Have you ever stared blankly at a question and felt confused during your exam?
Did you wish you have prepared better beforehand and had some practical tips for answering?
So even as you are learning and preparing new Maths topics for your STPM Maths paper now, let us share with you the overview of the questions that will be asked, several effective Maths learning resources and also some practical tips to ace your STPM Maths paper.
What Should You Take Note Of Section A of STPM Maths T/M?
For the written test of STPM Maths (T) and (M) papers, there are altogether 2 sections, Section A and Section B. The total duration of the test is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
For Section A, you have to answer a total of 6 short questions, and the mark allocation is 45%.
Here are two tips that you should bear in mind for Section A.
a) You can expect at least one question for every chapter that you have learnt in the semester
Even though this sounds like common sense, this is an important reminder so that you will not neglect any chapter of the semester. You must not take any chapters for granted.
For instance, if you are preparing for your Semester 3 of STPM Maths (T), you can be certain that the 6 questions will derive from the main chapters and sub-topics of the following:
- Chapter 1: Data Description
- Chapter 2: Probability
- Chapter 3: Probability Distributions
- Chapter 4: Sampling and Estimation
- Chapter 5: Hypothesis Testing
- Chapter 6: Chi-squared test
b) Equal time allocation is important for individual questions because you still have Section B
It is advised for students to spend around 60 to 70 minutes for Section A. Please ensure you do not spend too much time on one question with low mark allocation.
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How To Answer Well for Section B of STPM Maths T/M?
Next, let's look at Section B of the paper. The mark allocation for this section is 15 marks.
a) Choose to answer the question and topic that you are more confident in
Candidates will be given two long question options and they have to pick one question to answer. Bear in mind that you should only answer one question because only the first answer will be marked. Hence, you should pick the one that you are most confident in answering.
b) List down your workings systematically
Granted that the questions are longer in this section, it means that you have to show a systematic and more detailed working when you're answering the questions. Don't miss out on any ways to show your method, your formula or even further explanation of your answers instead of jumping into the final answer.
Remember, every single step counts. But do make sure they're accurate!
You are advised to spend around 20 minutes to 30 minutes in this section.
Explore more on the marking scheme of your STPM Maths paper here.
What Are Some Youtube Channels You Can Watch To Improve Your STPM Maths Answering Techniques?
One of the greatest takeaways of online education during the pandemic is certainly the increased number of Youtube videos on various subjects. Many teachers and educational institutions are now offering free online resources for students nationwide.
Many types of research have shown that videos are beneficial to students because of several reasons.
Firstly, they allow students to engage more actively with the learning content as compared to printed learning materials. Secondly, online videos enable students to learn anywhere and anytime they want as long as they have a stable Internet connection. Thirdly, videos also act as a great self-paced learning tool. Students can begin and resume the lessons according to their progress and repeat them whenever they need to revise them.
Here are 3 Youtube channels that you can subscribe to for STPM Maths learning content.
1. Didik TV KPM (Maths T and Maths M)
Didik TV KPM is one of the go-to Youtube channels that STPM students can learn about direct answering techniques from an experienced teacher. For instance, for STPM Maths T and Maths M videos, the teachers will firstly brief students on the latest examination format of the paper before going into the sample questions and answers explanation.
2. TeaCher Im (Maths T)
This channel is created by Madam Im, an experienced Maths teacher who has been teaching since 1994. Madam Im's videos are inspirational, relatable and educational at the same time. She objectively gives feasible tips to study Mathematics in the SMART way :
- (S)pecific - Which chapter do you want to study/revise first?
- (M)easurable - What is the new score that you want to achieve for your paper?
- (A)chievable - Make sure you set a target that is achievable (not too high/low.)
- (R)elevant- Make what you've learnt relatable. (real-life examples and not just blind theory)
- (T)ime-bound - Objectively evaluate and challenge yourself to answer questions within the given time limit.
You can also find compilations of tutorial videos from Semester 1 to Semester 3 for the STPM Maths T paper. Be sure not to miss out on watching one of her most popular videos which centre around the 10 most common mistakes that students often make during actual exams.
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3. Zainariah Abdullah (Maths M)
Madam Zainariah (fondly known as Cikgu Zana) by her students is a Maths teacher who specialises in teaching STPM Maths M. Her teaching motto for her students is Learning Maths With Pleasure.
She regularly uploads tutorial videos of different chapters of the STPM (M) syllabus and you can easily access them via the saved playlists on her channel. Some of the topics that are covered include:
- Integration: Areas of Regions
- Sequence and Series
- The Solutions of a Linear System
- Composite Functions and Its Domains
- Construction of Histogram
- Binomial Distribution
- Continuous Random Variables
- Game Theory: Strategy Dominance
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."- Maya Angelou
How To Maximize The Available Studying Resources For STPM Maths?
After reviewing the tips to answer the questions of Section A and Section B for your STPM Maths papers, it's now time to gather the relevant learning materials and resources to kickstart your studying journey from the first semester.
Here are three ways to have a balanced studying method for STPM Maths.
a) Read through textbooks for examples and summary of formulas
Textbooks serve as a good guideline to build your core knowledge on various Maths topics. This is because the content is written for beginners with complete examples, definitions, terms and solutions for revision exercises. Some textbooks even offer useful tips according to different chapters. You may refer to the example as follows:
Counting techniques for the topic on Probability (Chapter 2 - Semester 3 STPM Maths T Pelangi textbook)
- Permutations involve selecting a specific number of elements from a set of elements and arranging them in order.
- Combinations involve selecting a specific number of elements from a set of elements without having to arrange them in order.
b) Practice with a compilation of past year questions and suggested answers
After familiarising yourself with the syllabus and the topics that you need to master for each semester, you'll have to put them into real test through past year questions practice.
When you cultivate the habit of doing past year questions, you are also cultivating confidence and time management skill so that you will be well prepared for your actual paper. You will be used to the structure of the papers and wisely allocate the time for individual questions for both sections.
You can check out this article to find more resources for STPM Maths past year paper collection.
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c) Connect with a private Maths tutor for an effective and diverse studying plan
You don't have to experience self-paced learning on your own. Opting for private tutoring is an effective way to objectively evaluate your progress and personalise your learning. You can freely ask questions and request extra exercises for specific topics without worrying about time constraints.
What makes a good Maths tutor? Your responses may vary according to your personal preference but these are some of the common answers that we have heard.
- Well-versed with various Maths syllabus
- Relevant teaching experience
- Diverse and effective teaching methodology
- Patient and dedicated
- Receives good reviews from past students
- Flexible teaching mode
- Affordable teaching rate
Ever wonder where can you find a Maths tutor that fits the bill above? Well, you can find plenty of them at Superprof!
At Superprof, you can connect with 324891 registered Maths tutors who offer Maths lessons in person or online. All you need to do is just select the subject that you intend to learn and your physical location (you can choose the city that you are currently based in/ opt for 100% online lessons).
From there, you will be directed to a pool of tutors' profiles and you can further filter your searching results according to your learning level (in this case, Form 6), preferred hourly rate (you can adjust your maximum budget).
Most tutors do offer their first lessons for free, so be sure to tick that option too!
After viewing the tutors' profiles, you can proceed to book your first lesson with them at the website itself.
Do remember to create a profile at Superprof and subscribe to a Student Pass for a hassle-free registration process.
We hope you have found this article insightful. All the best in your preparation for your STPM Maths paper!
Never regard study as a duty, but the enviable opportunity to learn. -Albert Einstein
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