thoughts and faith in yourself will help you to stay focused with your maths revision

The fourth tip is not to 'over do' it. Doing too much studying can be counter productive. You will end up feeling tired and will be unable to function, possibly becoming ill. Remember to keep a healthy 'work study balance'

Finally the fifth tip for effective maths revision is to plan your time effectively. Do a study plan or study time table, make sure you don't leave your maths revision to the last minute, as you will be anxious and this may hinder your performance for the exam.

GCSE Biology Revision

2011-04-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the final free clip from the GCSE Master Science. The following clip contains a free clip from the Biology section.

GCSE Physics anybody?

2011-04-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a another clip taken from the GCSE Master Science DVD. In this clip Isaac Newton's laws are discussed:

Another free GCSE Science sample

2011-04-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

Another free sample from the GCSE Science master. In this clip the Photosynthesis is looked at.

Free GCSE Science Revision Sample

2011-03-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a free Science trailer taken from the GCSE Science Master

Successful Study Tips

2011-03-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Some of the best maths tutors use these tricks to help their students excel at the exam. Nothing can replace the practice in the areas of mathematics, then you need to repeal a time each day totals, formulas, tables, work, etc..

It's like working on your tennis or swimming. You do not need more than a necessity exceed hours of practice every day. The secret lies in regularity of your sessions. If there is difficulty in the management of some parts of the GCSE mathematics course, do not worry, but always come back to it in training and will improve soon.

Instead of going in for a marathon practice session, try and space your practice hours. Handle the GCSE mathematics course in bits and pieces from the division of time of review in areas such as shapes, spaces and measures, numbers, algebra and data management.

You can then mix and match your sessions according to your choice on a daily or weekly bases with different sections.

Even before you schedule your practice sessions you can play Java games available for free on the Internet.

These games improve your math skills without making any effort that you.
Ask a friend to join you and both of you can prepare quizzes and mock tests for each other too. Start a collection of curiosities, that mathematics.

One of the best ways of remembering a wide range of formulas and concepts is to prepare a bunch of about 50 small card-paper pieces. Spend an evening going through the entire holiday make GCSE maths course.
Place these pieces of paper randomly in all the pockets of your clothes and put some up on your bedroom walls.

Each time the chance of this paper, take a deep breath and studied for 30 seconds.
You will be amazed at what you would have learned after six months.
Do not spend too much time, so with all the formulas for hard spheres, planes.
Just familiarize yourself with these tedious formulas because they will be there in the formula sheet you get at the GCSE maths exam.

What you should focus on learning is the simplest formula, and with them a true speed calculations.
This will improve your overall efficiency at the maths exams.
Spend extra energy to do your rates because they represent as much as 20 percent of the total score.
It will also keep you away from stress when you finally attempt your GCSE maths exam.

Also, scientists use many simple ways to manage numbers link to see how, if a six-digit number is divisible by a single digit or not.

You can make a diary of all these 'short-cal methods' and attempt your GCSE maths exam with greater confidence.

Most of them methods of short-cal are a number of sites on the Internet.
Getting a high grade at your GCSE maths can be effortless if you try these simple methods of studying for at least six months.

For more information about GCSE Maths please visit www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

More GCSE Maths past papers added!

2011-02-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

More GCSE Maths past papers have been added to the top maths dvd website. For more information go directly to www.topmathsdvd.co.uk/gcse-maths-past-papers.aspx

GCSE Master series website launched!

2010-12-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

First of all just want to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year! Top Grade Tutoring are pleased to announce the release of the GCSE Master series website. For more information about the range of GCSE DVDs please visit http://www.gcsemaster.co.uk!

New DVDs from Top Grade Tutoring!!!

2010-12-03T01:56:00.000-08:00

Top Grade Tutoring are pleased to announce the release of a GCSE Science revision DVD due for release in April 2011. The DVD is presented by an up and coming presenter Rosie Hogg, featuring 3 hours of top tips on how best to maximise your marks for GCSE science exams.

Rosie Hogg was interviewed earlier this month to talk about the forthcoming release Check out the interview with the presenter below:

For more information about GCSE Maths please visit http://www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

How to balance equations

2010-11-13T13:17:00.001-08:00

Ok I was teaching a student how to balance equations today, so I just thought I would share the correct way to solve equations using this method.

