HSC Extension 1 Mathematics Predictions / Thoughts (1 Viewer)

[erucibon]

Yes, q14a is challenging but I believe that the difficulty of this paper has been overstated a little compared to past years, given the other parts are somewhat easier (and even 14a to it's equivalent). I would expect a borderline band 5-6 student to lose around 7 marks on question 14 (either 6+1 Or 5+2) and no more than 2 marks on each of the other sections and one mark on multiple choice (Q9 most likely). So far from being extremely easy or anything, but in my opinion just a bit more approachable than past years.

it was definitely easier than previous years in my opinion

 

[Husky]

it was definitely easier than previous years in my opinion

yeah I agree as well. Although I don't think last years paper was that difficult (besides 3 marks at the end) but the cut off was still low so I predict it will be low this year as well. Also this forum makes up 1% of students so it doesn't reflect how the rest of the state did with the exam.

 

[erucibon]

I think the consensus is that it was difficult/moderate for the average student because of the perms and combs and also because there was no projectile, but top students would have found it very easy, apart from the rigour in proving the equal functions and the last part of the combs question. There will be a large concentration of marks at 68-70 probably.

 

[Husky]

I think the consensus is that it was difficult/moderate for the average student because of the perms and combs and also because there was no projectile, but top students would have found it very easy, apart from the rigour in proving the equal functions and the last part of the combs question. There will be a large concentration of marks at 68-70 probably.

I think 13c) for the f(x) = g(x) will ruin a lot of potential state rankers. Quite a nice question actually and I think barely any considered both sides of the domain, even ruiace on atar notes missed it.

 

[Xanthi]

yeah I agree as well. Although I don't think last years paper was that difficult (besides 3 marks at the end) but the cut off was still low so I predict it will be low this year as well. Also this forum makes up 1% of students so it doesn't reflect how the rest of the state did with the exam.

Making a direct comparison between last year, the last at least 11 of last year's 12 marks look somewhat harder than 14a this year. I'd imagine the b6 cutoff for those twelve marks would be 1/12. Last year's cutoff of around 52 leaves 7 marks remaining deducted elsewhere. Adding this on to 7 marks for this year's q14 gives my estimate of 56 (assuming the rest of the paper is similar difficulty).

 

[Fabrizio]

its not?

Same as part i and ii and then iii is different numbers have changed a little bit and they rearranged the identity but its the same

 

[Xanthi]

I think the consensus is that it was difficult/moderate for the average student because of the perms and combs and also because there was no projectile, but top students would have found it very easy, apart from the rigour in proving the equal functions and the last part of the combs question. There will be a large concentration of marks at 68-70 probably.

I think you are right about this. There will large concentration of 67-69 marks, but the number of 70 marks will purely depend on the mark scheme for f(x)=g(x). If full marks requires recognition of derivative domain and testing of four points, I cannot imagine more than single digit number of 70 marks.

 

[Husky]

Making a direct comparison between last year, the last at least 11 of last year's 12 marks look somewhat harder than 14a this year. I'd imagine the b6 cutoff for those twelve marks would be 1/12. Last year's cutoff of around 52 leaves 7 marks remaining deducted elsewhere. Adding this on to 7 marks for this year's q14 gives my estimate of 56 (assuming the rest of the paper is similar difficulty).

again you're basing that off of students that are from this forum that would have found it easy. The judges who decide the cut off would be considering the whole state not just a handful of students, and also new syllabus cut offs are usually lower as seen from last years new syllabus papers which all had low cut offs even though some of them weren't difficult.

 

[Xanthi]

again you're basing that off of students that are from this forum that would have found it easy. The judges who decide the cut off would be considering the whole state not just a handful of students, and also new syllabus cut offs are usually lower as seen from last years new syllabus papers which all had low cut offs even though some of them weren't difficult.

If you are referring 7/15 for q14 (given the rest was estimated from last year's judges decision), I find it hard to imagine a cutoff below 2-3/8 as the first part was a relatively standard binomial style question and quite similar questions have occurred before. Maybe you are right that the 5-6/7 is too high for the last question due to the last part - I agree that 4-5/7 might be more suitable giving a 55 cutoff.

