Welcome to Part II! Today i'll be sharing some of the ways i tackled the core subjects of SPM. Remember, this isn't a guide that should be taken as gospel, rather it's just the ways that i found to be useful when studying these subjects. This is a pretty lengthy post, so don't force yourself to read it all in one sitting. Let's Begin!
Bahasa Melayu
This subject is personally the toughest subject to me. It looks so simple, yet you can lose marks so easily.Only recently did i started to analyze what brought me down, and started working on those things. For me it was my weak vocabulary, grammar errors, and boring delivery of my points. With the help of family, teachers, and friends, i began to improve. So you should analyze what brings your marks down as well. Alright so first of all, it is super super important that you know the format for Bahasa Melayu.
in SPM. Let's talk about Kertas 1.
For Kertas 1, ade dua karangan. One short, and the isi is given. One long, and you have to find the isi yourself. I'll start off by saying that the most important ingredient in a karangan has got to be novelty.
It can't be boring. I learned that by just using the same Intro, same peribahasa, same penanda wacana every time. It won't get you far. For example: "Pada era globalisasi....." You have to imagine the examiner going through all those karangan(s). They want something that impresses them, something wow, something special. For that reason, i started to spice up my karangan(s) using all sorts of things. Ungkapan menarik, bombastic words, and peribahasa are all key elements to this. Oh yeah, statistics and quotes can also make you look really smart. Basically, you need to make your writing look good, and convince your examiner that your writing is sastera level.
You can start your karangan with an interesting phrase, quote, or nak berpantun pon boleh jugak. As long as it has its uniqueness. It should also be relevant to current times. Kalau boleh, try to masukkan banyak isu-isu kini in your karangan. This will show the examiner that you're not some katak di bawah tempurung and you actually pay attention to what's going on around you. One problem for me was tatabahasa. Some simple grammar mistakes like misusing ialah as adalah, or misspelling a word, costed me a lot. So please, google the BM words that you've always felt confused about. For Kertas 1, i usually did Bahagian B first, then Bahagian A. This is because teachers always debate whether you have to only write 250 perkataan or more. I write more than 250, but i keep the karangan simple and basic.
Like Isi-->Huraian-->Huraian lengkap-->Peribahasa ( kalau boleh)--> Penutup Isi
Try to have at least 3 peribahasa for Bahagian A, and 4 or 5 for B. The way i memorize the peribahasa is google them online, then catat them in my BM book, which i'll talk about more later. Ok as for bombastic words, try to use them...wisely. Just letak sikit sikit here and there, but don't use words that even you are confused about.
OH! Synonyms! Please use synonyms. Like instead of mencapai, you can say menggapai, or mendapat kejayaan to memburu kejayaan.
Final tip: the most important part of any essay is the beginning and the end. So make sure you focus so so much on making those parts shine the brightest.
Once you have a unique intro, huraian cantik, peribahasa and quotes, and a fancy ending, your teacher will be like:
It took me quite a while to realize that i needed to make real effort if i wanted to score. So i made a personal BM book and studied under this teacher who makes awesome videos for Bahasa Melayu, so please take your time to check him out. I wasn't the type to confront my teacher whenever i had questions. Instead i turned towards the internet for answers. Please check him out whenever you can.
Now we move on to Kertas 2, which consists of Rumusan, soalan komsas, soalan tatabahasa, peribahasa, and finally a big novel question.
For Rumusan, follow your teacher's format. Petikan ini, Rumusan ini, all that depends on your teacher. Also jangan potong perkataan unless you know what you're doing. Try to potong the words yang tak akan-whoops sorry ye- tidak* akan mengubah maksud ayat itu. You also don't have to do 6 isi tersurat everytime. I always do 5 isi tersurat, 3 isi tersirat sebab selalu tak muat. For kesimpulan, i use S.A.M.
Siapa buat apa dan mengapa.
Contohnya: Kesimpulannya, pihak swasta (siapa) hendaklah bekerjasama untuk meningkatkan sektor perindustrian (apa) agar negara kita semakin maju (mengapa).
Warning!: Make sure you state the siapa according to the objektif soalan. You should also hafal the synonyms for kata-kata in the soalan. Like langkah to usaha.
Ok for the soalan "apakah maksud rangkai kata _________?"