Right! without further ado you need to remember that what you do to one side you must also do to the other side of the equation.

So lets say you had an equation 2x+10=20
The first thing you need to do is to take 10 from both sides

so this would be: 2x+10-10=20-10

Now this would result in 2x=10

Now you need to divide both sides by 2:

2x / 2 = 10/ 2

so

x = 5

Notice step by step we get nearer to the answer until we arrive at the answer which is 5

I always stick to a 'see saw method' So basically keep all the algebra on the left hand side and the numbers on the right hand side. Keep going by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing to both sides (depending upon what you have to do) until you arrive at a situation where x or y or whatever your unknown term is equals a number.

Hope that helps!

Steven

For more information about GCSE Maths please visit http://www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

Congratulations!

2010-08-31T01:43:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say congratulations to all of my students who did so well this year in their GCSEs!!

For more information about GCSE Maths please visit www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

How to go from a D to an A in GCSE Maths

2010-08-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

Ok you may be thinking that the subject title is a little ‘far fetched’ or even totally bizarre, but it is possible to do. As a home tutor in Mathematics I have taught many students the secrets to success in GCSE Maths in over a seven year period, with over 85% of all students that I have taught gaining at least a GCSE grade C. Without meaning to sound arrogant I have even brought some students up from a C/D to an A. In this article I hope to give some advice that will help boost your grades significantly!

Ok so let’s get down to brass tactics, the fundamental secret is confidence. Like most things in life the more confident you are in something that you undertake the less it bothers you and the less painful it becomes. So how exactly do you become more confident in Mathematics? Well it comes as a result of a combination of organisation and fundamentally a lot of practice.

Organisation and study skills are essential for success in GCSE Maths as they are for any subject that you undertake at any level. Remember to plan effectively, allocate time to your studies. Some students find it useful to devise a study timetable. I don’t advocate all work and no play, but neither do I advocate leaving everything to the last minute! I can’t stress enough that planning is essential! Remember that only you can take responsibility for your own learning, nobody else can, nobody else can do learn on your behalf only you can!

It is essential that before you practice that you understand the concepts of the topic that you are trying to improve upon. If you don’t get things first time in class and let’s face it who does? Then there are ways to obtain the information. The internet is an excellent resource with many video tutorials available on video sharing sites such as YouTube, Daily Motion and Blip TV to name but a few. Revision guides are ok but they usually summarise the concepts and don’t fully go through the step by step processes needed to solve a problem. Now this is the key, you need step by step instructions to explain how the methodology behind each topic, be it Algebra or Trigonometry. Course textbooks are excellent for this as they often go into a lot more detail, do a search on amazon.co.uk for the best books on the market, usually the average rating is a good indicator of this. Make sure the star rating is at least 4 out of 5.

When you have obtained your book it is important that you maintain self discipline to learn the concepts in the book and to practice as many questions as you can. You can get questions from not only the book itself but also from many GCSE Maths revision websites. Also get as many past exam papers as you can get hold of. Make sure that they are the correct type that is to say make sure you know which exam board you are under. So if you are taking GCSE Maths that is being examined by AQA , get AQA past exam papers. If you are unsure speak to your Maths teacher, they will usually know which exam board you are under.

Now my final bit of advice is probably the best bit of advice. If you really do struggle with Maths and you have tried lots of books, video tutorials and after school clubs and nothing seems to work then get yourself a maths tutor. I know you probably hate the thought of somebody coming round to help you, as you may see this as a weakness, but remember even a short term amount of tutoring for as little as three months can really make a difference! There are many national tuition agencies out there and you can often stipulate what kind of tutor that you want, for example a young or older tutor, male / female etc.

For more information about maths tuition please go to http://www.topgradetutoring.co.uk

How to succeed in GCSE Maths

2010-07-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, GCSE Maths isn’t a popular subject for the majority of students in the UK. A lot of students find the subject boring, irrelevant or too difficult. As a home tutor in Mathematics I have experienced ‘first hand’ a lot of these opinions regarding GCSE Mathematics. I have also successfully helped over 120 students through their GCSE Maths exams with over 85% of these obtaining at least a grade C. Some have even gone on to study the subject at A level, as a result of the one to one tuition that I have provided. So what is the secret to the success in GCSE Maths? Well before I go into detail, I want to firstly outline the 5 key areas in where I know students make mistakes. From here it will be clear as to how to succeed in the subject.

