MATHS PLE TIPS

1. Read the instructions carefully. Each question has different instructions.

2. Read the question and understand it. If possible, highlight the key words.
3. Write neatly and organize your work well.
Write from left to right.
4. Diagram work should be done in pencil. naming or writing points and angles in ink.
5. Use correct units.
6. Start with section A and begin by answering simple questions. Skip challenging
questions.
7. All working should be shown in the correct space. Let children not lose marks due to
omission of work.
8. Measure lines and angles accurately.
9. Equal signs and operation signs should be written e.g. 4 3
× 3
129

The following guidance is particular to topics.

FRACTIONS
3
A separating bar is a must 3 should be .
10 10

✓ When a question is “simplify”, it must be done to the lowest term.

5 2 3 1
- =
9 9 9 3
1
=
3
✓ If you get an improper fraction, change it to a mixed number. For decimal fractions,
the answer should be in decimal. If it turns out to be a whole number leave it as it is.
✓ When expressing quantities in percentages, the percent symbol is a must.
- Ratios must be simplified to the lowest term.
- Written without units.
✓ When rounding off decimals, there mustn’t be any digits written after the required
place value.
Round off 96.973 to the nearest tenths.
96.973
+0.1
97. 0

NUMBER PATTERNS AND SEQUENCES

When finding L.C.M or G.C.F, all multiples or all factors must be listed without skipping
any.

1
When finding G.C.F, only prime factors dividing all the numbers must be use e.g. Find the
G.C.F of 12 and 18 (PLE 2012)

2 12 18 G.C.F = 2 × 3
3 6 9 = 6
2 3

When finding the next number, the child should complete the pattern using the right
method.
For example: find the next number in the sequence.

-11, -8, -5, -2, _1_

+3 +3 +3 +3

For patterns that have been illustrated, illustrations must be done.

, , , _____________

If a Venn diagram has been drawn showing prime factors, the candidate must answer
the questions, using the Venn diagrams. E.g.

Find the L.C.M of 12 and 18.

L.C.M = 2 × 2 × 3 x 3
= 36

A candidate must introduce the root symbol on the first step when finding square roots
1 1
and cube roots e.g. Find the square root of 3 √ 3 16
16
If fractions; the root symbol must cover both the numerator and the denominator.
Still, roots from fractions must not be reduced e.g.
36 36 6
Find the square root of √ =
64 64 8

For divisibility test, a child must follow the test but not try and error method.
e.g. Which of these numbers is divisible by 3?
140 and 5070
1 + 4 + 0 = 5
5 + 0 + 7 + 0 = 12

5070 is divisible by 3.

2
SET CONCEPTS:
Common members must be identified by ticking or circling them.
e.g. Give C = {2, 7 , 10, 17}
D = {5, 6, 7 , 11, 15}

C ∩ D = {7}
Curly brackets must be used to enclose the elements. Commas are a must. When finding
the number of subsets, the child must substitute correctly. E.g.
Given set K = {g, m, v, z}, find the number of subsets in set K.
No. of subsets = 24 m1
Also, the same applies when finding the number of elements in a given set when given
the number of subsets e.g. 2n = 16 m1
Candidates must list the subsets when tasked to do so other than finding the number of
subsets.

For Venn diagrams, use the information given to complete it.

A candidate must make sure that every gap is filled because there is a mark for it. E.g.
n(𝜀 ) = 76

A candidate must use the right set symbols when answering a given question e.g.
P = {1, 3, 5, 7} and Q = {2, 3, 5, 7}. Find n(P∩Q)

P∩Q = {3,5,7} not n(P∩Q) = {3, 5, 7}.

A candidate must identify the required region corrrectly.

E.g. If 27 like MTC altogether,
If 18 do not like English at all,
20 like science only,
5 play Hockey but not football,
7 like at least two games; 8 like at most two subjects
A candidate must learn to shade region in subsets.
e.g. P∩Q = Q P∪Q = Q
P Q

Q P

3
Shade either A or B (Requires one to shade union)

For whole numbers, place values must be written in plural form e.g Find the place value
of 4 in 3 4 0,001

Ten thousands
Tens of thousands
When writing in words, candidates must show the place value periods.
e.g. Write 650,019 in words.
Thousands Units Six hundred fifty thousand nineteen.
650 019
When writing in Roman numerals, expansion is important.
Write 955 in Roman numerals.
955 = 900 + 50 + 5

For bases, re-grouping in bases must be shown.

Add: 1 1 0 1two + 1 1 1two

1 1 0 1two 2 + 2 = 1r0
+ 1 1 1two 3 + 2 = 1r1
10100two
The base must be written in words.

On operation of whole numbers

✓ A candidate must add or subtract numbers arranged vertically. Bar lines are a must
to show equal signs.
✓ Correct arrangement of digits according to place values.
✓ When multiplying large numbers, long multiplication or latice method is a must
especially for those numbers not ending in zeros. Find the product of 495 × 36
✓ When dividing large numbers, by other large numbers, multiples must be written
14 14
49700
or long division must be used. 3550 49700 M 355
3550
1 355 355 1
1420 710 2
1420 1065 3
1420 4

✓ A candidate should use brackets when expanding numbers using exponents.

