How to break down your Maths Study Load

Introduction

Whether you are a Standards Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics or are an Extension 1 or Extension 2 student, it may seem daunting studying for it.

With some clever planning, here’s how you can break down your study load:

1. Review and revise past material

Firstly, try reading or summarising your notes from the past term to try and identify areas where you may need practice or clarification. Secondly, completing the chapter reviews from your textbook for your Term 1 topics is crucial to identifying any knowledge gaps you might have. Or even better, if you have already completed these, look through which questions you answered incorrectly, identify what the issue was and then resolve them again. 

1. Once you’ve identified the gaps in your knowledge, return to the corresponding chapter exercises in the textbook and review the content using the worked examples. 
2. In order to ensure you have fully absorbed the content, write your own notes on individual topics, key formulas and example questions in a way that is easy and fun for you to remember.
3. Review past topics using workshop questions. If you are a YK-student, you’ll know what we mean by workshop questions. They’re simply exam-style maths questions categorised into topics. If you don’t have access to workshop questions, then go through past paper questions to expose yourself to harder questions.

2. Read your syllabus to ensure that you have not missed any key content

As a NSW high school student, your syllabus acts as a roadmap to help you navigate and ace your assessments. A strong understanding of all parts of your syllabus means that you will know what to expect during your exams. Even if you are not sitting the HSC this year, this is a great habit to start implementing for Year 7-10 students. 

NSW Maths Syllabus

1. Maths:
   Standard:
   Syllabus – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-standard-2017/course-structure-and-requirements
   Formula Sheet – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/c2269329-d601-48e2-a645-ea7ecdc61b6f/2021-hsc-mathematics-standard-2.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-c2269329-d601-48e2-a645-ea7ecdc61b6f-nQGX.5D
   
   Advanced
   Syllabus – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-advanced-2017/course-structure-and-requirements
   Formula Sheet – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/d5e591b6-a549-4700-9f1e-5960913f6b60/mathematics-advanced-ext1-ext2-reference-sheet-nov2019.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=
   
   Extension 1
   Syllabus – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-extension-1-2017/course-structure-and-requiremen
   Formula Sheet – https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/d5e591b6-a549-4700-9f1e-5960913f6b60/mathematics-advanced-ext1-ext2-reference-sheet-nov2019.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID= 

3. Practice past exam papers

 Practice past exam papers to get a feel for the format of the exam and the types of questions that may be asked. This will help you to identify areas where you need more practice. Whilst you complete these exams try stimulating the exam environment. 

Find a quiet place to study with no distractions, set a timer and begin. This will be especially helpful if you’re a student who finds themselves constantly under pressure during exams. 

Maths past exam papers

Mathematics Standard 2022 HSC exam pack

Mathematics Advanced 2022 HSC exam pack 

HSC Mathematics Extension https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/resource-finder/hsc-exam-papers/2022/mathematics-extension-1-2022-hsc-exam-pack 

4. Get ahead on coursework

Understanding the key concepts and formulas of new topics during the school holidays will ensure that you have a solid foundation when term begins, leaving you with more time to practice harder questions and time to ask your teachers for any clarification you may need. 

5. Set yourself up for success

Don’t dismiss the little things you can do to make your studying a success. 

• Create a list of the specific tasks and the estimated completion time. When I was studying for the HSC, often times at the end of a “long and strenuous” study day I would feel productive as I completed “4 hours of content revision for maths”.

However, when I looked back at the actual work I had completed there wasn’t much. This is because the goals I had set were not specific which led me down a spiral of focusing my time on unnecessary things and robbing me of free time that I could have spent elsewhere. 

• Consider the positioning of your study environment
  As someone who constantly found themselves pushing studying for Maths till the end of the day, I found that by leaving my textbooks in the centre of my desk the night before, I forced myself to start with Maths before moving on. It might seem silly but small actions like these can actually make a big difference!

• Save or print relevant resources like the Maths formula sheet (Standard , Advanced & Extension). I found that when I already had the relevant resources on me at all times, finding the motivation to study was a lot easier as the inconvenient task of setting up was already eliminated. 

• Organise your stationery to include highlighters, different coloured pens, post-it notes, a calculator, a ruler, and any other necessary stationary. By using materials that I was comfortable with and enjoyed using allowed me to bring some more fun into my study sessions. 

• Use a scheduling system like Asana, a diary, or a whiteboard. 

• A file organisation system like Google Drive and/or Notion. In an attempt to avoid endlessly scrolling through TikToks and my Instagram feed during Year 11 and Year 12 I started spending my breaks mastering how to customise my Notion page and making my notes look aesthetically pleasing. I have to admit, in a way it was another form of procrastination but having this little hobby and having organised notes made studying feel so much more fun for me – I still do this going into my third year of university.

When I follow the above steps, I feel more motivated to stick to my study schedule, otherwise I would be distracted to go out with my friends. If you feel like you need the extra motivation, why not find a study group or join YK Education to really nut down your maths study with other peer!