Actually it depends on your Malay vocab, but there is a trick. There are two marks you see, nd there's usually two words. So, if you know one but don't know the other one, you can still get one mark. Contoh:
Informal Letters are almost opposite. You should be casual, friendly, but most of all, you should be natural. A lot of times, i see informal letters being...too friendly. Your letter should sound like a conversation. Express your care for the recipient sincerely, and be sure to get your point across.
Speech
A speech should always start with a greeting to your audience, and you telling them what you're gonna talk about. It's pretty much the same deal with articles, in that you're given points to talk about. A significant advantage that speeches give you is you're able to be more engaging with your audience. Imagine a speaker you would like to listen too. We tend to like speakers who aren't 100% serious. That's why in my speeches, i try to be as humorous, or sarcastic as i can. It makes the essay more fun to read.
e.g. Humans need to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It is essential for our circulatory system to function well, and can help increase our efficiency in breathing. If we do not exercise, we will find it difficult to do tasks that require a lot of energy, such as lifting a heavy object, or even jogging.X
Humans need to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It is essential for our circulatory system to function well, and can help increase our efficiency in breathing. If we do not exercise, we will find it difficult to do tasks that require a lot of energy. Climbing up the stairs would feel like an arduous climb up Mount Everest.✓
I would use the word "hard" or "difficult", but arduous adds that extra flair of being humorous, yet expressing a wide vocabulary. That's why synonyms are always important in writing. I even made a list of fancy words and phrases to use in my essays, all of which i found through the magical wonders of the Google search engine. So that's all i have to say for Paper 1 Section A. I have an awful lot more to say about Section B but let's save that for another time.
It's tough for me to talk about Paper 2. It's really all about grammar, and vocabulary. The only things i'll touch on is writing your summary, and the novel question. In a Summary there are Content Points and Language Points. You can snatch those Language Points by just using synonyms to the words the original text used. Switch up the sentence structure, make two sentences in one and bam! You got yourself a nice summary. Don't copy the sentence bulat bulat kalau boleh. My biggest problem with summaries is that pesky 120 word limit.
Bahasa Melayu
This subject is personally the toughest subject to me. It looks so simple, yet you can lose marks so easily.Only recently did i started to analyze what brought me down, and started working on those things. For me it was my weak vocabulary, grammar errors, and boring delivery of my points. With the help of family, teachers, and friends, i began to improve. So you should analyze what brings your marks down as well. Alright so first of all, it is super super important that you know the format for Bahasa Melayu.
in SPM. Let's talk about Kertas 1.
 |
| "cara carik isi" |
For Kertas 1, ade dua karangan. One short, and the isi is given. One long, and you have to find the isi yourself. I'll start off by saying that the most important ingredient in a karangan has got to be novelty.
It can't be boring. I learned that by just using the same Intro, same peribahasa, same penanda wacana every time. It won't get you far. For example: "Pada era globalisasi....." You have to imagine the examiner going through all those karangan(s). They want something that impresses them, something wow, something special. For that reason, i started to spice up my karangan(s) using all sorts of things. Ungkapan menarik, bombastic words, and peribahasa are all key elements to this. Oh yeah, statistics and quotes can also make you look really smart. Basically, you need to make your writing look good, and convince your examiner that your writing is sastera level.
You can start your karangan with an interesting phrase, quote, or nak berpantun pon boleh jugak. As long as it has its uniqueness. It should also be relevant to current times. Kalau boleh, try to masukkan banyak isu-isu kini in your karangan. This will show the examiner that you're not some katak di bawah tempurung and you actually pay attention to what's going on around you. One problem for me was tatabahasa. Some simple grammar mistakes like misusing ialah as adalah, or misspelling a word, costed me a lot. So please, google the BM words that you've always felt confused about. For Kertas 1, i usually did Bahagian B first, then Bahagian A. This is because teachers always debate whether you have to only write 250 perkataan or more. I write more than 250, but i keep the karangan simple and basic.
Like Isi-->Huraian-->Huraian lengkap-->Peribahasa ( kalau boleh)--> Penutup Isi
 |
| "Yes, that ancient Sanskrit you see is in fact my handwriting" |
Try to have at least 3 peribahasa for Bahagian A, and 4 or 5 for B. The way i memorize the peribahasa is google them online, then catat them in my BM book, which i'll talk about more later. Ok as for bombastic words, try to use them...wisely. Just letak sikit sikit here and there, but don't use words that even you are confused about.
