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Study skills
How to Break Down a Difficult Question
A long question is rarely hard maths. It is usually three ordinary steps that need finding.
In short
Split it into the questions inside it
Number them. Most multi-mark questions hide two or three separate steps.
Work backwards from the last step
Ask what that step needs, then what that needs, until you reach what you were given.
Do the part you can do
Starting somewhere beats starting nowhere, and it often reveals the rest.
Label everything as you work it out
Write what each number means, or you will lose track of it.
Keep one step per line
Cramped working is where slips hide.
Check each part before building on it
An error in the first step travels all the way to the end.