Science calculations
Maths questions often start with the command words 'Calculate...' or 'Determine...'. They will then have a blank space for you to show your working. It is important that you show your working; don't just write the answer down. You might earn marks for your working even if you get the answer incorrect.
In some maths questions you will be required to give the units. This may earn you an additional mark. Don鈥檛 forget to check whether you need to do this.
Maths questions might include graphs and tables as well as calculations. Don鈥檛 forget to take a ruler and calculator.
If drawing graphs, make sure you:
- put the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis
- construct regular scales for the axes
- label the axes appropriately
- plot each point accurately
- decide whether the origin should be used as a data point
- draw a straight or curved line of best fit
If you are asked to calculate an answer and it has lots of decimal places, don't forget to use the same number of significant figures as the data in the question. For example, if two significant figures are used in the question, then usually your answer would also be to two significant figures. Don鈥檛 forget to check your rounding.
These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
What is the total magnification of a light microscope with an eyepiece lens of 脳10 and an objective lens of 脳40? [1 mark]
10 脳 40 = 脳400
Total magnification of microscope = magnification of eyepiece lens 脳 magnification of objective lens
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
How many orders of magnitude exist between an ant which is 3 mm long and a human hair which has a diameter of 100 渭m? [3 mark]
Ant = 3 mm which is 0.003 m or 10鈭3 m
Human hair = 100 渭m which is 0.0001 or 10鈭4 m
So there is one order of difference.
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
If a drawing of a cell in a textbook is 1 cm and the scale shows it to be 0.1 mm in real life, what is its magnification? [2 mark]
1 cm = 10 mm
So, 10 mm 梅 0.1 mm = 脳100