789 = (7 × 102) + (8 × 101) + (9 × 100)

4
TIME
i) Write 24 hr clock system using 4 digits without the colon. (Reject with one dot).
Also its units is hours. (hrs)
ii) Write the specific time in 12hr clock system e.g. p.m or a.m (3:45p.m – The colon is
a must).
A candidate must write the duration in hours or hours and minutes.
e.g. how long was the activity that started at 9:30a.m and ended at 11:10a.m
HRS MIN
11 : 10a.m
-9 : 30a.m
40 2
1 : 40 1 hr 40 minutes or 1 hrs or 1 hrs
60 3
iii) A candidate must use correct units on time e.g. distance (km), Speed (km/hr or m/s
or km/minute), Time (hrs)
iv) A candidate must convert time in minutes to hours when speed is to be given in
km/hr. a leading statement is a must before conversions are done.

FOR DATA HANDLING

- A candidate must read the instructions carefully.
- Interpret the scale correctly refer PLE 2017 No. 19
PLE 2008 No. 39
A candidate must complete the frequency table properly having shown the working.
Marks Freq Total
8 9 72
7 - 21
- 4 20

- A candidate must write the co-ordinates properly P (-2, 3)

- A candidate must indicate points plotted on the grid.

- For probability (dice or a coin or days or months) the sample space must be written
and the expected chances identified by ticking or circling.

5
For Length, Mass and Capacity
- Metric conversion must be done after writing the correct leading statement.
Convert 3.6m to cm
1m = 100cm
36
3.6m = × 100
10
= 360cm
- Use correct formulae when finding missing side for example when gives area,
circumference, volume, perimeter etc.
- A candidate must first harmonise the units before any operation is done. E.g How
many 200gm pkts can be got from 2.6kg of salt?
1kg = 1000gm 13
26 2600
2.6kg = × 1000 Number =
10 200
= 2600gm
= 13 packets

- A candidate should divide vol. of the big figure by the vol. of the small figure when
finding tinfuls or cupfuls and packing to be done by diving dimension of the big
figure by the ones on the small one.
Refer to PLE 2015 No. 24, PLE 2011 No. 42

For Lines, Angles and Geometric figures/Geometric Construction

- A candidate must indicate information on the diagram for one to find the value of
the unknown angle e.g.
In the figure below line AB is parallel to CD and BCD is an isosceles triangle.

Find the value of x.

- The candidate had to indicate angle BCD = 3x on the diagram before forming the
equation to find the value of x.
7x + 3x = 1800.
- A candidate must indicate the angle required of him or her to construct or to draw
e.g. Using a protractor, draw an angle of 550 in the space below.

550

- A candidate must do the construction in pencil only. Writing dimensions and angles
can be done in ink.

6
- A candidate must draw the sketch. All information given must be shown on the
sketch. The sketch should be a reflection of the actual diagram especially angles.
If an angle is 1200, the sketch must reflect an obtuse angle. If an angle is 600, the
sketch must reflect an acute angle.
Refer to PLE 2005 No. 34 and PLE 2020 Number 25.
Construct a triangle XYZ in which YZ = 6cm, angle XYZ = 300 and angle YZX = 1200.

- A candidate must use the right instruments to draw or construct the diagram. If
he/she is to use a protractor, it must be so.
- A candidate must draw the lines of folding symmetry proportionately using a ruler.
E.g. Show all the lines of folding symmetry in the figure below.

- A candidate must complete the diagram when reading/stating bearing of one place
from another. e.g. Find the bearing of point Q and P in the diagram.

INTEGERS
- A candidate must write the integers on the arrows when working out on a number
line. E.g. Work out -7 - -3 on the number line below.

- A candidate must simplify the signs during operation.

Simplify: -6 - - 4
-
6 – (- 4) = - 6 + 4
= -2

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- A candidate must write the finite system when dealing with finding the day after a
given period of time. E.g. Today Monday, the workers on a farm are paid their
salary. What day of the week will the workers’ next pay be 30 days from today?

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

MONEY
✓ A candidate must complete the bill table in the correct spaces after showing the
working. E.g. Refer to PLE 2013 No. 21 and Refer to PLE 2011 No. 32

✓ A candidate must use the right exchange rate when the exchange rate table has
been drawn.
When given foreign currency, use the buying rate while when given local currency (Ug
shs) Use the selling rate. Refer to PLE 2011 No. 35 and Refer to PLE 2015 No. 23

ALGEBRA
1. A candidate must observe the rule of multiplication of integers when opening
brackets. e.g. Simplify
18x – 5 (x + 7)
18x – 5x – 35
13x – 35

2. A candidate must use brackets to show expressions treated as one term.

e.g. Subtract 2k – 4 from 4k + 5
(4k + 5) – (2k – 4)
4k + 5 – 2k + 4
4k – 2k + 5 + 4
2k + 9

3. A candidate must draw a table of comparison when forming equations from word
problems. e.g. A geometry set costs half as much as a book. A book costs sh. 600
more than a fountain pen. If the total cost of the three items is sh. 6,900. Find the
cost of the geometry set.
Geometry set Book Fountain pen Total
1
b b b-600 6900
2