So your GCSE maths exams are just around the corner, and it’s a time when most students will be feeling the nerves and pressure, and maybe even a bit of panic starting to kick in too.

One of the most difficult courses included in the GCSE curriculum is math. Sadly, mathematics is a key subject in secondary education, which means that it is required of all pupils even if they aren't very gifted in the field.

The current Maths 9-1 GCSE includes new material and a different grading system. This means there is little information about how to answer many of the new Maths questions GCSE. It would help if you worked closely with a tutor in order to iron out any of the issues that may arise with this, and ensure that you keep on track with your preparation.

The revision period is one of the most challenging periods of the school year.

Although some students can feel on top of things and not worry too much, others can find themselves tearing their hair out with frustration and panic.

Maybe you’ve left too much until the last minute and now you feel as though you’ll never catch up, or you might feel like you don’t even know where to start with the whole lot!

But you’re not alone – GCSE is a tough time and there is so much pressure coming from all over the place to get certain grades. But it’s the run-up to exams which can be most stressful sometimes, and how you tackle the problems that crop up during revision.

Use different resources to get you through revision!
Sometimes maths can be really overwhelming, but help is out there! Photo credit: Klara Kim via VisualHunt

GCSE maths revision and A-level maths can get really tough, especially with some of the more complicated topics, and you might come across hurdles you didn’t expect or problems you don’t know how to solve. Try getting a hand from a tutor when you face those GCSE maths hard questions.

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5 (63 reviews)
Paolo
£30
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1st lesson free!
Hiren
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5 (23 reviews)
Hiren
£150
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Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Akash
5
5 (58 reviews)
Akash
£45
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Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Intasar
5
5 (48 reviews)
Intasar
£79
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1st lesson free!
Johann
5
5 (35 reviews)
Johann
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Sehaj
4.9
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Sehaj
£40
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1st lesson free!
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Luke
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1st lesson free!
Harjinder
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The GCSE Maths Exam

Your GCSE exam papers will have been worked on and designed by a number of different math teachers and the department of education. The paper will have been very carefully constructed to assess the course in it’s entirety.

For this reason, you can rest assured that there is always enough information in the question for you to work out a solution for what you are asked to find. Examiners are nice like that, remember that they will be looking for reasons to give you marks so make sure your work is neat so they can read your workings.

Although it may not always be obvious, it’s your job to put on a Sherlock hat, grab a magnifying glass and figure out what information is useful. This is part of the problem-solving that comes with mathematics and it encourages students to think more critically about the questions that they are being asked.

It’s a shame you can’t bring an assistant into the exam hall to help trigger moments of inspiration. Instead, you should focus on preparing yourself to the best of your ability before stepping foot into the exam hall.

This is especially important for grade 9 GCSE maths questions that often involve multiple areas of mathematics that overlap. Students will first of all need to determine what topic of mathematics they will need to apply and this will require some deeper understanding of the syllabus.

Despite the fact that the inquiry might seem to be about probability, the data they provide can be modelled algebraically. It can be necessary to handle that algebraic data using fractional operations while keeping in mind what it represents in terms of probability.

Put yourself ahead of the competition and spend sufficient time practising exam-style questions alongside an experienced maths tutor!

It would be a shame for you to just run out of time on the exam day after spending the better part of two years studying for it. Time management is the most efficient technique to make sure this doesn't happen.

In order to use your time in the exam room as effectively as possible, leave yourself time to go over the paper before handing it in, and ultimately maximize your grade in the subject, you must understand exactly how many minutes you have to complete each section and practice completing exam style questions from your leaving cert exam papers.

Improve your Maths Revision at Home

Don’t worry too much though, because help is at hand! Try to relax a bit and make a really clear plan of what you need to know for your exams. The best way to get the ball rolling is by making a revision timetable so that you know how much time to spend on each topic and subject.

Learning to prioritise important things and to manage your time well is good practice for any exam, and maths is no different! You can make a study plan on your own or online really easily, leaving more time for the most challenging topics, and slightly less for the things you feel more confident about.

If you’re finding that you repeatedly get certain things wrong, or always stumble over the same type of question, then this is what you need to make more time for. Prioritise the topics or problems that you frequently struggle with so that you can overcome the issue before the real exam.

You need to face the challenges as soon as possible so that you don’t get any nasty surprises in the actual exam. Make a start on the problems you find most difficult and keep at them right up until your exam – you should find that you can handle it much better by the time the exam comes around.

Thanks to the advancements in online tutoring seen over the past decade, you can now bring a maths class right into your own home. This will work wonders for your grade in mathematics!

