One tricky question but all in all a fair test

One question on the Junior Certificate higher level paper may have caused some head scratching, but otherwise it was reasonable and well structured, according to one teacher.

It was the last part of question 2, dealing with venn diagrams and sets, that Brid Griffin of the TUI and Carlow Institute of Further Education described as "thought provoking". Other than that, she had nothing untoward to report about the paper.

Brigid Cleary of the ASTI and St Flannan's College, Ennis, Co Clare, agreed that the (c) part of question 2 was a "bit difficult". Otherwise it was a "bog standard" paper. Ordinary level was perfect.

Ms Griffin said both ordinary and foundation level maths papers were well received. It was a case where following the advice of practising on previous papers would have paid off. "A student who had reviewed past papers would have been well prepared," she said.

Paper 2 comes up on Monday, when students in 24 schools will sit the new Junior Cert Project Maths paper for the first time, ahead of a more general roll-put of the new syllabus in September.

- Katherine Donnelly

Irish Independent