Problem Solving Skills

Problem solving skills make up 1/3 of your prelim/final exam. They can be split up into two categories: 1. Experimental Design Skills 2. Numerical Skills

Experimental Design Skills.

You will be given unfamiliar unseen experiments and be asked to identify the following.

a) independent/dependent variables b) reliability issues/improvements c) Control design/importance

d) validity/variables kept constant e) Drawing conclusions f) sources of errors

g) apparatus e.g. colorimeter/water bath

Past Papers

Experimental Design Revision Notes

Past Papers

Numerical Skills

Numerical problem solving skills include

Selecting information Predicting Correct statements

Presenting skills Drawing conclusions Describing relationships

Processing calculations

Percentage Percentage change PCR Calculations

DNA base calculations Average increase/decrease Proportion

Magnification/Units Ratio

1. Selecting Information

You will be asked to selecting information from complex DOUBLE scaled graphs reading off the scale correctly or selecting the correct column or row from complex tables.

For A mark selecting questions

1. Processing calculation after selecting information

2. Work between two sources that are linked e.g. (two graph/tables or a graph AND a table)

Higher Biology candidates ONLY

Need to be able to read information from semi log graphs.

2. Processing Calculations

You will need to be able to do the following calculations.

DNA base calculations PCR cycle calculations Percentage

Percentage change Average increase/decrease Proportion

Magnification & milli-micro How many times greater

Higher Human Only calculations

In addition if you study higher human biology you need to be able to

1. cardiac output calculations 2. BMI calculations 3. Heart rate calculations

3. Predicting trends

You need to be able to detect trends in numerical sequences from graphs OR tables.

Where possible on graphs you can extend the line (extrapolate) to read off the predicted value.

Lastly for reactions involving enzymes, high temperatures will lead to predictions of reduced reaction ratres as ENZYMES will be DENATURED at high temperatures.

4. Selecting correct statement.

This will involve a complex graph with lots of extra unnecessary information. Take your time this is an A mark.

You will often need to do

1. Processing calculations to check the statement is true

2. Check the statement hold true for ALL the points. If any of the points contradict the statement rule out the statement.

5. Drawing conclusions

You will be asked to draw conclusions on the trend between the independent & dependent variable from an aim based on an graph/table containing an indirect measure of the dependent variable.