Everyone wants good grades in school, it’s human nature! Getting good grades in your school years will give you a better chance at a successful work life when you finish. When at school everyone will fail at something at one point, which is only healthy, but getting good grades in your National 5 Maths Exams is something everyone should be aiming for! In order to help you pass your National 5 Maths Exams we have put together our best tips to get you through it!
How to Pass National 5 Maths Exams
For most, maths is a hard subject, many find it boring and they can’t concentrate. When students are provided with the right tools, and when their educators show them how essential mathematics is for future success, pupils of all ages can appreciate analytical school topics such as maths. We shall consider some practical academic guidance such as study tips, how to answer questions, and which specific maths topics will be discussed in the N5 curriculum.
Study Tips for National 5 Maths Exams
The National 5 Maths course is the last set of mathematics classes for Scottish students who decide to graduate at 16 and enter the workforce, so they need to be taken seriously. Mathematics is one of the compulsory subjects of Nationals so it’s a very important one to pass. High schoolers need all the advice they can get to pass exams and finish coursework successfully, and the following study tips can provide students with the direction they can count on:
- Study in a Quiet Place: some maths equations and principles are highly complex and demand complete attention from the pupil. Therefore, to make sure that everything is on your side, we recommend studying or reviewing important maths information in a quiet place, free of distractions. It has been proven that study sessions in a calm space are much more productive than those that aren’t. Turn off your phone to ensure that things of lesser importance won’t distract you.
- Alternate Study Techniques: one of the most common causes of boredom while studying is that pupils stick to the same learning type without changing any study practices. Shake things up a little! Some alternative study suggestions include using flashcards, participating in weekly study groups with like-minded friends, analysing online resources such as YouTube videos, and trying out practice quizzes. Create a schedule that forces you to alternate between study methods.
If you would like some extra help with maths, then get in touch with us today to get the help from one of the best Maths tutors in scotland.
How to Answer Maths Exam Questions
Many students get stressed out in exams, but preparing in advance can relieve this stress right away. A good way to stop some of that stress is to be fully prepared! Here are a few tips that can help you do this.
- review the entire exam before starting with the first question,
- start working out the difficult questions first,
- show your work to get more points from examiners.
These tips are only a few from the many that can help students answer questions. However, students will likely see instant results oin their examination results if these ideas are put into practice.
Important Maths Topics to Know for the National 5 Maths Exams
Knowing what your up against is probably the best way of helping you in your tests! Is it possible to predict these? Yes! Every year there is a number of topics that come up again and again, so we can tell you which ones you should prepare for!
The National 5 maths curriculum created by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is no secret; the topics covered can easily be found online. The following are a few of the N5 maths topics to know:
- Arcs & Sectors,
- Brackets,
- Equations and Inequalities,
- Factorising,
- Fractions,
- Percentages,
- Pythagoras,
- Quadratic Problems,
- Similar Shapes,
- Straight Lines,
- Statistics,
- Trig Equations,
- Vectors,
- Volume.
By reviewing some of these maths topics in the run-up to their exams, Scottish students prevent themselves from getting stuck behind.

Where To Find National 5 Past Papers
One of the best ways to revise is to take practice exam papers. This helps you get prepared for the structure of the exam as well as getting you in the right mindset – so when you are sitting the real thing, you’ll feel more comfortable. Also, by studying past papers, adolescent maths students can increase their confidence, identify their weak points, and retain important information.
In Scotland, the Nationals are a big deal. Why’s that? Successfully passing National 3, 4, and 5 signifies the successful completion of compulsory secondary school instruction. Students who turn 16 and receive good grades on their National core subjects are no longer required by Scots law to continue schooling.
Where can you find these past papers?
- Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): of all the places to find trustworthy records of past papers in maths in Scotland, or any other subject for that matter, is the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Since the SQA is the one who created the examinations, they should be the first source you consult. The SQA has past papers from the past four years you can download and print for your revision. Find the website here. https://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm
- National 5 Maths Website: boasting references and resources from the SQA and maths180.com, the National 5 Maths site is a fantastic place to find past papers. All links to past papers in maths are free of charge, easy to follow, and feature step-by-step solutions to maths problems on upcoming examinations. What makes the National 5 Maths site so trustworthy is that professional school teachers in Scotland developed it. Find the National 5 Maths past papers here. https://www.national5maths.co.uk/n5-maths-past-papers/
By taking the time to review the past papers offered at these websites, National 5 maths students are taking an active interest in their education.
Other National 5 Maths Resources and Exam Prep
There are tons of free resources online to help with Maths, but finding the best ones can be hard. And finding fun ones that actually help you learn is even harder!
When learning a complex topic such as National 5 maths, you might be confused by some questions and hesitate to select the correct answer. And while hiring a private tutor to help you navigate through challenging moments is a brilliant idea, even personal maths instructors suggest having a few websites or online study guides to refer to 24/7. Such as?
Below are some amazing online resources that will help you pass your National 5 Maths in Scotland:
- BBC Bitesize: developed by the BBC to help students up to Higher level (GCSE in England) and review their course material in the comfort of their own home. BBC Bitesize has fantastic revision resources for Scottish students completing the Nationals in maths. Bitesize organises their N5 maths into five modules that help learners develop significantly in algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics. Every core subject features smaller study modules that can be reviewed with more detail, and some even have quizzes. Find the maths part of the website here https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6vg9j6
- Higher Mathematics Website: a site that offers excellent past papers; the Higher Mathematics website is a great online resource for N5 students who need revision help. The revision tools of National 5 maths cover various topics that help students prepare for their homework and upcoming examinations. All of the helpful resources on the Higher Maths site are published by professional tutors and used in Scotland’s traditional classroom. Find the Higher Mathematics website here https://www.highermathematics.co.uk/higher-maths-whole-course/
To conclude, if you follow all the advise above we guarantee that you will be better prepared for your National 5 Maths tests. We would highly recommend getting a private maths tutor to give you a better chance of achieving higher grades and passing,