LC Ordinary Maths exam-day guide
LC Ordinary Maths · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID and exam number
Bring the identification your centre requires (for example a passport or a school-issued ID card) plus your candidate/exam number. The exact ID accepted is set by your school or the State Examinations Commission, so confirm with the provider which document is valid and whether a letter confirming your number is needed.
Black or blue pens (at least two) plus a spare
Write answers in ink. Bring two working pens and one spare so a dead pen never costs time. Pencil is for diagrams and graphs only unless your centre says otherwise.
Pencil, sharpener and eraser
Needed for drawing graphs, constructions and diagrams. A sharp pencil gives cleaner axes and plotted points, which helps you avoid misreading your own work later.
Scientific calculator you know how to use
Use the calculator you have practised with all year. Know where the fraction, power, square root, bracket and memory keys are without hunting. Check the battery or bring spares; confirm with the provider whether a particular model or a graphing calculator is permitted.
Mathematical instruments
Ruler (clear plastic is useful), set square, protractor and a pair of compasses for constructions. Test the compass holds its radius before the day.
Approved tables/formula booklet if allowed
Some centres supply the official mathematics tables and some allow you to bring your own. Confirm with the provider what is provided and what you may bring, and practise using exactly that booklet.
Clear pencil case or see-through bag
Many centres require a transparent case so invigilators can check contents quickly. Confirm with the provider whether any bag or case is allowed at the desk at all.
Water in a clear bottle, label removed
Stay hydrated but avoid a heavy drink before a long paper. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are permitted at the desk.
Watch (non-smart)
Exam halls do not always have a visible clock. A plain analogue or digital watch helps you pace the paper. Smart watches and phones are not allowed at the desk.
Know your seat, room and start time
Check the timetable and seating arrangements the day before. Arrive with time to spare; late arrival rules are set by the centre, so confirm with the provider how late entry is handled.
Plan your travel and a backup
Work out the route and journey time, and identify a fallback (a lift, a bus, a parent on standby). Traffic or a missed bus is a common cause of avoidable stress.
Phrase and structure practice
Before the day, practise writing full solutions with the formula stated, substitution shown and units given, because marks are awarded for method as well as the final answer.
Plan the day
Do a final pass over the syllabus using your own summary sheet of formulas and key methods. Focus on topics you have already met rather than starting new material. Work through one full past paper under timed conditions and mark it honestly against the scheme, noting where marks were lost for method rather than for a wrong answer.
Build a one-page 'formula and method' sheet in your own handwriting: areas and volumes, the trigonometric ratios and identities you use, the quadratic formula, coordinate geometry formulas, statistics definitions and probability rules. Rewriting these by hand is itself revision and gives you a single sheet to skim on the morning.
Check the exam timetable, start time, duration, room and permitted equipment with your school. Confirm with the provider which calculator, tables and instruments are allowed so there are no surprises at the door.
Do targeted practice on your two or three weakest topics, using short questions rather than full papers. For each, write the worked solution out fully, then redo it from scratch without notes.
Do light revision only: reread your formula sheet and skim worked examples. Do not attempt a new full paper this late. Pack your bag with ID, pens, pencil, calculator, instruments, water and watch, and lay it by the door.
Check the calculator works, the compass holds its radius and your pens write. Confirm your travel plan and set two alarms. Eat a normal meal and go to bed at a sensible hour; sleep matters more than one more hour of revision.
Eat breakfast and arrive early. Skim only your formula sheet; do not try to learn anything new. Keep away from anxious last-minute comparisons with classmates.
Read the instructions on the paper, check the number of questions and the marks for each, and note the total time. Write your exam number where required. Plan roughly how many minutes per mark you can afford.
Answer the questions you find easiest first to bank marks, then return to harder ones. Show every step: write the formula, substitute the values, state the answer with units. Draw graphs with labelled axes, a scale and plotted points, and use a ruler. If you are stuck, move on and come back; a blank space earns nothing, so write down whatever relevant method you can.
Check that you have attempted every required question, that your exam number is on each sheet, and that units and rounding are sensible. Correct obvious slips rather than starting new work.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and place it on the desk if asked. The accepted forms of ID and the exam number procedure are set by the school or the State Examinations Commission, so confirm with the provider in advance.
Phones, smart watches and any other electronic devices must be switched off and left where the centre directs, not at your desk. Possession of a device during the exam can be treated as a breach of rules, so confirm with the provider where such items should be stored.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times, including when to start and stop writing. Writing after the instruction to stop, or before the instruction to start, may be penalised.
Raise your hand if you need to leave the room, need materials or feel unwell. Movement during the exam is at the invigilator's discretion; confirm with the provider the rules on toilet breaks and on leaving early.
Only approved equipment may be used. Confirm with the provider whether a formula/tables booklet is supplied, which calculator models are permitted and whether any additional materials are allowed.
Marks are awarded for correct method as well as the final answer, so show your working clearly. A correct answer with no working may not receive full marks, and a partly correct method can still earn marks.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not take question papers or answer materials out of the hall unless the invigilator permits it.
If you believe there was a problem with the paper or the conduct of the exam, tell the invigilator or your school afterwards rather than raising it during the exam; the appeals and reporting process is set by the examining authority, so confirm with the provider.