ANSWERING

TECHNIQUES
ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS
SPM
PAPER 1
• CONTENTS OF THE SYLLABUS

• FORMAT OF THE EXAMINATION

PAPERS

• EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES OF
LEARNING

• TECHNIQUES OF ANSWERING
CONTENTS OF THE
SYLLABUS
 CONTENTS

ELECTIVE
CORE PACKAGE
PACKAGE
 GEOMETRY

STATISTICS ALGEBRA

CORE
PACKAGE

TRIGONOMETRY CALCULUS
Component Topics
(i) Functions
(ii) Quadratic Equations
(iii) Quadratic Functions
Algebra (iv) Simultaneous Equations
(v) Indices and Logarithms
(vi) Progressions
(vii) Linear Law
(i) Coordinate Geometry
Geometry
(ii) Vector
(i) Differentiation
Calculus (ii) Integration
Component Topics

• Circular Measures
Trigonometry
• Trigonometric Function
(i) Statistics
(ii) Permutation and
Statistics Combination
(iii) Simple Probability
(iv) Probability Distribution
 ELECTIVE
PACKAGE

Applied Science
And Social Science
Technology

Solutions of Triangle Application Of Index Number

Motion In A Straight Line Linear Programming
FORMAT OF PAPER 1

ADDITIONAL
MATHEMATICS
SPM
 Type of instrument: Objective
 Type of item: Graded objective
(Item requires candidates to give responses
with their own answers)
 Number of question : 25 ( Answer all )
 Total marks : 80
 Duration : 2 jam
 Construct :
Knowledge and Understanding: 20 %
Application skills: 80 %
 Level of Difficulty : R : S : T = 6 : 3 : 1
Item of Knowledge and Understanding
1. Does not involve complicated calculations

3. Measures the ability of candidates to

 Recall definitions, concepts, formulas and laws
 Translate idea from one form to another.
 Reason out a basic idea

4. Task Word :
State…, Name…, Write….
Item of Application Skills
1. Measures the ability of candidates to
 carry out the calculation using the
definitions, concepts, formulas and laws
 sketch, draw and interpret graphs.
 generate formulas or relation

2. Word task:
Find…, Calculate…,Solve…,
Differentiate…, Integrate…, Evaluate…,
Express…
EXAMPLES OF ITEMS
3472/1
Knowledge and Understanding
The first term of a geometric progression is 3

and the common ratio of the geometric

progression is −2.
List down the first four terms of the
geometric
progression.
[2
marks]
 Diagram1 shows the graph of the
quadratic function y = (x + b) 2 + c.
y

• (2,3)
x
0
DIAGRAM 1
State the values of b and c. [2 marks]

Answer: b =……………
c=…...………..
Application Skills
Given 5 3n
(
= 25 5 n−1
) , find the value of n.
[3 marks]

Answer:………………….
On the axes provided in the answer space,
sketch the graph of y = sin2x 
for 0 ≤ x ≤ π
Answer :
y

x
0
RANGE OF TOPICS
IN PAPER 1
• ALL the topics in the syllabus except
- topics from the AST and SS Packages
- Simultaneous Equations
• Questions involving proving will not be asked in
Paper 1
 Marking Scheme
• Full marks are given to the correct
answers.

• However, if the answer is wrong, marks

will be given to the correct stage of the
candidates’ working.
 Example
The quadratic equation x(x + 1) = px – 4
has two distinct roots.
Find the range of values of p .
[3 marks]
Marking Scheme:

p < −3 , p >5

B2: (p + 3)(p − 5) > 0

B1: (1 − p)2 − 4(1)(4) > 0

TECHNIQUES OF ANSWERING
 Start by answering the easy questions
first.

Answer according to the requirements of

the question.
(This determines how the answer must be
written.)
Example:
 Find θ, in radians...
 Give your answer correct to two decimal
places...
 uuur uuur
1. Given r = 3i + j and OB = i − 5 j ,
uuuOA
find AB in the form  x 
 
 y

Answer: uuur
AB = −2i − 6 j
or
uuur  −2 
AB =  
 −6 
2. The quadratic px² + qx +1= 0 has two
equal roots. Express p in terms of q.

