Scoring well in Additional Mathematics (A Math) isn’t just about attending lessons and completing homework. The secret weapon many top students use? High-quality, well-organized A Math notes—and more importantly, knowing how to use them effectively.
Whether you’ve bought premium notes or downloaded free ones, how you study from them can make a massive difference in your understanding, retention, and ultimately, your grades. In this post, we’ll show you how to get the most value out of your A Math notes and turn them into a powerful tool to prepare for your O-Level exams.
1. Don’t Just Read—Annotate and Summarise
Many students make the mistake of passively reading through their notes like a storybook. That doesn’t work well with A Math, which requires deep conceptual understanding and strong problem-solving skills.
Instead, as you go through your notes:
- Write your own short summaries in the margins.
- Underline or highlight key formulas or theorems.
- Jot down quick reminders or memory aids next to worked examples.
By annotating, you’re actively engaging with the content, which helps reinforce your understanding and memory.
2. Use Notes to Pre-Learn Before Class
Your teacher might be the main source of explanation, but you can give yourself a serious head start by reading the topic in your notes before class.
Pre-learning allows you to:
- Familiarize yourself with the terms and formulas in advance.
- Understand the structure of the topic before your teacher explains it.
- Ask more specific, deeper questions during lessons.
This makes you more focused during class and helps you absorb lessons faster.
3. Link Each Topic to Exam Questions
A Math is not just about understanding concepts—it’s about applying them. Your notes are a great place to make these connections.
For each topic in your notes:
- Add a few examples of common exam-style questions.
- Highlight where formulas are most commonly tested.
- Write down any shortcut methods or time-saving techniques you discover from past papers.
This helps bridge the gap between studying and real exam performance.
4. Create a Revision System Using Your Notes
Closer to the O-Levels, your time is precious. A well-organized set of notes becomes your revision bible—if you’ve used them correctly all year.
Here’s a system you can use:
- Break your revision into weekly blocks by topic.
- Use your notes to review concepts, and test yourself by attempting questions without looking at the solutions.
- Check your answers against worked examples in the notes.
- Circle or tag weak areas for re-study later.
Doing this consistently in the months leading up to the exam ensures no topic is left out.
5. Focus on Understanding, Not Memorisation
Many students try to memorise formulas or steps from notes without understanding the logic behind them. This is risky—especially for A Math, where questions are designed to test application, not rote memory.
When using your notes:
- Take the time to understand why each step is taken in a worked example.
- Ask yourself, “What is this formula used for?” or “What changes if this number is negative?”
- If your notes include explanations, read them slowly and carefully—don’t skip them to get to the answer.
Strive to reach the point where you can explain each step in your own words.
6. Combine Notes with Practice—Every Time
Notes are the map, but practice is the journey. Every time you finish studying a topic from your notes, follow up immediately with practice questions.
For example:
- Read and annotate the Differentiation chapter.
- Attempt 5–10 basic and intermediate differentiation questions.
- Refer back to the notes only when stuck.
- Review mistakes and update your notes with corrections or reminders.
This tight loop between theory (notes) and application (practice) builds real exam confidence.
7. Use Notes as Quick Revision Before Tests
Before a class test or exam, your notes can help you revise a full topic in under 20 minutes—if they’re well-used.
Focus on:
- The summary pages and key formulas.
- Common question patterns.
- Examples of past exam tricks or errors you’ve annotated.
This quick, focused review just before a test can help activate your memory and reduce careless mistakes.
8. Use Digital Tools If Your Notes Are PDF-Based
If your A Math notes are in PDF or digital format, take advantage of tools like:
- PDF editors to highlight or comment.
- Anki or Notion to turn key concepts into flashcards.
- Google Docs to summarise topics in your own words.
Digital notes can be even more powerful when integrated into a custom study system.
9. Supplement Gaps with Trusted Sources
Even great notes might not explain everything perfectly for you. If a section feels unclear:
- Write down your doubts.
- Bring them to your teacher or tutor.
- Search for a trusted YouTube explanation or MOE-endorsed resource.
Then, update your notes with what you’ve learned. Your notes should evolve as your understanding grows.
Final Thoughts: Notes Are Powerful—If You Use Them Right
A Math is a tough subject, but it becomes much more manageable when you have the right tools. Well-organized notes can give you clarity, save revision time, and build confidence—but only if you use them actively and consistently.
Don’t treat your notes as just “study material”—treat them as a strategy. Use them to pre-learn, revise, annotate, and apply. If you do this well, your O-Level results will reflect it.
If you don’t already have a good set of A Math notes, consider checking out our professionally designed A Math Notes for Sec 3, created by experienced educators and tailored for the Singapore syllabus.
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