Written by Aisling Kenny, Yeats College Higher Level Mathematics teacher
The Leaving Cert Higher Level Maths Paper 2 began on a positive note. The first two questions, covering the line and the circle, were clear and approachable. These were followed by a straightforward probability question in Question 3.
Question 4 focused on statistics and was more in line with what students might expect from Junior Cycle content. While Questions 5 and 6 presented a bit more of a challenge, Section An overall was seen as manageable, and many students felt confident about their performance.
Section B opened with Question 7 on area and volume. Part (c) introduced coordinate geometry of the circle and calculations involving sectors and triangles. Question 8, which involved solving triangles, was expected. However, the part requiring the construction of a net of a pyramid proved unexpectedly tricky for many students.
Question 9 dealt with conditional probability and followed a familiar format seen in previous exams, but the combinations question in part (d) stood out as particularly unusual and challenging. Question 10, although a less typical take on inferential statistics, was well-received and considered very doable.
Timing did not appear to be a significant issue on this paper. However, students generally felt Paper 2 was a bit tougher than Paper 1. That said, when looking at both papers together, most students came away feeling positive about how Maths went overall.
