Members of the Knockalva Technical High School team which won the coconut industry board's 2007 parish Coconut Farming Competition and their teachers. - File

I must remind you at the outset that mathematics is not a subject to fear, but rather it is a subject that will bring you immense pleasure as you learn the various concepts and solve question after question.

In assessing students' performance in the past I, like many other examiners, am of the view that too many students are ill-prepared for the examinations. We also feel that since the examination papers have been quite straight-forward, students should have achieved better quality results.

Experience has confirmed that weaker students wait until it is too late to begin adequate preparation. Studying math is quite unattractive to these students so they postpone their involvement for as long as they can. Let me remind these students that they can begin by emphasising the recall and method levels, (that is, recall of facts; also do calculations, and apply methods, for example, simultaneous equations). Problem solving can be developed later with practice.

To have you adequately prepared for the external examination, I urge you to get the following materials:

1. SYLLABUS

This will inform you of the following:

• Structure of the examination
• Details of the specific objectives, etc.

The syllabus is available at schools or CXC Western Zone office at 37 Caenwood Road, St. Andrew.

2. TEXTBOOKS

You may select from any of those available on the market Use the one with which you are most comfortable.

3. NOTEBOOK

A hardcover book or folder is recommended. Students must ensure that work done throughout the course is kept together so that it may be reviewed at any time. The recommended format for each topic is as follows:

Topic:
Date:
Brief notes:

4. PAST PAPER QUESTIONS

Available in bookshops.

5. RESOURCE MATERIALS

Media publications, for example, weekly CXC Study Guides in the Youthlink, the popular Gleaner publication.

A wide variety of model answers.

6. INSTRUMENTS

Mathematical instruments and a calculator which can be used in Paper 2 at both the general and basic levels.

This is a comprehensive list of the materials which are required and must be used regularly.

To all tutors of mathematics, let me remind you to motivate your students. Motivation is the most effective approach in dealing with a student's fear of mathematics. This strategy requires the continued effort of both parents and teachers and may be achieved through the following:

• Constant encouragement
• Offers or rewards when earned
• Gentle persuasion where necessary
• Firm insistence that they stay the course when there is evidence of tardiness.
• On going involvement in the practice of problems of increased level of difficulty.
• Constant review of topics done in the lower forms.

Of those listed above, practice is the most important strategy. The careful selection of questions should result in some success. This will build the self-confidence of the students as they attempt more difficult problems.

I wish to use this opportunity to commend those students who did well in their examinations. I suspect that the successful ones were those who were diligent in their preparation. To those who were unsuccessful, there is still another chance. You may wish to register now for the 2008 January sitting of the examination.

As you are no doubt aware, the mathematics examination has two papers as follows:

Paper 1 - 60 multiple choice items
Paper 2 - essay type questions

Please attempt the following multiple choice items.

1. 2² + 3³ =

(a) 10
(b) 13
(c) 31
(d) 32

2. If 3n is an odd number, which of the following is an even number?

(a) 3n-2
(b) 3n + 2
(c) 3n + 4
(d) 3n-1

33/4 = 11

(a) 1/2
(b) 25/4
(c) 121/4
(d) 1/4

4. 39. 96 x 0.5 is approximately:

(a) 0.2
(b) 2
(c) 20.0
(d) 200