Mistake #1 Negative beliefs “I don’t understand the subject therefore I never will”

Getting rid of limiting beliefs is one key area to succeeding in the subject. I have lost count the number of times that I have heard students say that they will never understand Algebra or Trigonometry. This is simply not true. A lot of students attempt questions that are far too difficult to begin with, remember as the Chinese say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a first step. Firstly learn the step by step procedures to in Algebra or Trigonometry or whatever it is that you are having problems in, this is the magic recipe if you will that you can then apply to help solve the problems. From there on you can then apply this to more difficult problems. You will find that as you progress and you begin to get questions right, your confidence will subsequently improve.

Mistake #2 Not practising enough “Not enough practice results in poor performance”

Remember that GCSE Maths is very much like a sport, you need to practice otherwise you will become rusty. I realise that not a lot of schools allow students to take home GCSE Maths text books. In this case you need to take responsibility and get yourself a GCSE Maths text book from the library, WHSMITHS, Waterstones or even from Amazon. You usually get a good second hand book from Amazon for as little as £10. Make sure it has answers in the back, not to be used for cheating mind! The reason being for this is that you can do the exercises in the book then check your answers afterwards. I also strongly recommend getting lots and lots of past exam papers so that you can practice the questions and get a feel for what they are going to be like.

Mistake #3 Poor GCSE Study Skills “Poor organisation results in poor progress”

This is a general study tip here that you can apply to all your subjects. Remember you have to organise your time effectively. Plan out your week meticulously. Work out when you can spend time on Maths, English, Science etc... Then within this plan sub divide your time. So for example you may allocate 8 hours a week for Maths. From this 2 hours could be spent on Past papers, 3 hours on weak topics and 3 hours on revision etc. Remember discipline here is the key. You have to make a plan and stick to it. I am not advocating ‘all work and no play’ but in Year 11 exams are looming and you need to be prepared to make sacrifices.

Mistake #4 Spending too much on topics you are good at “ignoring weaknesses results in failure”

I see time after time a lot of students who focus far too much on topics that they are stronger on. What is the point of that? Remember the exam will test a wide range of topics including the ones that you not so good at, so you need to ensure that you cover as many of your weak areas as possible to bring them up to the same standard as your stronger topics.

Mistake #5 Not getting help “I will look stupid if I ask for help”

Nobody deep down likes to admit that they need help, they feel it is a weakness and something that will expose an inadequacy. I would argue that it shows a strength of character. After all aren’t you wanting to improve your situation and get better? If you don’t want a tutor, then there are GCSE Maths forums that you can use, so there are always options open to you. If you do struggle with Maths then a tutor is an invaluable resource. There are many home tuition agencies out there, getting a younger more modern teacher may be more appealing, without meaning to sound ageist.

Another GCSE Maths Master Sample

2010-07-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

For more information about the GCSE Maths Master revision DVD please visit http://www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

GCSE Maths Revision Trigonometry

2010-07-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

Sample taken from the GCSE Maths Master revision DVD

New GCSE Maths Revision Forum!

2010-01-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

Top Grade Tutoring have just launched a GCSE Maths Revision Forum! So don't suffer anymore with your GCSE Maths! Check out the forum to find solutions to your questions, exchange ideas and even make new friends!

Maths tuition certainly makes the grade

2010-01-01T04:42:00.000-08:00

As this is the first post of 2010 I just wanted to wish every reader a happy and prosperous 2010!

Pressure to succeed academically is becoming greater and greater in the UK. Students are expected to reach stringent government targets at key stages 2,3 and 4. Teachers often do not have the time to over topics with students if they 'don't get things first time'. So invariably parents are turning to an alternative solution, private home tuition.

Private home tuition in subjects like Mathematics is becoming more popular because students are falling behind. Mathematics has traditionally been a difficult subject, the kind of subject that you either love or hate. Alas the majority of students dislike it and often require additional support.

With the continuing decline in classroom behaviour in the United Kingdom, students are missing out on the essential education that they require. Teachers are also under more pressure to meet ever increasing government targets and fill in paper work, which means that they are unable to spend enough time with students to help them them with any problems that they are encountering with their studies.