OH! Synonyms! Please use synonyms. Like instead of mencapai, you can say menggapai, or mendapat kejayaan to memburu kejayaan.
Final tip: the most important part of any essay is the beginning and the end. So make sure you focus so so much on making those parts shine the brightest.
Once you have a unique intro, huraian cantik, peribahasa and quotes, and a fancy ending, your teacher will be like:
 |
| "M-Mustahil!" |
 |
| "Quality" |
Now we move on to Kertas 2, which consists of Rumusan, soalan komsas, soalan tatabahasa, peribahasa, and finally a big novel question.
For Rumusan, follow your teacher's format. Petikan ini, Rumusan ini, all that depends on your teacher. Also jangan potong perkataan unless you know what you're doing. Try to potong the words yang tak akan-whoops sorry ye- tidak* akan mengubah maksud ayat itu. You also don't have to do 6 isi tersurat everytime. I always do 5 isi tersurat, 3 isi tersirat sebab selalu tak muat. For kesimpulan, i use S.A.M.
Siapa buat apa dan mengapa.
Contohnya: Kesimpulannya, pihak swasta (siapa) hendaklah bekerjasama untuk meningkatkan sektor perindustrian (apa) agar negara kita semakin maju (mengapa).
Warning!: Make sure you state the siapa according to the objektif soalan. You should also hafal the synonyms for kata-kata in the soalan. Like langkah to usaha.
Ok for the soalan "apakah maksud rangkai kata _________?"
Soalan: Jelaskan maksud mengukuhkan jiwa.
Jawapan: memantapkan rohani (2m)
mengukuhkan rohani (1m)
memantapkan jiwa (1m)
Ok so for the komsas part, you should use a reference book yang ade sinopsis, persoalan, dll. for all the stories. I don't advise you to memorize every perwatakan, or nilai-nilai. Instead you should have a strong grasp of each of the stories's plot. Then from there, you can huraikan the nilai, persoalan, dll. Most of the time, the stories share the same persoalan anyway. A common question we used to ask our BM teacher was "cikgu, kalau 4 markah berapa isi?" or "cikgu, kalau 3 markah, cukup ke satu huraian?" For that, you should refer to your teacher as well. However, i will drop a link to a skema for Kertas 2, so you have a better idea of how to answer. Also, the prosa tradisional can be tough to understand, therefore a good reference book explaining it in normal BM is definitely essential.
Now we'll take a look at Soalan 3. I realized that my tatabahasa skills were UPSR level (or lower...T-T).
So i went ahead and dedicated time to learning all the basic ropes of Tatabahasa again, which funnily enough is what they test you on in SPM. I printed out a paper (link below) which had all the kesalahan ejaan, which i suggest you stick on your wall or something. Nak bawak pergi sekolah pon boleh, Just tengok sekali sekala and eventually the kesalahan ejaan will stick out like a body builder in a make-up department. It's a common belief that there are an infinite number of peribahasa that you gotta learn. Turns out, they are FINITE. My teacher told me they only test you with peribahasa from the Form 4/5 textbook, which i'm assuming is still resting nicely on your shelf of unopened books. So i wrote down a few in my aforementioned BM Book, and started memorizing them little by little.
Finally we come to the last question, the novel. I'll be honest with ya, i never finished reading the novel uhuks. I merely went over the sinopsis, persoalan, etc. If you can finish it, lagi bagus lah. But what i did was hafal some important events. This allowed me to just bring out any nilai or persoalan i want. Besides that i wrote down the questions, and the answers from the back of the book, in my BM Book. You should of course have a solid understanding of the story's plots and events, because from there you can pluck out all the nilai and perwatakan you want. Again if you're confused about the format, please refer to your teacher, as she'll be marking your Ujian Satu, Mid-Terms, and Trials. Don't fumble too much with KBAT questions. I learned that the hard way. Asyik busy dengan soalan KBAT, lastx2 sekali keluar Latar Masa for our SPM exam last year. So please be sure you know all the basic stuff too. Remember, if you know the story, you'll have the ability to answer questions, KBAT or not easily, Insha Allah.
Alright that about concludes Bahasa Melayu. I only started practicing these things in Form 5, and since then i've been climbing up from G to D to C+ and most recently from my trials, a B+ الØَÙ…ْد لله. Remember to study little by little, but stay consistent. That way you won't be overwhelmed with the weight of it all.
