When setting out your calculation work it is important that you structure your answers. Marks are given not only for the correct answer but also for a clear communication of your thinking as you tackled the problem.

Here are some simple steps to follow.

• Read the question carefully and extract the information from it by listing the data given to you on the right hand side of your page. Make a neat column of the figures given and the UNITS!!! (and change them into SI units if necessary - for example, times given in minutes should be changed into seconds there and then!)
• Think about what is happening in the question and if appropriate sketch a diagram to illustrate it - marking on forces, distances etc.
• Quote the general equation that you are going to use to solve the problem - saying what the letters/symbols stand for.
• Substitute the symbols/letters with the data you have at the top of the page to leave you with the unknown.
• Call this unknown 'x' or something - don't put '?' for it!
• Manipulate the equation and calculate the unknown - put each line of mathematical reasoning on a separate line - use WORDS to explain what you are doing - do NOT simply put a string of = signs between sets of numbers that are not equal

  For example - some students when changing 5 minutes into seconds write

  5 = 5 x 60 = 300

   

  5 = 300 ????? No way! Illogical maths!

  it should be written:

  5 mins = 5 x 60 seconds = 300s

• Consider the number of significant figures that the quastion has been written in and then quote the numerical answer to that number.
• Consider the unit of your answer carefully and add it to the numerical answer.

It is a good idea to make your final answer stand out clearly by putting it on a separate line and writing ANS after it.

Common ways to lose marks:

• omitting the general equation
• omitting units
• using the wrong case of letter for a unit or a symbol
• illogical maths

Here is an example of correct layout...

Note that the values are extracted from the question as written and then converted to the correct unit on the right hand side of the page BEFORE they are inserted into the equation!