Maths tutors are a great opportunity to ask all your questions and fix any problems you’ve been having during your revision and exam preparation. You can easily find a maths tutor online through platforms such as Superprof, or via social media sites. You can also keep an eye out in your school, library and local community for tutoring adverts.

An experienced maths tutor can help you with your maths and work through challenges at a pace that suits you, honing in on the things you find most difficult. Whether it’s problems with specific topics such as algebra, trigonometry, probability, or geometry, or if you just need maths homework help, there’s a tutor out there to help you through it.

With online tutoring sites like Superprof, you can also find online tutors who are able to teach you over a video call. This means you can study from the comfort of your own home, whilst receiving brilliant personal teaching tailored to you.

Find a reputable maths tutor in Liverpool with Superprof.

Study plans will help you succeed!
Setting yourself the right time will help keep you calm and feeling in control. Photo credit: ** RCB ** via Visualhunt

Practise answering exam questions

Remember that there is only so much that the exam will cover. Get hold of your course syllabus and a template of the style of exam questions so that you can prepare for every scenario.

Many of these questions that you will have become familiar with from working your way through questions from your  GCSE maths textbook will likely not even appear in your exam.

Students will find that there is a particular style that exam questions typically follow for each topic and therefor it is equally important that you begin practising answering exam-style questions.

This will guarantee that you won't be viewing the question for the first time in the exam room. Learning the layout of the paper, the topics that will be covered, and how much time to allot for each question is all part of the preparation for the GCSE math exam.

This will assist you in setting priorities for the day and ultimately assist you in receiving the grade you want. This also means you must start your revision as early as possible. A week before the exam won’t cut it – you need to put in a good amount of time for maths GCSE revision and make sure you spend time on every topic you’ve covered in class. Nail those hard maths questions GCS students have to face!

An essential thing to remember about maths is that it relies entirely on how much you understand what you are learning. Trying to remember something isn’t enough, you need to really understand the maths in order to succeed.

Because the thing about maths is that what you learn at school can usually be applied to all sorts of problems, and you will use different techniques and methods to solve all manner of problems. This means you need to really learn your stuff so that you can apply it to different scenarios.

So, unlike some subjects at GCSE, maths isn’t something you can just memorise and regurgitate in an exam. You need to put the time in so that you can achieve a comprehensive knowledge of your syllabus.

And if you're worried of a poor showing in math, you probably need a few apps and tools to help you master it...

One of the best ways of overcoming problems during your maths revision is to ask for help. Some students get so caught up in trying to teach themselves topics they find tricky, and really all they need is someone to explain it to them.

Doing some of the previous exam papers are a great indicator of how much revision you’ve done and how much knowledge you’ve actually retained. You’ll get an idea of where knowledge might be lacking, and where you’ll need to spend more time revising in order to get the hang of it.

Practicing past papers is one of the best ways to prepare for your maths GCSE exam and tackle any problems you’ve been having with learning the course content. You’ll get a clear idea of the exam format, the length, the style of questions and the mark scheme too.

While you're online, you might also want to explore the UK's top university maths programmes...

Overcome your maths problems by doing past papers!
Practising past exams is the best way to prepare! Photo credit: Silenceofnight via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Availing of a GCSE maths tutor

Superprof is a community comprising of millions of tutors around the world. There is certainly no shortage of  GCSE maths tutors available to students looking to maximise their grades in the subject.

The platform enables you to focus your search based on the credentials, hourly pricing, and proximity of the tutors who are listed as providing their services nearby.

One of the most important pieces of advice to remember during your maths GCSE revision and exams is to keep calm and don’t let nerves get the better of you. Sometimes if you see something that doesn’t look familiar, it’s easy to panic.

You must maintain your confidence and keep in mind that you are aware of the question's objectives because you have likely already practised them in some capacity. Focus on each question and take each step as it comes instead of worrying about your final grade or result.

And if you're really at a loss for what to do, make a good guess! After all, it's always preferable to write something than nothing. To feel better prepared for the next time, you can prioritize this type of question in the mark scheme if it occurs during a past paper by going back to it.

In the UK, there are more GCSE teachers that are willing to give their skills. Finding an instructor who fits your learning style is now simpler than ever. There’s no maths GCSE problem that can’t be tackled! Just take your time, go over all the topics, and practice the exam before you do the real thing.

Finding the best tutors to guide you and assist you along the road might be challenging. By connecting you with a qualified community of teaching experts, Superprof helps to allay some of these worries. Only a few clicks separate you from the ideal teacher for you!

Discover how useful maths can be in life and why you should consider studying it.

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Ellen

Ellen is a writer and translator with a passion for literature, traveling and learning new languages.