Links: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bw6YnKnVSzZyQUVFd3lFdXh1cDA (Skema Jawapan)
Now we'll take a look at Soalan 3. I realized that my tatabahasa skills were UPSR level (or lower...T-T).
 |
| "Some tatabahasa notes i printed out" |
So i went ahead and dedicated time to learning all the basic ropes of Tatabahasa again, which funnily enough is what they test you on in SPM. I printed out a paper (link below) which had all the kesalahan ejaan, which i suggest you stick on your wall or something. Nak bawak pergi sekolah pon boleh, Just tengok sekali sekala and eventually the kesalahan ejaan will stick out like a body builder in a make-up department. It's a common belief that there are an infinite number of peribahasa that you gotta learn. Turns out, they are FINITE. My teacher told me they only test you with peribahasa from the Form 4/5 textbook, which i'm assuming is still resting nicely on your shelf of unopened books. So i wrote down a few in my aforementioned BM Book, and started memorizing them little by little.
Finally we come to the last question, the novel. I'll be honest with ya, i never finished reading the novel uhuks. I merely went over the sinopsis, persoalan, etc. If you can finish it, lagi bagus lah. But what i did was hafal some important events. This allowed me to just bring out any nilai or persoalan i want. Besides that i wrote down the questions, and the answers from the back of the book, in my BM Book. You should of course have a solid understanding of the story's plots and events, because from there you can pluck out all the nilai and perwatakan you want. Again if you're confused about the format, please refer to your teacher, as she'll be marking your Ujian Satu, Mid-Terms, and Trials. Don't fumble too much with KBAT questions. I learned that the hard way. Asyik busy dengan soalan KBAT, lastx2 sekali keluar Latar Masa for our SPM exam last year. So please be sure you know all the basic stuff too. Remember, if you know the story, you'll have the ability to answer questions, KBAT or not easily, Insha Allah.
Alright that about concludes Bahasa Melayu. I only started practicing these things in Form 5, and since then i've been climbing up from G to D to C+ and most recently from my trials, a B+ الØَÙ…ْد لله. Remember to study little by little, but stay consistent. That way you won't be overwhelmed with the weight of it all.
Links: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bw6YnKnVSzZyQUVFd3lFdXh1cDA (Skema Jawapan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vArSL1tEzxE (Cikgu Suguz)
http://cikguramsulbmspm.blogspot.my/2013/08/kesalahan-ejaan-dan-pembetulannya.html
http://www.panduanmalaysia.com/2014/09/koleksi-peribahasa-melayu-spm-dan-maksud.html
English Language
English is probably my favorite subject in Form 5, just because you're given freedom to answer the questions in any way you want. Still, there are formats that you have to follow to make sure your teacher gives you that A. Similar to BM, English has 2 papers. I decided to write a dedicated article solely on "Writing" A.K.A Paper 1 for English after this Guide, so today, we'll be discussing Paper 2, But if i have to sum Paper 1 up, it'll look something like this.
I never actually "studied" English per se. For Paper 1, i'd always go through the different formats of writing again and again. One important thing you need to know is Tone. Tones can be mastered through reading. For example if you want to be good at writing stories, you should read more stories. However like BM, there are tricks to make your writing look professional, but we'll discuss that in another blogpost soon. Here are the formats again:
http://cikguramsulbmspm.blogspot.my/2013/08/kesalahan-ejaan-dan-pembetulannya.html
http://www.panduanmalaysia.com/2014/09/koleksi-peribahasa-melayu-spm-dan-maksud.html
English Language
English is probably my favorite subject in Form 5, just because you're given freedom to answer the questions in any way you want. Still, there are formats that you have to follow to make sure your teacher gives you that A. Similar to BM, English has 2 papers. I decided to write a dedicated article solely on "Writing" A.K.A Paper 1 for English after this Guide, so today, we'll be discussing Paper 2, But if i have to sum Paper 1 up, it'll look something like this.
 |
| "The Spices of Writing" |
- Article
- Report
- Speech
- Formal Letter
- Informal Letter
Article:
Ok for articles, you need to make sure you use all the points given. You don't have tulis semua sekali gus. Instead, it should be more like point-huraian-huraian-example-next point. My point is (pun intended),
You need to make your writing seem natural. Also, make sure you write in paragraphs. All of your paragraphs pon should be more or less equally sized, except for your first one and last one of course. Those should be a bit shorter. The format for this one should just be Title, then written by:_______. But please do refer to your teacher sebab mana tau suddenly tukar lagi :O.