Answer:

• q = 2√p
• q² = 4p
• p = q²
4
 Answer according to the
instructions of the question.
(This determines the method that
must be used when solving.)

Example:
• Using π = 3.142 , calculate… (Circular
Measures)
• Sketch the graph…(Quadratic Functions/
Trigonometric)
 Understand the key words
Key Words Action Example
State Answers can be 1
obtained without = 0.090909
Name p
calculation
Write = k +m +n
Find the values of
m and n

Find Involves calculation Given

f ( x ) = ( 3x −, 1)
5
Determine and usually
Calculate formulas are used. find f´´(x)
Evaluate
PRESENTATION
OF
ANSWERS
 HANDWRITING

READABLE
AND
NEAT
• Workings must be shown clearly

• Common mistake: Answers without

workings.
Given the mean of the numbers 2,7,9,15 and x is
12, find the value of x.
[2 marks]

2 + 7 + 9 + 15 + x = 12
5
33 + x = 60
x = 27

[1 mark]

Answer : 7 [0 mark]
Answer : 7
• Final answer must be in simplified form.

• Common mistakes:
25 ; 2x 2
– 4x + 6 =0, 2
6
• Solutions involving π ,answers can be
given in terms of π , unless stated
“Using π = 3.142”
Hence, this value of π must be used to
obtain the answers.
• Precision
Answers involving decimal numbers must
be rounded off to 4 significant numbers.
Example:
tan θ = 0.33 ,θ = 180° 16’ [not precise]
tan θ = 0.333, θ = 180° 25’ [not precise]
tan θ = 0.3333,θ = 180° 26’ [precise ]
Solve the equation 3cos 2x = 8sinx – 5 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°
[3 marks]
B1: 3(1 - 2sin2 x ) = 8sinx – 5
B2 : ( 3sin x − 2 ) ( sin x + 2 ) = 0

2
sin x = , sin x = −2
3
sin x = 0.67
x = 42.06 ° not precise

 sin x = 0.6667
x = 41.81 °
Solve the equation 42x − 1 = 7x
[4
marks]
(2x - 1 )lg 4 = x lg 7
2x(0.60) – x(0.85)= 0.60 0.60
x=
2 ( 0.60 ) − ( 0.85 )

x = 1.714
Solve the equation 42x − 1 = 7x
[4
marks]
1.677
lg 4
x=
B3 : 2 lg 4 −lg 7

B2 : 2xlg 4 – xlg7=lg 4
B1: (2x - 1 )lg 4 = x lg 7
More Common Mistakes
Graph of Trigonometric Function
On the axes provided in the answer
space, sketch the graph of y = |3sin2x|
for 0 ≤ x ≤ π
Answer : y

x
y
3

x
0 π

y
3

π x
0
Progression
Find the ninth term of the arithmetic progression
7,4,1,…

Tn=a+(n-1)d
Make sure
T9=7+(9-1)-3 brackets is
=12 written to show
multiplication
Tn=a+(n-1)d
T9=7+(9-1)(-3)
=-17
Functions
Defining functions.
3x 2 − x Condition for
f ( x) = the function to
x −1 exist must be
written

3x − x
2
f ( x) = , x≠1
x −1
Quadratic functions
Quadratic inequalities

x ≤ 1 and x ≥ 5

x ≤ 1 or x ≥ 5

x ≤1 , x ≥ 5
Quadratic Equations
Solving quadratic equations using the formula.

x ( 3x − 5 ) =1 Make sure
‘= 0’ is
3x 2 − 5 x − 1 = 0 written

− ( −5 ) ± ( −5) − 4 ( 3) ( −1)
2

x=
2 ( 3)

Show how the values of

a, b and c are
substituted into the
formula
 IN THE
EXAMINATION HALL
 The use of non-programmable
scientific calculator is allowed.

 Any valid method can be used

to solve a problem. (paper 1)
 Do not waste time sketching a
graph.

 Give only one answer in the

answer space.

 Do not cross out the solution

that has been done; probably
the first attempt is better than
the second.
Example
A badminton team consists of 7 players. The
team will be chosen from a group of 8 boys
and 5 girls.
Find the number of teams that can be formed
such that the team consists of 4 boys.
[2 marks]
8
C4 × C3
5 8
P4 × P3
5

Answer: 100800