Tips to attempt ICSE Class 10 Board Exam – Maths

The ICSE Class 10 Board Exam is one of the most important exams in your education journey. How well you perform in these examinations will not only influence your further educational path, but also determine the career options available to you in the future. Maths is a subject many students find difficult, and often struggle to prepare and effectively answer the examination paper. In this blog, we will look at some tips and tricks to help you prepare for your ICSE Maths board exam.

Prepare your Revision Notes and Checklists

When there is a lot of subject matter to get through, it is always advisable to make revision notes to help you revise topics quickly and efficiently. This is something you should do a few months before the exam. Some students find it helpful to begin this process at the start of the school year itself. Prepare a separate notebook where you list all the important formulas and notes which will help you revise quickly and efficiently. You can also make a list of topics for every chapter, and highlight sections that you think will need more revision time. This will act as a checklist, which you can tick off as you revise for your finals. Using revision notes and checklists will help you keep track of your progress, which will motivate you and help you maintain a positive mindset.

Understanding the Mathematics Exam Pattern

Understanding the exam pattern is an important part of exam prep. When you know the types of questions that tend to appear most often in the question paper, you can direct your focus to the most important topics and practise similar kinds of questions.

Out of 100 marks, 20 marks are from the Internal Assessment, which involves completing assignments prescribed to you. Out of these, 10 marks will be from your Subject Teacher, and the other 10 are from an External Examiner.

The remaining 80 marks are allocated to your Theory Paper. This is where our focus will be.

The Theory Paper for the 10th ICSE will have the following structure:

Time Allocation and Management

Keep in mind that you will only be given 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the paper, so time management is going to be very important.

This is how much time you will be given for your exams:

Reading Time: 15 minutes

Exam Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

This time must be carefully distributed across the sections. You may allocate your time like this:

You can adjust how much time you spend on each of the sections according to your strengths and weaknesses. However, make sure to leave some time for revision to ensure that you can double-check your answer sheet. You may also use your reading time to choose which of the 7 questions to attempt in order to save some more time.

A great tip for the examination is to remember that you don’t have to do all the questions immediately. If you feel like a question is too difficult or is taking too long to solve, you can skip it and come back to it later.

Deciding Which Section to Attempt First

You can answer the paper in any order you see fit. Consider starting with Section B first, as it is longer and more complicated. However, starting with Section A may help you establish confidence and a more positive attitude, as the questions tend to be easier. Another possible strategy is to answer the MCQs first, then do Section B, and then end with the other questions of Section A. Whichever strategy you choose, make sure to clearly mention the section and the question number you are answering.

Try practising each of these strategies on previous question papers during your revision time to see which one works best for you. Deciding which sections to attempt first- and in what order – is entirely up to you. Just remember to play to your strengths, so you have more time to focus on the sections you find more difficult.

Practice Papers and Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

The most common piece of advice you will receive from most people is to solve practice papers and the previous year questions. This is especially true for Maths, which is entirely dependent on practising how to solve various problems with a set of formulas and steps. The more you practise applying these formulae and steps to a different set of problems, the more confident you will feel during the examination.

A good strategy is to time yourself while solving practice papers. Set a timer for 2 hours, and try to finish the entire question paper in that time. Write the answers in your notebook in the same way you would in the exam. Make sure you also practise drawing figures and graphs, as these are an important part of your examination marking system.

Another strategy you can try is to solve those papers during the time your exam is scheduled. Let’s say you know your exam will take place from 9:30 am to 12 pm. For at least 1-2 weeks before your exam, you can begin solving your practice papers from 9:30 am and try to finish them by 11:30 am. This will help your body get into an exam mindset during those times and help you feel less tired.

How to Write in the Exam

An important part of answering exam papers is to write neatly. Make sure your handwriting is legible, and that each step clearly follows the previous step. Skipping steps may result in a deduction in marks. To prevent this, you can do your rough work on the right side of your page by drawing a rough column. This will allow the examiner to follow your answer step-by-step, and ensure that steps have not been skipped.

You must also draw proper diagrams and figures for questions where it is necessary. Label the geometric figures correctly and use these labels while you solve your questions. This is important to ensure that you get maximum marks in the question. Also, make sure that you draw with a pencil and use geometric instruments when necessary.

Before and During the Exam

• Pack all your necessary items the night before. Check that you have sufficient pens, pencils, and erasers, as well as a ruler and the required geometric instruments for diagrams. Make sure to sharpen your pencils at home so you don’t spend time sharpening them in the exam. It is good practice to have a spare set of stationary items with you as a back-up.
• Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before the exam. Although it may feel that studying through the night will help you be more prepared, the lack of a good night’s sleep will probably leave you feeling exhausted and less focussed during the exam.
• Have a good, nutritious meal before heading out for your exam. Make sure it is not too heavy or else it might cause drowsiness during the exam.
• Make sure to reach the exam hall on time, or at least 30 minutes earlier. This will help you keep a clear mind and focus only on the exam.
• It is generally advised to refrain from taking any study material with you. Trying to revise right before going into the exam hall or discussing the exam topics with your peers may stress you out and cause confusion. However, you could consider taking your revision notes of formulae with you, so that you can go over them before you start your exam.
• Although exams can be extremely stressful, remember that keeping calm will help you focus better and not get distracted. A good tip is to practise some breathing exercises like Box Breathing to manage any anxiety you may feel before or during the exam.
• Make sure to follow all invigilator instructions and keep track of how much time has passed. Consider skipping a question if it is taking too long to solve.

These tips will help you perform well in your Maths ICSE Board Exams. Exam preparation begins earlier than you think, and with proper revision, practice, and time management, anyone can excel in their Maths Board exams. Just keep an optimistic mindset and practice regularly. Give special attention to the topics you find difficult, and practise them often! Happy preparation, and all the best for your exams!