TONE: Articles should sound like the Summaries you always do in class, like a article in a newspaper. You should sound formal, but not a "Formal Letter" kind of formal. You can put in your own opinions but make sure they blend nicely with the entire essay. Make them sound factual. Let's say you're writing an article about ways to protect the environment.
e.g. (The point: Recycling)
Another important method of protecting our environment is recyling. This is due to the fact that recyling will reduce the total amount of waste in our surroundings. Most of the items we throw out, such as plastic bottles, or tin cans, can actually damage the environment in many ways. Studies show that plastic bottles are known for clogging sewage pipes, preventing the flow of wastes to their proper destination. By recyling materials, we can easily create useful materials and prevent problems like these.
Wow dah lama tak tulis style SPM, susah betul nak come up with ideas xD. Anyway, let me explain what i did. First notice that didnt say "protecting the environment". I said "protecting our environment". I also used we, instead of you.. I did that so the reader won't feel like i'm complaining about him/her or other people, and that i'm free from blame. By using words like we and our, i'm saying we share our environment, and we both can save it together.
I used this is due to the fact that instead of this is because to make it look factual and real. Padahal, it's just my opinion.
I used studies show to present a point that the reader cannot argue with, because it's been studied. Again, aku main hentam je sebenarnya, but my teacher has said before that you could create statistics and facts, but check with your teacher first. Bukan nak tipu ke ape. Because they just want to test your writing ability. Just make sure they sound logical and real.
Report:
You should follow the guidelines of articles for report, of course using the "report" format lah. But one thing is different this time. DO NOT PUT YOUR OPINIONS. Only report what happened at the event. Imagine yourself as a serious newscaster. I'm not telling you to sound robotic, you can still write long paragraphs. Except instead of writing your opinions, huraiankan the event banyak banyak. Just not excessively.
e.g. The haze affected nearly 1000 villagers in Kampung Goreng Pisang. It has been recorded as the strongest haze to hit the area yet. Some suffered minor asthma attacks, but no one has suffered severe injuries. However, asthma attacks are known to spread easily, so it is unclear whether or not the people are truly safe. X
The haze affected nearly 1000 villagers in Kampung Goreng Pisang. It has been recorded as the strongest haze to hit the area yet. Some suffered minor asthma attacks, but no one has suffered severe injuries. Inhalers were given to the victims, along with protective masks to prevent the spread of the asthma attacks, as they could spread eventually. ✓
See that last part pon was a made-up fact, but i made it sound like real and confirmed. Basically, all your points should be things that happened at that event. You don't have to write too much, because it is after all, Directed Writing. Keep it real, keep it straightforward, and you'll write like a reporter, Insha Allah.
Formal/Informal Letter
It is incredibly important that you confirm the format for the letters with your teacher, because the ones online always have slight differences between them. Formal letters, is where you have to become a businessman.
A businessman who has firm posture, a neat suit, and a fancy briefcase. With this is mind, you can shape your essay with the proper tone. Right so, in formal letters, you shouldn't use the short forms of verbs. Don't use
Can't, won't, could've, etc. If it's a letter of complaint. Explain each point such that it sounds like it's worth complaining about. If it's a job application, be proper, be polite, and convince the reader that you are worthy of the job. Here's a good example i found:
I can assure you that I am capable person who can work independently. I am able to handle full sets of accounts, up to three sets at a time. I am interested in working with a company like yours as I feel I can grow well with the company. I am a team player, adapt easily to any working environments, and can work with people from all works of life.
Formal/Informal Letter
It is incredibly important that you confirm the format for the letters with your teacher, because the ones online always have slight differences between them. Formal letters, is where you have to become a businessman.
A businessman who has firm posture, a neat suit, and a fancy briefcase. With this is mind, you can shape your essay with the proper tone. Right so, in formal letters, you shouldn't use the short forms of verbs. Don't use
Can't, won't, could've, etc. If it's a letter of complaint. Explain each point such that it sounds like it's worth complaining about. If it's a job application, be proper, be polite, and convince the reader that you are worthy of the job. Here's a good example i found:
I can assure you that I am capable person who can work independently. I am able to handle full sets of accounts, up to three sets at a time. I am interested in working with a company like yours as I feel I can grow well with the company. I am a team player, adapt easily to any working environments, and can work with people from all works of life.
