Many students find mathematics uninteresting, difficult and boring. Why do many students dislike this subject so much? Maths requires patience and persistence to master. It requires a lot of effort where students need to allocate time and energy to learn it. Sometimes, students need more time to catch up with maths lessons in school to understand certain concepts and end up falling behind in class.
However, no matter where you are in your mathematical journey, you can excel in it if you build a solid foundation in this subject. Take your time to understand and reinforce your foundation and fill in the knowledge gaps with a deep understanding of basic concepts.
For students who are sitting for SPM this year, Mathematics is a compulsory subject along with Bahasa Melayu, English, Sejarah, Pendidikan Islam / Pendidikan Moral and Science. However, students who take any two pure science subjects are exempted from taking the core Science subject.
Therefore, students must give importance to the SPM mathematics subject and score well. There are many tips to help you score A+ in your SPM mathematics such as learning how to manage your time well during exam in order to complete answering all questions and studying together with friends to help each other through difficult topics.
Understanding the SPM Mathematics 2023 Syllabus will help you in your studying process as you will know what topics to are covered for the SPM examination. Many students wrongly assume that only syllabus for form 4 and form 5 are covered in SPM mathematics examination. This is incorrect. Students will be tested based on the KSSM syllabus from form 1 to form 5 which covers 53 topics in total.
While it may feel like a challenging path to score A+ in SPM mathematics, it is not impossible to achieve if you put in the required effort and don’t give up. Take the time to familiarise yourself with the syllabus and format as well as the grading system and marking scheme of the SPM maths paper.
SPM Grading System
The SPM grading system is standardised and serves as an accurate guide to how each student has performed. It was updated in 2019 where the scales range from A+ to G and has an emphasis on a more comprehensive assessment of students.
Therefore, the SPM exam results successfully reflect students’ performance in the upper secondary level of form four and form five.
To better understand the marking scheme of the Mathematics paper, it is best to look at the current grading system for all SPM subjects as shown below:
Score / Grade / Level
90 – 100 : A + : Cemerlang Tertinggi
80 – 89 : A : Cemerlang Tinggi
70 – 79 : A – : Cemerlang
65 – 69 : B + : Kepujian Tertinggi
60 – 64 : B : Kepujian Tinggi
55 – 59 : C + : Kepujian Atas
50 – 54 : C : Kepujian
45 – 49 : D : Lulus Atas
>40 – 44 : E : Lulus
0 – 39 : G : Gagal
TH : TH : Tidak Hadir
Students must take note of this grading system as it not only reflects students’ performance but also determines their eligibility to various academic and career options. This grading system serves as a benchmark for students to qualify for scholarships, university entrance, course selection and many more.
Furthermore, having a good understanding of the grading system will help students see for themselves where they stand in their academic performance. This will lead them to set their own goals or target to improve their future grades based on their current results.
How is the SPM Mathematics Paper Graded?
Assessment Format
Paper 1
Subject Code: 1449/1
Exam Format: Objective
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Full Marks: 40
Contains 40 multiple-choice questions
All questions must be answered
Each question carries 1 mark
Paper 2
Subject Code: 1449/2
Exam Format: Subjective
Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Full Marks: 100
Contains 3 parts, which are Section A, Section B & Section C.
Section A :
- Contains 10 limited response questions
- All questions must be answered
Section B :
- Contains 5 limited structure questions
- All questions must be answered
Section C:
- Contains 2 structured response questions
- Candidates are required to answer 1 question
The marks are broken down as follows:
Paper 1 = 40
Paper 2 = 100
Total marks = 140
The calculation for the final SPM mathematics is as shown below:
(Paper 1 + Paper 2) / 140 X 100%
The Examination Board has conducted the design of assessment instruments based on the Curriculum and Assessment Standard (Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran - DSKP). The construction of the assessment instrument is based on a standardised test specification table to guarantee the quality, equivalence and validity and reliability of the test scores.
How to Score in Paper 1?
For paper 1, out of 40 questions, 20 questions are easy, 12 questions fall under the moderate category and 8 questions are difficult. Therefore, a total of 32 questions are in the form of easy and moderate questions.
Candidates must read the question and all the options given carefully. They must understand what the question is asking in order to answer correctly. Rule out the options that you are sure are wrong. Then, choose the most suitable answer among the four options.
You can familiarise yourself with the exam format and question patterns by looking for past year Mathematics Reference Papers in order to practice answering similar questions.
How to Score in Paper 2?
Candidates should bring all necessary equipments such as geometric tools, scientific calculators and long rulers and be proficient in using them. There is a list of mathematical formulas provided in the question paper which students should use to when it applies to help them solve the equations by substituting the correct values in the formula.
Mastering all basic mathematical operations skills such as brackets, powers, division, multiplication, addition and subtraction as well as the correct order of solutions will enable candidates to answer well
Another key point to remember is that rounding can only be done on final answers accurate to two decimal places or four significant figures. By using all the information given in the question correctly and accurately, candidates stand a chance too score maximum marks. Candidates are also reminded to give answers solely using one language. You can choose to answer either in Malay or English. Do not use a mixture of both languages to avoid confusion.
Section A
It is quite common for students to not read the questions properly which leads them to have poor understanding of the requirements of the questions. Therefore, many candidates are only able to answer certain questions. They are generally unable to use the information given in the Higher Level Thinking Skills (Kemahiran Berfikir Aras Tinggi - KBAT) questions to solve the problem. On the other hand, they can solve only low and medium-difficulty level questions.
To score well in this section, candidates must demonstrate the ability to understand the questions as well as provide answers accurately. The steps or workings shown must be complete. It is also essential for students to apply the correct formulas and methods and give accurate solutions. They must possess the ability to solve the KBAT questions.
Section B
For this section, many candidates have the tendency to misunderstand the requirements of the questions presented. This causes students to get confused and not give the desired answers. Candidates generally are only able to answer low-difficulty level questions, therefore ending up losing marks in this section.
To ace this section, candidates must understand the questions asked well and give the desired answers. Therefore, students must read the questions carefully before answering to understand the purpose of the question.
The steps shown must be perfect. They should also be able to apply the correct formulas and methods and provide solutions according to the requirements of the questions accurately.
In addition, they must be able to solve KBAT questions.
Section C
The majority of candidates usually lose marks in this section because they are only able to answer questions with lower difficulty levels. This reflects that the candidates do not understand the question, therefore unable to give the desired answer.
To score well in this section, candidates must demonstrate that they understand the questions well. Only when they understand the question will they be able to provide the desired answers. The steps shown must be detailed and complete. Candidates should be able to apply the correct formulas, and methods as well as write the solutions according to the requirements of the questions accurately. In addition to those listed above, candidates must be able to solve KBAT questions.
We at Superprof want you to be well-prepared for your SPM mathematics examination to score A+. If you are struggling or find it difficult to cope with certain topics, why not get assistance from a private tutor?
Superprof tutors are experts in providing academic support that is customised for each student. They tailor the lessons to suit each student’s individual needs. Some students may need extra coaching on to master certain topics while others may require more practice to improve. Our tutors are highly experienced and qualified to help you score well and achieve your goals.
Contact a Superprof tutor today and start your journey to score A+ in SPM Mathematics!
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