So how does private tuition work? Once you contact a private tuition agency to arrange for private tuition you will then be contacted by a home tutor, who is CRB checked in accordance with the protection of children act 1999. The home tutor who typically will be either a graduate or a teacher in a school will discuss with you your child's educational needs, in order to establish the level and frequency of tuition that they feel is necessary. Typicall the tutor will travel to your house to conduct the lessons which typically will be around an hour in length. During the lesson the tutor will address the areas of difficulty that your child is encountering within the subject that they are being tutored in and provide exam practice and preparation.

With one to one maths tuition, students are able to raise any areas of difficulty within Mathematics that they may have with their assigned tutor and have it explained in a clear and professional manner. Secondly, more able students are able to progress more quickly in their studies as more topics can be covered on a one to one basis, compared to in a classroom environment, where disruptive students can hold back more able students who wish to learn.

Typically a student will learn twice as much via a one to one private tuition approach in a single lesson compared to that of a classroom environmnent where there are many disrupitions varying from noise to other disruptive students. The cost of home tuition can be off putting for many parents, the benefits however definitely outweigh the costs. For example students are often more confident as a result of the private tuition that they receive. Students are often ahead of their peers too, as topics can be covered more quickly as a result of the maths tuition that they receive.

Top Grade Tutoring, a private mathematics tuition agency formed by Steven Britton in his home town of Halesowen West Midlands has successfully helped over 120 people in Mathematics. He claims that a staggering 85% of all people that have been taught by tutors there have moved up at least one grade in Mathematics.

So as you can see it really does make sense to invest the time and money into your child's education. You could argue that this perhaps is a sad reflection on the state of the British education system that has been ruined by the policies of the new labour government since 1997, but with every problem there is a solution. Private tuition definitely seems the way to go and an excellent alternative to private education with certainly is costly.

L.C.M Anyone?

2009-11-06T04:49:00.000-08:00

I was teaching fractions to a student the other day. I then got onto the topic of adding fractions, I mentioned the word LCM. The student looked at me as though I was speaking a foreign language. I then tried to elaborate saying the words "Lowest Common Multiple", the student was still bemused. So I had to explain the concept to them. So this posting is for anybody who is confused with lowest common multiples.

Lowest Common Multiple

The smallest common multiple of two or more numbers is called the lowest common multiple (LCM).
E.g. Multiples of 8 are 8, 16, 24, 32, … Multiples of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, …

In general:

To find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of two or more numbers, list the multiples of the larger number and stop when you find a multiple of the other number. This is the LCM.

Example 3

Find the lowest common multiple of 6 and 9.

Solution:
List the multiples of 9 and stop when you find a multiple of 6.
Multiples of 9 are 9, 18, …Multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18, …

Example 4

Find the lowest common multiple of 5, 6 and 8.
Solution:

List the multiples of 8 and stop when you find a multiple of both 5 and 6.
Multiples of 8 are 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120, …
Stop at 120 as it is a multiple of both 5 and 6.
So, the LCM of 5, 6 and 8 is 120.

Negative numbers

2009-10-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post this as I have seen a lot of my students struggle with this

OK….We all know what numbers are: 1, 2, 3, 4……etc.
Did you know that numbers can also be negative? You must have heard of temperatures of being minus ten degrees before (especially if you're into snowboarding!). Minus ten as a number is written as -10. Any number with - before it can also be called a negative number.
We can have as many negative numbers as we have normal (positive or plus) numbers - the only funny number sitting on the fence is zero, which is always called zero - not negative zero or positive zero.

The numbers can be seen in a range like the one below:
………….-6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6………..

Negative numbers surprisingly appear quite a lot in everyday life. If you owe your parents £8 and have no other money it could be said that you have £ -8. Similarly, it is very important for all businesses to know how much money they don't have or they could go bust.
We've already mentioned temperatures being negative, but how about the speed of a car - how can you travel at -20 miles per hour? - By going backwards of course!

Negatives of anything are opposites for the positives - such as the negatives you get when you have photographs developed. So, whenever you are dealing with negative numbers - think of them as simply being the opposite of positive numbers.