Informal Letters are almost opposite. You should be casual, friendly, but most of all, you should be natural. A lot of times, i see informal letters being...too friendly. Your letter should sound like a conversation. Express your care for the recipient sincerely, and be sure to get your point across.
Speech
A speech should always start with a greeting to your audience, and you telling them what you're gonna talk about. It's pretty much the same deal with articles, in that you're given points to talk about. A significant advantage that speeches give you is you're able to be more engaging with your audience. Imagine a speaker you would like to listen too. We tend to like speakers who aren't 100% serious. That's why in my speeches, i try to be as humorous, or sarcastic as i can. It makes the essay more fun to read.
e.g. Humans need to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It is essential for our circulatory system to function well, and can help increase our efficiency in breathing. If we do not exercise, we will find it difficult to do tasks that require a lot of energy, such as lifting a heavy object, or even jogging.X
Humans need to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It is essential for our circulatory system to function well, and can help increase our efficiency in breathing. If we do not exercise, we will find it difficult to do tasks that require a lot of energy. Climbing up the stairs would feel like an arduous climb up Mount Everest.✓
I would use the word "hard" or "difficult", but arduous adds that extra flair of being humorous, yet expressing a wide vocabulary. That's why synonyms are always important in writing. I even made a list of fancy words and phrases to use in my essays, all of which i found through the magical wonders of the Google search engine. So that's all i have to say for Paper 1 Section A. I have an awful lot more to say about Section B but let's save that for another time.
 |
| "After learning bombastic words" |
There are 10 content points, and 5 language points. Please ensure you have at least 11 points yang confirm boleh dapat markah. Some short sentences also count as points. Check em out in the links below. Ok
Links: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Y2d6B-91t7aFhlTnRCVDlWWXM/view (Paper 1 Questions)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Y2d6B-91t7SEE2NXhmand0MGs/view (Paper 2 Questions)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Y2d6B-91t7TTl2N014X3E0VmM/view (Skema jawapan to those questions)
Math/Add Math
Perhaps the most daunting subject in SPM is Add Math...and in some cases, his dorky younger brother Math. The most common advice you'll get for these two, is to do a lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice. This is true of course, but nowadays they like to surprise you in SPM with questions like never before. And boy were we surprised. I remember sweating from the change in format nobody expected on the day of the Add Math exam. And I was surrounded by fans!
The Math brothers, i believe, can be defeated through two things. Concept and Practice. Let's begin with concept. So in this era of KBAT-ness, they love to test you by sending you questions that aren't in any textbook or exercise book. Therefore, you need to focus on mastering the concept of each chapter. Now what i mean by that is you need to understand how everything you learn in the chapter can be utilized to solve questions. Because you see, Math/Add Math ni ada a set amount of situations for each question. For example, Arithmetic Progressions ada beberapa jenis soalan je akan keluar. This is obvious when you do the Skill Practices in the text book. Every Skill Practice gives you a different situation.
At school, your teacher will probably go through these in class, or you'll do it as homework. What you should do (if your teacher isn't already giving you any), is to make sure you really...truly...understand. I did this through asking my teacher, and my tuition teacher. But most of all, i studied via the Y=MX + C YouTube channel. He doesn't exactly have the greatest English, but his videos have helped me immensely! and i don't use that word often.
If you're still confused with what i mean by Concept, take a look:
A real question i did once was something like find the volume of the ice cream. They give you weird information like the radius of the cone, height of the ice cream only, and so on. They don't even give you any hints on what to use to solve the question. So kita kena pandai pandai guna cara sendiri to solve the question. For my case it was a mix of using some Volume formulae and Integration. Sometimes you have to break up the shape. Other times, you need to view the object(s) from a different angle. To sum it up (heheh), the questions they'll give ya won't be straight forward. From everyday objects, to vehicles and chicken thighs, Math and Add Math require you to fully understand the chapters.
Practice. On top of the questions you get at homework from school, you should do practice on the chapters you find difficult or confusing. Lucky for me, i had a tuition teacher (Add Math) who loved chucking tons of homework at all his students every class. Of course, it's gonna look overwhelming at first, but you can manage. Plus, i didn't...really...finish....some.. :/. It's better to do 30 questions from a chapter you're not good at, than 30 questions from a chapter you find easy. Remember to turn to your friends for help, even if you're asking them a question they find easy. Stay consistent and don't stress yourself.
