how I got an A for math (and physics)
hi zestiesss. today I'll be sharing how I got A for H2 math without tuition. for physics, I had tuition for my whole JC so Ill js be sharing some things I do myself outside of tuition to maintain my grade. This post will be mostly Abt H2 math and Abit on H2 phys towards the end. my math wasn't bad originally, coming in with A2 for both maths at Olevels.
ofc I was Abit lost on alvls math cuz it is diff from what I've learnt in olvls. I struggled w topics such as stats and functions mapping. So I'll write a step to step guide on how u shld approach new topics such that u master it fully.
1. during lecture
- I found math lecture really really boring so I sped it up 2 times but still follow through underlining and highlighting
- I stop aft practice qns or like a chunk of info to internalize and understand B4 moving on
- ok so I was a lazy person but what I think may help for pple weak in math is to try a completed practice qn without looking at the steps then when u get stuck u can peak on the next step and then understand and then complete the step without peeking again then repeat.
2. post lecture
- on more content subj like stats or differential qns, i would rewrite the notes but in the mindmap to internalize and familiar myself with the steps or formulas
3. tutorial/ post tutorial
- when doing ur tutorial do not wholesale copy the answer but learn the steps from the prev worked examples and try to apply the steps on the easiest qn. Then move from Q1 to Q10 where the difficulty builds up and u get better at solving problems
- my school usually don't post tutorial ans till next week where the whole cohort has finished the tutorial for the topic. So when I am stuck, I sometimes ask my tcher or actually mostly I will chatgpt it. This is where I take a photo of the qn then send it to the AI with the prompt "explain it to a college student or a toddler with simple language". that helps tone down the language to be more understandable.
- this method helps me break down the steps and then I can ask various qn based on the chatgpt steps shown. I found that really useful
- post tutorial/mid tutorial, I will attempt the extra practice qns at the back, making sure I finish it B4 the next chap tutorial begins. cuz practicing smth new in ur head will make it stick better in the long term. the qns are from past year prelim papers picked out by my sch for the certain topics. So it was pretty useful in seeing the other types of qn available for the topic.
4. revision (this is long)
- I started w prelim papers like really early at the start of J2. so how I'd do it is that I will try to complete the whole paper in my own time but on my own and skip qns that my school have not covered
- I wrote those qn at the right side of my math log plus the date that I've completed the paper
- I think it's common for pple to think that prelim papers is way above ones level esp for the start of J2 but actually math does not really combine topics in the sense that u won't see like stats combined with differentiation or function combined with differential eqns. So actually that's all ur gna learn from the topic and u shld be a master at it alr. It's not like chem where the qns can mix and match from diff topics
- funny enough I didn't hv time to come back to those qn at the side cuz I had actually lots to do
- I finished all the papers right B4 my prelims and scored a B for the paper (few marks away from an A 🥹🥹)
- I spotted many careless or lack of explanation portion for like stats or imaginary number which caused me to deduct marks.
- then aft prelims my tcher sent me 2025 prelim papers so it was another round of prelims lol.
**** this is v impt where u need to see where u r constantly marking mistakes/ dropping marks cuz for math the type of qn alw repeat itself so u js need to find out which step did u do incorrectly and apply it for the next
- for the corrections portion, do not copy wholesale the ans. if I really don't know I will first understand and read the ans then close the ans and do it myself. If I js need a push, I'll js read the next step then write it down and try to solve it from there. makes ur brain more independent and confident of ur own anss 😁😁
stats practice:
- I absolutely hated stats and I had no idea what's gg on in stats like z value or the accept and reject region and till now ive still no idea what's gg on
- how I did it is js memory skills where I memorize the steps then apply it on various qn, even the accept and reject region was memory work
- then I did many practice qns till I can js copy and paste the steps on the other qns.
- for stats practice, since I skipped the stats portion when I did 2024 prelim papers. I rmb I did 1 stat portion every day (1 day 1 sch) then aftwards I felt my stats improve.
post prelim review:
- I took my prelim papers v seriously where I did paste a post it note at the front page with the various mistakes ive made and what I need to be careful of. (lost like 14marks due to carelessness or missed explanation)
- the prelim papers took me Abt 3 muji books and used loose papers for tutorials and extra prac qns.
physics:
- I did 2024 prelim papers also for physics and clarified all the qns w my tuition tcher
- completed my tutorial qns and extra qns
- found mcq qn book really useful but I lost it aft promos cuz it tests ur knowledge 😭😭
yeaaa so this is mostly what I did every topic so I can become a shifu for every topic and ace math (and somewhat physics) lol. lemme know if u hv any qns in comments and see y'all next post!
In addition to the study strategies I detailed earlier, I found that consistent review of prelim papers was crucial in identifying patterns in the types of questions that frequently appeared. I kept a math log tracking dates and questions I struggled with so I could revisit them later, which helped me minimize careless errors and strengthen weak areas. For physics, besides tuition, I leaned heavily on practice questions and made a habit of clarifying doubts immediately with my tutor, especially for problem-solving techniques and MCQs, which were super useful for exam readiness. I lost my MCQ question book after promos, which was a bummer since it helped test my knowledge in diverse ways. A tip I picked up was using technology wisely – when stuck on tough math problems, snapping a photo and feeding it to ChatGPT with prompts like "explain it simply" made complex steps easier to grasp. This helped me understand concepts more intuitively and boosted my confidence in solving problems independently. I also want to emphasize the importance of spotting recurring mistakes. By putting post-it notes on prelim papers listing errors and areas to watch out for, I trained myself to be more meticulous. This habit was instrumental in saving marks and honing exam technique. Finally, while stats was my least favorite and toughest topic, memorizing formula steps and practicing them daily made a significant difference. Tackling one stats question a day from school papers gradually improved my familiarity, and although I still sometimes find concepts confusing, repetition made me comfortable enough to apply them under exam conditions.
Focus focus focus !!!