See the Marks Each Step Earns, CAPS-Style

Snap&Learn shows the memo marks each step would earn (M, A and CA), so you learn exactly what to write to get marks in CAPS maths tests.

Getting the right answer isn't enough in a CAPS maths test: marks are given for method and accuracy along the way. Snap&Learn labels each step of a solution with the memo marks it would likely earn, so you can see which lines a marker is looking for. Markers follow a memorandum that lists where each mark is earned. Learners who write only final answers often lose most of the marks for a question, even when the answer is right. Seeing the M, A and CA marks on each step trains you to write the lines a marker is looking for, on Paper 1 and Paper 2 alike.

Practice questions with solutions

What do M, A and CA mean?

  1. M: a method mark, for using the right approach
  2. A: an accuracy mark, for a correct value or statement
  3. CA: consistent accuracy, for correct work that follows on from an earlier mistake

Answer: Method, accuracy and follow-through marks.

Example: solve x² − 5x + 6 = 0 (3 marks)

  1. (x − 2)(x − 3) = 0 earns the method mark (M1)
  2. x = 2 earns an accuracy mark (A1)
  3. x = 3 earns the second accuracy mark (A1)

Answer: x = 2 or x = 3, for 3 marks

Why does CA matter?

  1. If you make a slip early, later marks are not automatically lost
  2. Using your wrong value correctly can still earn CA marks
  3. So keep going and show every step, even if you think you went wrong

Answer: Showing working protects your marks.

Are the marks official?

  1. They show the marks a CAPS memo would most likely award
  2. Your teacher's or the exam's own memo is the final word

Answer: A close guide, not an official memo.

Example: find the equation of the tangent to y = x² at x = 3 (4 marks)

  1. dy/dx = 2x earns a method mark (M1)
  2. Gradient at x = 3 is 6 (A1)
  3. The point is (3; 9) (A1)
  4. y − 9 = 6(x − 3), so y = 6x − 9 (A1)

Answer: y = 6x − 9, for 4 marks

Tips

  • Read the mark allocation: a 4-mark question usually needs about four steps.
  • Never write only the final answer: it can earn as little as one mark.
  • After a test, compare your working with the memo line by line to see which marks you missed and why.
  • Underline the final answer so the marker can find it.

Snap&Learn gives South African Matric learners instant, CAPS-aligned, step-by-step Mathematics solutions. Snap or upload a question and the AI shows every method mark the way the NSC memo awards them. Your first three AI solutions are free.