Finally, the Math brothers have specific chapters that will ALWAYS come out in the exams as of 2016.
Perhaps the most daunting subject in SPM is Add Math...and in some cases, his dorky younger brother Math. The most common advice you'll get for these two, is to do a lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice. This is true of course, but nowadays they like to surprise you in SPM with questions like never before. And boy were we surprised. I remember sweating from the change in format nobody expected on the day of the Add Math exam. And I was surrounded by fans!
The Math brothers, i believe, can be defeated through two things. Concept and Practice. Let's begin with concept. So in this era of KBAT-ness, they love to test you by sending you questions that aren't in any textbook or exercise book. Therefore, you need to focus on mastering the concept of each chapter. Now what i mean by that is you need to understand how everything you learn in the chapter can be utilized to solve questions. Because you see, Math/Add Math ni ada a set amount of situations for each question. For example, Arithmetic Progressions ada beberapa jenis soalan je akan keluar. This is obvious when you do the Skill Practices in the text book. Every Skill Practice gives you a different situation.
At school, your teacher will probably go through these in class, or you'll do it as homework. What you should do (if your teacher isn't already giving you any), is to make sure you really...truly...understand. I did this through asking my teacher, and my tuition teacher. But most of all, i studied via the Y=MX + C YouTube channel. He doesn't exactly have the greatest English, but his videos have helped me immensely! and i don't use that word often.
If you're still confused with what i mean by Concept, take a look:
A real question i did once was something like find the volume of the ice cream. They give you weird information like the radius of the cone, height of the ice cream only, and so on. They don't even give you any hints on what to use to solve the question. So kita kena pandai pandai guna cara sendiri to solve the question. For my case it was a mix of using some Volume formulae and Integration. Sometimes you have to break up the shape. Other times, you need to view the object(s) from a different angle. To sum it up (heheh), the questions they'll give ya won't be straight forward. From everyday objects, to vehicles and chicken thighs, Math and Add Math require you to fully understand the chapters.
Practice. On top of the questions you get at homework from school, you should do practice on the chapters you find difficult or confusing. Lucky for me, i had a tuition teacher (Add Math) who loved chucking tons of homework at all his students every class. Of course, it's gonna look overwhelming at first, but you can manage. Plus, i didn't...really...finish....some.. :/. It's better to do 30 questions from a chapter you're not good at, than 30 questions from a chapter you find easy. Remember to turn to your friends for help, even if you're asking them a question they find easy. Stay consistent and don't stress yourself.
Finally, the Math brothers have specific chapters that will ALWAYS come out in the exams as of 2016.
Math (Paper 2)
-Sets (Form 4-Chp3)
-Simultaneous Equations
-Mathematical Reasoning (Form 4-Chp4)
-Lines and Planes (Form 4-Chp 11)
-Circles (Form 4-Chp8)
-Statistics Graphs (Form 4-Chp6) -Graph of Functions (Form 5-Chp2)
-Transformations (Form 5-Chp3) -Matrices (Form 5-Chp4)
-Gradient/Area Under Grapth (Form 5-Chp6)
-Earth As a Sphere( Form 5-Chp9)
-Plans and Elevations (Form-Chp10)
Add Math (Paper 2)
-Simultaneous Equations (Form 4-Chp4)
-Statistics (Form 4-Chp7)
-Circular Measure (Form 4-Chp8)
-Solution of Triangles (Form 4-Chp10)
-Index Numbers (Form 4-Chp11)
-Linear Law (Form 5-Chp2)
-Integration (Form 5-Chp3)
-Vectors (Form 5-Chp4)
-Motion Along a Straight Line (Form 5-Chp9)
-Linear Programming (Form 5-Chp10)
IKR. Sikit gile wei! Don't worry, most of these will be optional too, because you only need to pick like 2 out of 4 questions for instance. But they give you a nice idea of what to expect. Last comment for Math, don't waste time thinking in Paper 1. If you feel like you don't know the question, move on first and come back later. For Add Math, stay calm and analyze all of the info they give you. Sometimes it might look like pointless info, but you can actually use it. OK, so all the best for tackling the Math brothers! With enough practice, you'll be able to solve any KBAT question InshaAllah.
Links: https://www.youtube.com/user/MsiaFreeEducation/featured (Best Math/Add Math Teacher on YouTube)
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| "You'll be able to solve any KBAT question" |
-END OF PART II-