Adding

When you add two positive numbers e.g. 2 + 2 the answer will always be positive i.e. 4
When you add two negative numbers e.g. -2 + -2 the answer will always be negative i.e. -4 (this is like saying minus 2 degrees below zero plus another minus 2 degrees below zero)

Subtracting

When you subtract two positive numbers the answer could be positive e.g. 3 - 1 = 2 or negative! e.g. 3 - 7 = -4
Have a look at this on the number scale to see how it works:
………….-6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6………..

Count backwards (right to left) from 3 through the purple numbers for 7 steps (call the gap between 3 and 2 a step, then the one between 2 and 1 and the one between 1 and 0 etc.) and you end up with the answer -4.

What is -7 + 3? Look at the number scale again and count 3 to the right from -7 and you end up with -4.

In other words -7 + 3 is exactly the same as 3 - 7.
-3 - 2 means the same as -3 + -2. By moving another 2 places to the left of the scale from -3 we get the answer as -5.

Now for the funny bit…..
What is -3 - -2 (minus 3 minus minus 2)? this is nearly always written as -3 - (-2) where the brackets just make it easier for people to see that you have written two minus signs - - and don't just have a dodgy pen and only intended to write a single minus.

Back to the question -3 minus -2 again - Think of opposites - you know that -3 -2 moves two to the left of the number scale and gives the answer -5. So -3 - (-2) being opposite must move two to the right of the number scale giving the answer -1.
Secret: If ever you see two minus signs together - treat them as a plus (positive) number e.g. -3 -(-2) is exactly the same as -3 + 2!

Back to the question -3 minus -2 again - Think of opposites - you know that -3 -2 moves two to the left of the number scale and gives the answer -5. So -3 - (-2) being opposite must move two to the right of the number scale giving the answer -1.
Secret: If ever you see two minus signs together - treat them as a plus (positive) number e.g. -3 -(-2) is exactly the same as -3 + 2!

Multiplying

There's another secret coming up here which is surprisingly similar to the one you've just learnt - wait for it.
Firstly, a negative number multiplied by a positive number is always negative e.g. -3 x 2 = -6 and likewise 3 x -2 = -6.
-3 x 2 is like saying "I'm at -3 on the number scale and need to go twice as far as -3 to get the answer - so you move on another -3 (to the left of the scale) giving you the answer -6.
Now, when a negative number is multiplied by a negative number the answer is always positive.
Secret: A minus number times a minus number always gives a plus number (e.g. -3 x -4 = 12, -10 x -3 = 30).

Dividing

Here the technique is the same as multiplying. A negative number divided by a positive number gives a negative number e.g. -6/3 = -2.
Also a positive number divided by a negative number also gives a negative numbere.g. 6 / -3 = -2.
So what do you think a negative number divided by a negative number is?
That's it you've guessed it (if you've understood the section on multiplying). Negative divided by negative gives positive.
Secret: A minus number divided by a minus number gives a plus number (e.g. -6/-3 = 2)

The bit most people forget

If you see two minus numbers together when multiplying or dividing the answer will always be plus.
When a minus number is subtracted from another minus number, the two minuses - - should be treated as if they were +.
"TWO MINUSES ALWAYS MAKE A PLUS"

Earlier we were talking about opposites - did you notice that it isn't just the positive and negative numbers which are opposite?
Subtraction is the opposite of Addition and
Division is the opposite of Multiplication

Making the most of past papers

2009-10-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

With mock exams looming now is the time to start preparing for them. There is no better way than to practice as many past papers as possible so as you get a feel for the exam style questions. It is important that you know what exam board is issuing the paper as well as the syllabus code and the level at which you are studying at, e.g Higher and Foundation.

Remember the better prepared you are the more likely you are to obtain higher grades. Simply reading through a text book is not adequate preparation. The more questions that you can do the better!

Past exam papers are available directly from exam board websites, also they are available from the Top Maths DVD website where you can download them free of charge.

Don't forget your working out!

2009-08-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

Why is it that a lot of students forget vital working out when answering GCSE Maths questions? Well the answer is that students think that by putting a single answer down that they will get all the marks possible for that question! How wrong is that!

The simple truth is that examiners are looking for students to demonstrate that they are able to apply a method to solve a mathematical problem, hence examiners award marks for doing so even if you arive at the wrong answer!!

