LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED MATHS:STUDENTS HOPING for a soft landing on the last day of the Leaving Cert yesterday were in for an arduous slog in an Applied Maths exam that was regarded as "long and testing".
While the paper was not considered to be harder than in previous years, students were working right up to the last minute, with little or no time to review their answers, teachers said.
“This was a lengthy exam in some places. Question 4b, in particular, was so long that some students may have chosen to avoid it,” said Christy Maginn of St Declan’s School in Cabra.
“The students could have done with another 15 minutes to reflect. If the examiners are going to continue with this style of paper, there is an argument for lengthening the time available.”
Aidan Roantree of the Institute of Education in Dublin agreed that many of the calculations were “time-consuming”.
“There were very few new or surprising questions.
“The concepts presented were as expected, however, the calculations tended to be time-consuming, specifically Q4, which related to dynamics. Students were particularly pleased with Q1, 2 and 10.”
Just over 1,500 students sat the Applied Maths exam yesterday. Numbers taking the subject have remained stubbornly low despite calls from industry to encourage greater uptake of maths and science subjects.
Applied maths is regarded as difficult, although teachers in the subject say it is more accessible than higher maths.
More than 20 per cent of students of applied maths were awarded an A1 grade last year.
“All the A parts on yesterday’s paper were accessible if students had done a modicum of work,” said Mr Maginn. “Some of the B parts were much more testing and took time to calculate.
“A question on average speed came up for the first time in almost 20 years.”
About 70 students took yesterday’s paper at ordinary level.
The Leaving Cert ended yesterday.
