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At present, this web site only contains revision material for externally assessed achievement standards in Mathematics (and Statistics) and Science. However, the third selection bar provides an easy method of finding material on the NZQA web site http://www.nzqa.govt.nz in relation to externally assessed achievement standards in a number of subjects. There have been major changes to many of the achievement standards this year. Material is currently being added to this site for the externally assessed Level 1 standards in Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Physics. See the bottom of this document for advice in relation to revising for those standards.

For externally assessed achievement standards for which there is no material on this web site, http://www.studyit.org.nz is useful. That site is well worth a look because it contains a lot of useful revision material. You might wonder why you shouldn't just use that web site instead of this one. The two sites contain different types of material and, as a result, they are complementary, not alternatives to each other.

All of the PDF documents on this web site may be downloaded, printed, copied, distributed and displayed provided that they are not modified or charged for. For full details of the copyright conditions, click here. The PDF documents can be printed by clicking on the printer icon at the top left of the Adobe Reader frame. You will need to install Adobe Reader (which is free) on your computer if it is not already installed. Click here to download it.

For the externally assessed achievement Level 1 standards, it is suggested that you start your revision by doing any revision exercises which your teacher has given you. If you have already sat your school's "practice exams", re-doing the questions you didn't get completely correct is well worth the effort. The most important part of your revision for each standard is to do the "Sample examination paper 2011" which can be obtained from the NZQA web site. It can also be accessed using the third selection bar on the home page of this site. The marking scheme for each sample paper is on the same page of the NZQA site and is referred to as "Sample assessment schedule 2011". Hints and model answers for some of the sample papers are now on this site. They can be accessed using the second selection bar on the home page, selecting "Sample" as the year. For the new Mathematics standards, the subject is "Mathematics and Statistics", not "Mathematics".

In the model answers for past and sample examinations, the highest grade obtainable for each part of each question is shown. In many cases, particularly with the new standards, if you don't manage to answer a question completely, a lower grade is still obtainable. It is advisable to show all working clearly to ensure that you get appropriate credit for the work you do when you make a minor mistake or fail to completely solve a problem.

For each externally assessed achievement standard, the documents on the NZQA web site can be accessed using the third selection bar on the home page of this web site as follows: Select the appropriate subject under "Select a subject". For the new Level 1 Mathematics standards, the subject is "Mathematics and Statistics", not "Mathematics". Select "Level 1" under "Select a level". Select the appropriate standard under "Select a standard". Click on "Go". You should then be in the NZQA web site. Click on the Adobe or Microsoft Word icon beside the appropriate document. For new standards, the "Sample examination paper 2011", "Sample assessment schedule 2011" and, if it exists, the "Sample resource booklet 2011" are particularly relevant.

When sitting an exam, it is advisable to start by answering the parts of questions which you can answer quickly. If you get stuck on a question, move on and return to the question concerned later if you have time.


Mathematics and Statistics 1.2 (Algebra)

Almost all of the topics in the old Mathematics 1.1 (Algebra) achievement standard are included in this standard. For that reason, if you have time, it is worthwhile doing the diagnostic tests for that standard. They can be accessed from the first selection bar on this site. Those tests should be done in the order Achievement Test 1, Achievement Test 2, Merit Test 1, Merit Test 2. When doing each Test 2, you only need to do the questions for which you didn't get the corresponding Test 1 questions correct. The questions with the same question number in Tests 1 and 2 test the same skill. Question 9 of each of the achievement tests and question 6 of each of the merit tests relate to topics which have been transferred to another standard (See below). It should be realised, however, that those diagnostic tests don't cover all of the topics covered by the new standard. The importance of doing the "Sample examination paper 2011" and/or the 2011 exam cannot be over-emphasised. For questions for which you have difficulty, read the hints and try again. If you still have difficulty, study just enough of the model answer to enable you to make progress in answering the question. Simply studying model answers achieves very little.


Mathematics and Statistics 1.3 (Tables and Graphs)

Almost all of the topics in the old Mathematics 1.2 (Graphs) achievement standard are included in this standard. For that reason, if you have time, it is worthwhile doing the diagnostic tests for that standard. They can be accessed from the first selection bar on this site. Those tests should be done in the order Achievement Test 1, Achievement Test 2, Merit Test 1, Merit Test 2. When doing each Test 2, you only need to do the questions for which you didn't get the corresponding Test 1 questions correct. The questions with the same question number in Tests 1 and 2 test the same skill. One of the topics in the old Mathematics 1.1 and are now in this standard. The questions in the achievement diagnostic tests for that standard which are relevant are question 9 of each achievement test and question 6 of each merit test. It should be realised, however, that the diagnostic tests mentioned above do not cover all of the topics covered by the new standard. The importance of doing the "Sample examination paper 2011" and/or the 2011 exam cannot be over-emphasised.


Mathematics and Statistics 1.6 (Geometry)

The past examination papers for Mathematics 1.8 (Right angled triangles) and 1.9 (Geometry) are useful sources of practice questions for this achievement standard. The importance of doing the "Sample examination paper 2011" and/or the 2011 exam cannot be over-emphasised.


Mathematics and Statistics 1.12 (Chance and Data)

This is a radically new achievement standard. Past past examination papers are not suitable for revising for it. The importance of doing the "Sample examination paper 2011" and/or the 2011 exam cannot be over-emphasised.


Science 1.1 (Mechanics) and 1.5 (Acids and bases)

For each of these standards, hints for the "Sample examination paper 2011" is now on this site. The "Sample assessment schedule 2011" contains model answers.


Level 1 Physics

Hints for the sample examination papers for all of the externally assessed Level 1 Physics standards are now on this site. Many Level 1 Physics students also do Science 1.1 (Mechanics) which is mentioned above.


Mathematics and Statistics 2.6 (Algebra)

Almost all of the topics in the old Mathematics 2.1 (Algebra) achievement standard are included in this standard. For that reason, if you have time, it is worthwhile doing the diagnostic test for achievement for that standard. It can be accessed from the first selection bar on this site. It should be realised, however, that that diagnostic test doesn't cover all of the topics covered by the new standard. The importance of doing the "Sample examination paper 2012" cannot be over-emphasised. For questions for which you have difficulty, read the hints and try again. If you still have difficulty, study just enough of the model answer to enable you to make progress in answering the question. Simply studying model answers achieves very little.


Mathematics and Statistics 2.7 (Calculus)

Hints and model answers for the "Sample examination paper 2012" are now on this site.