Remember that Mathematics is fundamentally about accuracy, not speed. Therefore under timed examination conditions it is far better to spend time showing all working out and checking your answer and working out afterwards, than rushing the question and only putting an answer down that could potentially be wrong! So you may end up with no marks with just a single answer! So as you can see it really makes sense to show your working out!

GCSE Maths Past Papers now available

2009-08-02T02:35:00.000-07:00

A library of GCSE Maths past papers has been added to the GCSE Maths revision site www.topmathsdvd.co.uk . The library includes GCSE Maths higher and foundation papers for AQA, Edexcel and OCR exam boards from 2004 to 2008.

But how will I remember all of this? There is so much to learn!

2009-07-30T02:14:00.000-07:00

As a private Mathematics tutor I also get asked this question a lot. I often get interrupted whilst explaining the concepts of Trigonometry or Algebra with a groan or two followed by an admission of defeat and that the student will never remember anything that I have taught them because there is simply too much to remember. The answer to this is very simple, in one word practice.

Remember learning to ride a bike? Well you may have got it first time round if you were lucky! Or if you were like me you kept falling off your bike until you eventually got it! Well Mathematics is very similar to that. Ok well you don’t ride a bike but the principal is the same as much as it is a procedural activity. When you ride a bike you get on the saddle. Then you put your feet on the peddles, then begin to peddle finding your balance etc. Well in Mathematics it is very similar when solving an equation for example. You start off by writing out the equation then begin to balance the equation eventually arriving at a single variable equal to a number. So here you have followed a set procedure to solve the equation.

The more questions that you do the more natural it will become for you to solve equations, just like riding a bike! It will become almost habitual when presented with an equation. Remember when revising for your GCSE Maths exam you can use the GCSE maths master revision DVD to help refresh your memory, the ultimate aid for GCSE Maths revision.

But sir what has Algebra got to do with real life?

2009-06-25T08:50:00.001-07:00

As a private Maths tutor I get asked this question a lot. I am sat there explaining how to solve a simultaneous equation and I get interrupted by the student who demands to know how this will help them in life.

My answer to this question is always the same and always will be, and if I got a pound for every time that I have been asked this question then I probably wouldn't have to work anymore! So I decided to post the answer to this blog so that anybody reading this will know the answer and not need to pester their Mathematics teacher.

Algebra has real life applications from Engineering to computer games design and from predicting future trends in the financial markets to designing circuit boards. More generally Mathematics is fundamental in everyday life, from working out the VAT on a TV to calculating how much change you will receive when you buy a chocolate bar.

The fundamental building blocks of life can be explained by Mathematics, from the pattern of a honey cone to the orbit of the planets around the sun. Without our understanding of Mathematics we would truly all be lost. Many people see Mathematics are boring and irrelevant, this couldn't be further from the truth. Developing the latest computer games is certainly not a boring career, and can be both lucrative and fun. Designing the next generation of electronic technology is certainly not dull either.

We all marvel at the latest gadgets when they hit the market such as IPods and IPhones. They are so often taken for granted. We never really appreciate the complexity of this technology and the work that has gone into developing these devices. Without Mathematics these would not have been made possible. So as you can see if we are to continue to make technological progress, make new discoveries and land on mars we need Mathematics and we need to embrace it. Without people studying Mathematics we will all lose something in the future!

Essential GCSE Study Skills

2009-06-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Essential GCSE Study Skills are simply the various skills you need to be able to study effectively. Many students have surprisingly poor study skills. This study guide is designed to help anybody who is studying for their GCSE exams and wishes to improve such study skills. This study guide is packed full of useful advice which will help you develop all the skills that you need to effectively prepare for your GCSE exams. The guide starts off by showing you how to set up a suitable study environment. Then the guide goes onto to show you how to design and implement your study skills, planning your revision and dealing with stressful situations.

Feeding yourself good food helps to keep your body in good shape. Your brain works in a similar way so it is important to feed yourself positive thoughts. Changing your study environment will also improve your ability to revise and will help with your self confidence. Negative thoughts on the other hand will undermine your self confidence and will destroy your-self image.

Nearly everybody has more potential than they realise. Plenty of people prevent themselves from learning just because they don't believe in their own abilities. Believing in yourself can be a source of enormous strength. Essentially it is a matter of attitude; a calm quiet approach will lead to confidence and success. Be careful not to be over confident. This is often just an excuse for doing nothing.

