O/A/IGCSE Computer Science Blog

About %ages: Your subjects are divided into two wide categories, namely quantitative and qualitative. Mostly science subjects, computing and accounts (I am not sure about a/c; ask your center if teacher doesn't know) belong to quantitative category, rest of the subjects are qualitative. All quantitative subjects have 5% higher required %age for earning same grades as qualitative, i.e. Quantitative %ages are: A* >= 90, A >= 80, B >= 70 .... U < 40 Qualitative %ages are: A* >= 85, A >= 75, B >= 65 .... U < 35 How are Cambridge IGCSE grade thresholds determined? **By Professional judgement of the principal examiners. If a question paper proves to have been easier or harder than the equivalent paper in the previous year, we raise or lower the thresholds to compensate the students. That way it remains just as hard or easy to obtain a certain grade in the subject from one year to another. How many marks are required to achieve each grade? This vari...

Solve past papers in latest to oldest order. Write in bullets. See http://9691.blogspot.com/2008/10/correct-way-of-writing-answers-in.html for details. AS pupils: Solve algorithm slides given over site's resource page under Algorithms section. Expect the unexpected. Don't miss any topic. There is a big chance that unusual topics appear and ways adapted by CIE. A2: At the end revise AS too. A2 paper has AS part in it. In P1 chapter 6 and 10 and in P3 all theory chapters must be engulfed like children. AS: binary and algos; if appears covers more than 20% marks. A2: floating point, BNF, structures' algos, FDER cycle; if appear covers minimum 22% and maximum 50%. Remember its threshold system that never exceeds more than 67% and mostly your projects scored on better side, so leaving a 2 marks question is like giving up current grade and sliding into grade below. Grading has been improved lately by 10% below last June so earning Good grades is easier than ever. And now for last...