How to Take This Test

You get 15 minutes for these 25 questions. That is the pace of the real Tier 1 Maths section, about 36 seconds a question, so you will need the quick mensuration methods as well as the full formulas. Choose π\pi from the options: answers like 154, 616 or 1386 and radii that are multiples of 7 mean π=227\pi = \frac{22}{7}, options written with π\pi in them mean you can leave π\pi as it is, and decimals such as 78.5 point to 3.14. Use k2k^2 scaling: when every length is multiplied by kk, the area is multiplied by k2k^2, and a percentage change in area follows a+b+ab100a + b + \frac{ab}{100}. Keep the path formulas ready, 2w(l+b+2w)2w(l + b + 2w) for a path outside and 2w(l+b−2w)2w(l + b - 2w) for a path inside, and w(l+b)−w2w(l + b) - w^2 for two cross roads. A regular hexagon is 6 equilateral triangles, so its area is 6×34a26 \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}a^2. A sector or an arc is just a fraction θ360∘\frac{\theta}{360^\circ} of the whole circle, and a minute hand turns 6∘6^\circ a minute. Draw a rough figure for every question, even a ten-second sketch; it stops most mix-ups between radius and diameter, or between a path inside and a path outside.

  • Start a 15-minute timer and finish in one go, with no breaks and no notes.
  • Scoring is +2 for a right answer and −0.50 for a wrong one. A skipped question scores 0.
  • Leave a long question and come back to it at the end if there is time. Getting stuck on one long shaded figure can cost you three quick ones.
  • Open the explanations only when the time is up.

Your score. Take 2 × (number right) and subtract 0.5 × (number wrong); the total is out of 50. For example, 20 right, 4 wrong and 1 skipped gives 40 − 2 = 38.

Score (out of 50) What to do next
40 or more Mensuration 2D is ready for the exam. Do a PYQ Practice Set now and then so the circle values stay fresh.
30 to 39.5 You know the formulas but some marks are leaking. Look at the tags on your wrong answers: if most are circles, sectors or shaded regions, redo the quizzes of those two sections; if most are paths, tiles or the four-sided figures, redo the quadrilaterals quiz.
20 to 29.5 The formulas are there but slow. Go through Shortcuts & Speed Methods (choosing pi, the path formulas, the hexagon and the ring), then Practice Sets 1 and 2, and take this test again after a few days.
Below 20 Go back to the five topic sections, Triangles: Area and Perimeter, Quadrilaterals: Rectangles, Squares, Parallelograms, Rhombuses and Trapeziums, Regular Polygons and Combined Figures, Circles: Circumference, Area, Rings and Wheels and Arcs, Sectors, Segments and Shaded Regions, before you try more timed tests.

The tags follow the topic sections in order: the triangle tags go with the triangles section; rectangles, paths, tiles and the parallelogram, rhombus and trapezium with the quadrilaterals section; regular polygons and figures inside figures with Regular Polygons and Combined Figures; circles, rings and wheels with the circles section; arcs, sectors, segments and shaded regions with the last one. Change in area is taught with each shape.

More than 3 wrong usually means rushing, so slow down a little next time. On guessing: Chapter 0 works out that in Tier 1 even a blind guess is very slightly in your favour on average, and once you can rule out one option a guess is clearly worth taking.