You can fool yourself that the course is easy and requires little effort. So you do nothing until a month before the exam and then suddenly become anxious and nervous about the prospect of doing the exam. A good way to boost your self confidence is to keep a record of what you have achieved and reward yourself from time to time when you have achieved goals that you have set yourself.

Constructing a SWOT analysis is an excellent way to help prepare for exams. SWOT stands for:
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Your strengths could lie in knowledge of certain areas of the syllabus; your weaknesses could be your motivation and organisation. Opportunities could be the free time that you have or the environment that you are studying within.

Threats could be distractions in your life such as the TV, concentration levels and events that occur in your personal life. The environment that you are studying in can have a vital influence on your ability to revise effectively. Radio, TV, Computers and DVDs may be great inventions but they can invade people's privacy just as much as other people can.

Finding a quiet place to study such as a library or your bedroom away from disruption is vital. If you study at home ensure that you notify family members so that they are aware that you are revising and can keep noise levels to a minimum. Remember not to study too much as this can be counterproductive. Ensure that you get plenty of sleep (typically between 8-12 hours per day). Working on the computer before you go to bed is not recommended as this can inhibit your ability to get a good night's sleep.

Ensure that you have regular meals and have time to relax and be with your friends. Doing plenty of physical exercise is also a good idea and when you construct a revision timetable ensures that you include some kind of physical activity within your schedule. There are two types of study skills that you need to be aware of they are receptive study skills and productive study skills. Receptive skills deal with acquiring and processing new information, whereas productive skills deal with how you plan and present your own ideas based on information that you have already worked through.

Examples of receptive skills:
• Skimming
• Scanning
• Using abbreviations
• Making notes
• Summarising

Examples of productive skills:
• Brainstorming
• Solving problems
• Improving your memory
• Making inferences
• Empathising
• Assessing your own progress

Different subjects will of course use different types of skill. For example Mathematics will use more productive skills when revising such as practising Maths questions, where as History will require more receptive skills such as note taking.

Remember when doing a task that may seem daunting it is often best to break it up into more manageable tasks, to tackle the problem one bit at a time. Spread the units of work over a period of hours, days or weeks, depending upon the time scale. Build these sessions into your regular study plan. This skill is useful if you have to write a long assignment for your coursework, or if you need to reschedule a project over several weeks or months. Don't bore yourself to death with endless repetition. There are better ways of remembering one section of your studies when you proceed to the next. Build into your study plan regular opportunities to review your work. The aim is to renew your interest and clarify your understanding.

Problem solving skills are essential irrespective of the subject that you are studying and even if you are not studying at all. The most efficient problem solvers use techniques such as brainstorming and lateral thinking to tackle situations. These approaches give us freedom to take a new idea and see where it goes.

There are various ways to help improve your memory whilst revising; these include mnemonics, visualisation and narratisation. A mnemonic is a way of making information memorable by turning initials into a kind of story. For example to remember the colours of the rainbow 'Richard of York gave battle in vain' Visualisation involves placing information spatially in your imagination. Let's suppose that you are studying Chemistry. You want to memorise the periodic table. You could take different sections of the table and, in your imagination; 'place' each section in a different room of your home. Or if you are studying English, you could take the plot of the novel and think of it as a journey along the street in which you live. Using a cassette recorder or recording information digitally onto a computer can be a great way to record your notes that can be played back when you are ready to revise. This is more useful for subjects like English literature where a large amount of information has to be retained about a particular novel relating to the plot, characterisation, view point etc.

Diagrams, pictures and flow charts can be good ways of remembering information, especially if you assign colours to particular sections, i.e. implement a system of colour coding. As the exams begin to loom so the pressure will begin to mount. The more you study the more there is to remember! Sticking to your study plan may involve sacrifices. You may feel frustrated, angry and irritated at times.

Remember that our ability to think, study and remember information depends on the efficient running of our body. Exercise is a great way to combat stress. Having said that too much of anything is a bad thing and no matter how well we look after ourselves by eating the correct food and exercising regularly we cannot avoid stressful situations entirely. When we become stressed and anxious are bodies release a hormone called adrenalin. Adrenalin causes the heart to beat faster and increase the blood pressure in our bodies. At the same time we may experience dryness in the mouth, more rapid breathing and heightened alertness.

