by Aisling Kenny
Students were greeted by a very nice Paper 2 this morning, one that was widely regarded as fair, accessible, and more manageable than Paper 1.
Section A was again very accessible for students. Question 1 began with a stem-and-leaf diagram and included a straightforward task requiring students to draw a pie chart. Question 2 focused on inferential statistics and was considered very direct.
Question 3 covered area and volume. In Part (a), students were asked to construct the image of a triangle under axial symmetry in a given line, a task that most found very manageable. Question 4 dealt with the line and included a slightly unusual but accessible Part (b).
Question 5 was based on the circle. Although the question had an unfamiliar feel initially, students generally gained confidence once they engaged with it. Question 6 was a well-received trigonometry question and included a proof of the compound angle formula, cos(A − B).
Section B was viewed as more manageable than the corresponding section in Paper 1. Question 7 focused on solving triangles using trigonometry. Students were particularly pleased with Question 8, which began with correlation and a line of best fit before developing into a trigonometric function and the solution of a trigonometric equation.
Question 9 was a geometry question involving the calculation of the length of a belt in a belt-drive system. While the context was unusual, students generally found it approachable and were able to apply familiar geometric techniques to solve it.
Question 10 focused on statistics and probability. It provided a fitting conclusion to the paper, bringing together key ideas from these strands of the course in a clear and accessible manner.
Overall, students were much happier with Paper 2 than with Paper 1. The paper was viewed as fair and balanced, with a strong emphasis on core topics and questions that allowed students to demonstrate their understanding and make steady progress throughout.