Edit: this estimation is based the difficulty compared to last year's judges decision. Additionally I think this forum while not representative of the average student for sure, does give a sense of the band 5-6 student, which would be quite a bit better than average

Regarding the new syllabus, the sciences mark schemes are entirely different and based more on explaining rather than solving, so it is not directly comparable.

 

[homeworkatedog]

I doubt it will deviate far from a 55 because i would say about 8 marks from q14 would be considered band 6 and then you have the 7 for the f(x)=g(x) and then the volume of revolution.

agreed, those were the most problematic for me, but do we also count stupid errors in working out and 1-2 missed mc qs?
personally i found the mc, q11 and 12 p easy BUT ofc you always have to subtract stupid errors marks in working etc

 

[homeworkatedog]

also we gotta remember that the range for an e4 in ext1 maths is MASSIVE, it covers 39% of all ppl taking the test (based on last years hsc scaling report), i think this should be a factor too

 

[Fabrizio]

Even though like 14a) i was relatively standard, most people would of still gotten it wrong because it doesnt come up in many trial papers and then even in the textbooks it isnt covered. Smarter maths compiles all the questions from past hsc and in the binomial chapter even they only have 1 question that is somewhat similar to it

 

[Althacommie]

The average student would not have done well on that exam... Trust me, I'm one of them lol

 

[homeworkatedog]

The average student would not have done well on that exam... Trust me, I'm one of them lol

yeah yeah dont worry i didnt feel great about it either, just hope there are enough of "the average student"

 

[Xanthi]

also we gotta remember that the range for an e4 in ext1 maths is MASSIVE, it covers 39% of all ppl taking the test (based on last years hsc scaling report), i think this should be a factor too

I just searched this up and you're actually right. That fact is quite surprising when you consider that it is greater than the E4 percentage of all other math courses.

In that case, while the difficulty of the hardest few questions is somewhat less than previous years creating the impression of an easier exam, they may still all be above the band 6 threshold. It is possible then for the band 6 cutoff to be similar to previous years as a student between band 5 and 6 would be "just" unable to do all of 14a. In effect, the average and distribution of E4s could be towards higher marks, yet the cutoff still could be lowered. That is a little weird.

 

[homeworkatedog]

I just searched this up and you're actually right. That fact is quite surprising when you consider that it is greater than the E4 percentage of all other math courses.

In that case, while the difficulty of the hardest few questions is somewhat less than previous years creating the impression of an easier exam, they may still all be above the band 6 threshold. It is possible then for the band 6 cutoff to be similar to previous years as a student between band 5 and 6 would be "just" unable to do all of 14a. In effect, the average and distribution of E4s could be towards higher marks, yet the cutoff still could be lowered. That is a little weird.

yeah, like i can see this having several 'peaks' as it were, one from 65-70 and another falling smack in the middle of the e4 cutoff ie 50-57

but personally idk if this will 'lower' the cutoff compared to previous years im not all over this

 

[Husky]

yeah, like i can see this having several 'peaks' as it were, one from 65-70 and another falling smack in the middle of the e4 cutoff ie 50-57

but personally idk if this will 'lower' the cutoff compared to previous years im not all over this

Its largely unpredictable tbh

 

[Xanthi]

yeah, like i can see this having several 'peaks' as it were, one from 65-70 and another falling smack in the middle of the e4 cutoff ie 50-57

but personally idk if this will 'lower' the cutoff compared to previous years im not all over this

Yeah that multiple peak theory sounds the most compatible with the perception of this exam and math extension 2 as well. The average won't be in the middle of e4 (it never is) but I see a 40-45 median with 50-55 e4 cutoff and another peak at 65-70 as reasonable given the new percentile data you found.

 

[ThiccyPishy]

This exam was so easy, I marked it against NGO and I should get 68/70. What does this scale to?

 

[beetree1]

This exam was so easy, I marked it against NGO and I should get 68/70. What does this scale to?

I wouldnt say it was easy, many people struggled with it so just shh
xanthi said 99 for 68 welldone!