To combat this try a simple breathing exercise. This exercise will lower your heart rate and will enrich the supply of oxygen to the brain. To do this breathe in deeply. Silently count '1', '2' as you do so. Hold your breath as you silently count from 1 to 8. Don't 'lock' the muscles of your throat or chest. Hold your breath as gently as possible. Release your breath slowly as you count from 1 to 4. Count '1' while your lungs remain empty. Repeat the steps again a few more times until you feel more relaxed.

Attending Tai Chi classes and meditation groups are a great way of relieving stress. Often these classes are on a weekend or evening so will not class with your study commitments. If you are unable to attend any of these classes then there are also plenty of products available to purchase to help with sleep and relaxation.

NEW !!! GCSE Maths Master Non Calculator Skills DVD

2008-07-18T03:07:00.000-07:00

Top Grade Tutoring are pleased to announce the release of a new Maths DVD specifically for the non calculator papers at both SATs and GCSE Levels.The Maths Master Non Calculator Skills DVD is the complete study kit that works on your computer or DVD player and features bitesized practical worked examples to support your understanding and top tips to handle non calculator paper exam questions all with engaging Hollywood CGI effects!

The DVD focuses on explaining how questions involving percentages, decimals and fractions on non calculator papers at both SATs and GCSE levels can be answered without the use of a calculator . Each topic is divided up into sections that can be easily accessed from the main menu allowing the student to easily digest the information

This DVD is competitively priced at £14.99 + p&p and is available from the Top Maths DVD website www.topmathsdvd.co.uk

New GCSE Maths Revision DVD out now!

2008-03-29T14:03:00.002-07:00

check out the new GCSE Maths Master Revision Kit by Top Grade Tutoring out now! Go to www.topmathsdvd.co.uk for more info

Effective exam revision is the key!!

2008-03-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

Top Exam Tips for GCSE Maths

Now let’s look at some exam hints and tips that will help maximise your marks in the exam!

The first tip is to show all of your working out in the exam. If you don’t then you will get a maximum of 1 mark, that’s if you get the correct answer. You will get credit for correct working out even if you don’t obtain the correct answer, so it really is worth it!

The second tip is to familiarise yourself with the formula sheet that appears at the start of the exam. Remembering formulas will make answering questions far less time consuming as you will be able to quickly recall formulas like the quadratic formula without having to look them up.

The third tip is for the calculator exam paper make sure that you remember to bring a calculator and a spare battery. You will also need to remember to bring a compass, a protractor, a ruler, a pencil and a rubber.

Tip number 4 is probably what most students fail to do, and that is to revise effectively. I can’t stress enough that plenty of revision is vital to exam success. Revising the night before an exam is not recommended, instead make sure you get plenty of rest the night before the exam so that you are refreshed and alert enough to do the exam.

The final tip is to make sure that you practice as many papers as possible, as this will give you an idea as to what exam questions will be like, and help prepare you for the exam.

You may like to check out the best aid for GCSE Maths Revision which is the topmathsdvd!!!
go to www.topmathsdvd.co.uk for more information

Private Maths Tuition Halesowen, Dudley, Stourbridge, Harborne, Hagley,Home Tuition, Maths Tutoring

2007-11-20T04:18:00.000-08:00

Established in August 2005, Top Grade Tutoring provides a professional, private home-based Maths tuition service, for students aged between 9 – 16 in the Halesowen, Dudley, Stourbridge, Harborne and Hagley areas in the West Midlands UK. In accordance with the Protection of Children Act 1999, all tutors hold Criminal Record Bureau certificates.

For more Information got to www.topgradetutoring.co.uk

GCSE Maths Revision

2007-06-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

So then Think you’ve seen it all with ways to revise?…Think revising is boring?… Think again! There is a new way to revise for your GCSE Maths in the form of a DVD that can be played either on your computer or on a conventional DVD player.

The DVD features a young modern down to earth approach that gives you all the facts in an easy to understand format with practical worked examples to help consolidate your understanding. Revising for your GCSE Maths exam with the Top Grade Tutoring revision DVD will never be the same again. With Top tips on how to cope with Algebra, Number, Shape and Space revising will be easier, quicker and more importantly far more enjoyable!

Go to www.topmathsdvd.co.uk to find out more