Junior Cert Maths 2003:
The Exam consists of two papers with 6 questions on each paper. Students must attempt all 6 questions. There are a total of 300 marks per paper. Each question will be worth 50 marks and will be divided into 3 sections (a), (b), (c). The sections will be marked as follows (a) 10 marks, (b) 20marks (c) 20 marks.

The structure of the exam is similar to the Leaving Cert but unfortunately for Junior Cert students there is no choice you must attempt all questions.

Junior Cert Higher MathsPaper 1:

According to the only official sample paper the layout is as follows.
Question 1: Arithmetic;
Percentages, Profit and Loss, possible currency calculations and Income Tax and Tax Credits calculations. (Definitely) as they are on the course for the first time in 2003.

Question 2: This question seems to involve Sets and a test as to how much you know about your calculator. The will definitely try to catch you out by mixing addition/subtraction and multiplication/division in the same question.

Example . Try this using your calculator .Did you get 15 as an answer? You will, if you do the following . The correct answer is 3.
So why does the calculator give the wrong answer? The calculator is programmed to always multiply and divide before it adds or subtracts (Bomdas). So the calculator did exactly what you told it to do .You should have done the following
. You will also be asked to give answers to a given number of decimal places and to work with indices.
The calculator keys needed for this question are

Question 3:
Algebra. This question should be very similar to question 3 of the Pre 2003 Junior Cert Higher maths exam. A bit of everything. (i) Solve an equation, (ii) write one thing in terms of another (iii) solve a quadratic equation you will probably have to use the formula so solve the equation, in the past they have included a change of variable problem as well.

Question 4:
More Algebra The emphasis here may be on factors and a word problem involving a quadratic equation.

Question 5:
More algebra, may also include the graph of a quadratic function and some questions based on the graph.

Question 6: Even More Algebra!
The sample paper seems to concentrate on inequalities and simultaneous equations. They also ask some questions on a given graph of a quadratic function (very similar questions were asked on the past leaving cert in the mid 1990's)

Not on the Course: Sum or difference of two cubes or quadratic inequalities or logs.

Junior Cert Higher Maths 2003 - Paper 2.

Question 1: Area and Volume.
They will definitely ask a question about the perimeter (perimeter was technically not on the old course) .The rest of the question will be based on Cones, cylinders and spheres. It should be very similar to what was asked on the old course (practice using pre 2003 exam papers).

Question 2: Coordinate Geometry of the Line.
You will be tested on you knowledge of and ability to use the (four) Coordinate Geometry Formula. The syllabus for 2003 is slightly shorter than the previous years not on the course for this year are (i) The Coordinate Geometry formula for the area of a triangle ( ). (ii) To find the image of a line by a translation. These should be kept in mind if you are using pre 2003 papers for practice.

Question 3: Geometry.
This will be the main geometry Question
They will ask you to prove a theorem more than likely using congruent triangles. You may also be asked to construct a triangle or a parallelogram. The sample paper is a bit all over the place with regards to Geometry but I have a feeling they may stick to a format similar to the old course.

Question 4: Geometry.
The sample paper did not indicate that two theorems would be examined but it is likely that in this question the will ask you to prove one of the last 5 theorems.

Question 5: Trigonometry
This is the first year that calculators will be allowed in the Junior Cert .If the examiners take the same route as they did when calculators were introduced for the Leaving Cert you can expect a lot of the question to be based on a right angled triangle. Use of the Sine rule will also be examined.

Question 6: Statistics.
This should be the easiest question on the paper .It should be very similar to what was asked on the old course ie Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Histograms, Mean, Median of a frequency table.

A Note on Geometry.
According to the syllabus you can be asked to prove any one of 9 specified theorems. They also seem to require that the theorems be proved using only material (and no other material) that is on the new Junior Cert Syllabus.This is strange and most suspect from a pure maths point of view.
You can also be asked to know what 16 theorems say and be able to answer questions based on what the theorems say.

Paper 1

Essentials: Questions Asked

Higher

This section contains 10 questions, which usually follow the following format:

(a) 3/4 questions on Algebra,

Rules for Algebra