Worksheet

F13.1 How your exam works

Exam preparation · GCSE · about 15 min

What this lesson is about

The papers for each board, command words, and planning your time by the marks.

• Two papers, whichever board you sit
• Command words
• Marks and minutes

Questions 5 marks in all

1. [1 mark]A question starts with "Explain". What must your answer include?

   1. AA reason: why or how
   2. BOnly the fact
   3. CA drawing
   4. DA conclusion and both sides

2. [1 mark]A question is worth 4 marks. What does that usually mean?

   1. AFour separate points are wanted
   2. BWrite for four minutes exactly
   3. CFour sentences on one point
   4. DIt is the hardest question

3. [1 mark]Which command word asks for both sides and a judgement?

   1. ADiscuss
   2. BState
   3. CIdentify
   4. DDescribe

4. [1 mark]A paper is 80 marks in 120 minutes. How many minutes a mark?

5. [1 mark]How much coursework counts towards your GCSE computer science grade?

   1. ANone: it is all exams
   2. BHalf
   3. CA quarter
   4. DIt depends on the school

The task: your timing plan

Take each paper in turn. Print <name>: <n> minutes a mark to one decimal place, then, for each question size in sizes, print <name> <marks>-mark question: <n> min rounded to the nearest whole minute. When both papers are done, print total marks: <n> and total minutes: <n>.

# the two lines every program starts with: the commands, then the robot
from bugbot import *
connect()

# name, marks, minutes
papers = [("Paper 1", 80, 90), ("Paper 2", 75, 120)]
sizes = [1, 3, 6]

Plan your program here, then type it in and press Run.

Do it on the robot
www.bugbotlab.com/learn/f13-1-how-your-exam-works/
The simulator checks it and tells you when it passes. Nothing to install, no account.

Challenges

1. Change papers to your own board's papers from the exam box. What is your minutes per mark?
2. How long should you leave at the end to check? Take it off the time and work the figures out again.
3. Write down the command word list from memory, then check it.