QR Triage & Technique Map

You now have a specific technique for every QR maths skill. This lesson brings them together into a single decision system you can run on autopilot during the exam.

Read the question first (not the exhibit). Identify which maths skill is needed, then deploy the matching technique.

This is the single most important habit in QR. It applies to every question, every data format, every skill.

1. Read the question (5 sec) - understand what's asked, identify the skill needed, note the units the answer should be in.
2. Identify what data you need (3 sec) - which specific numbers? Which row, column, bar, or line?
3. Extract only those numbers (5 sec) - go to the exhibit, find your numbers, ignore everything else.
4. Calculate (10-25 sec) - execute the technique for that skill on the calculator.
5. Select and move on (3 sec) - match answer to options, sense-check magnitude, click, next.

Total: 26-41 seconds per question.

Not all questions are worth the same time. Classify each one as you read it.

🟢 Green - Always attempt *(highest marks per second)*

• "No calculation" - read and compare data directly
• Simple percentage: find X% of Y
• Direct data extraction: "What is the value of…?"
• Simple subtraction / addition between two values
• Ratio simplification

One operation on calculator or mental maths. Time: 10-25 seconds.

🟡 Amber - Attempt if on pace

• Percentage change (Joyel shortcut)
• Reverse percentage (divide by multiplier)
• Mean with missing value (Sum = Mean × n)
• Speed / distance / time
• Unit conversions
• Two-step cost calculations

Two operations, possibly with memory. Time: 25-40 seconds.

🔴 Red - Skip if behind on time

• Tax bracket calculations (3+ tiers)
• Multi-step word problems with 3+ operations
• Geometry with composite shapes
• "Not" / missing-group questions
• Close answer choices requiring high precision
• Questions where you can't see the approach

Multiple operations, high error risk. Time: 35-60 seconds.

1. Read the question (5 sec).
2. Can I identify the approach? No → skip (eliminate, guess, flag - 13 sec total).
3. How many calculation steps?

1. Check timer. Behind pace? Skip Red. Ahead? Attempt everything.

If a calculation is taking more than 45 seconds, you've probably missed a shortcut or misread the data. Stop. Re-read the question. Check you pulled the right numbers from the exhibit. If you still can't see it, guess and move on.

The Timer Formula

With 36 questions in 24 minutes of working time (26 minutes minus 2 minutes of instructions), you have about 40 seconds per question, or roughly 2 min 53 sec per set of 4.

`Remaining questions × 40 sec = seconds you should have left.` Simpler rule: after each set of 4 questions, about 2:53 should have passed. 9 sets × ~2:53 = ~26 minutes total.

Pace Checkpoints

For each set of 4 questions:

1. Glance at the exhibit type (2 sec) - table / chart / diagram / text? Orient yourself: rows, columns, axes.
2. Read Question 1 (5 sec) - usually the simplest. Answer it. This teaches you the exhibit layout.
3. Answer Q2-Q4 in order (unless one is clearly Red) - by Q3-Q4 you know the exhibit well.
4. Flag any question you can't solve in ~43 sec - guess first, then flag. Never leave blank.

Target: ~2 min 50 sec per set.

QR questions within a set generally get harder from Q1 to Q4. Q1 is often a direct read, Q4 often requires multi-step reasoning. Budget accordingly.

Here's a sample set showing the complete process. This is what the rhythm of QR should feel like.

The Data Stimulus

Quarterly sales data (£ thousands):

Question 1 (Percentage - Green)

"What percentage of Riverside's total sales came from Q3?"

Skill: find what percentage (Part / Whole × 100).
Data: Riverside Q3 = 70, Riverside Total = 260.
Calc: 70 / 260 × 100 = 26.9%.
Check: 70 out of 260 - a bit more than a quarter. ✓ Time: ~15 sec.

Question 2 (Ratio - Green)

"What is the ratio of Parkview's Q4 sales to Northgate's Q4 sales? Give your answer in its simplest form."

Skill: simplify ratio.
Data: Parkview Q4 = 55, Northgate Q4 = 65.
Calc: 55 : 65 → divide both by 5 → `11 : 13`.
Time: ~12 sec.

Question 3 (Average - Amber)

"What was the mean quarterly sales figure across all four shops in Q2?"

Skill: Mean = Sum / n.
Data: Q2 column total = 190 (the table already sums it).
Calc: 190 / 4 = 47.5 (£ thousands).
Check: values are 52, 55, 35, 48 - average near 47-48. ✓ Time: ~10 sec.

The total row saved us from adding four numbers. Always check whether the exhibit gives you a subtotal you can use.

Question 4 (Percentage Change - Amber)

"What was the percentage change in total sales across all shops from Q1 to Q4?"

Skill: percentage change (Joyel shortcut).
Data: All shops Q1 = 185, Q4 = 275.
Calc: 275 / 185 = 1.486 → read the decimal → `48.6% increase`.
Check: ~90 more on a base of 185. 90/185 ≈ half. ✓ Time: ~15 sec.

Set Summary

Total time for all 4 questions: roughly 50-55 seconds. That's well under the ~2:53 budget, leaving time banked for harder sets later. Every question followed the same process: read question, identify skill, extract data, calculate, sense-check.

Percentages

Ratios & Rates

Averages

Geometry

Conversions

1 ml = 1 cm³ · 1 L = 1000 cm³ · 1 m³ = 1000 L · 1 m² = 10,000 cm² · 1 km = 1000 m · 1 kg = 1000 g. km/h ↔ m/s: divide by 3.6 (or multiply by 3.6 the other way).

Before the section:

• Reset mentally. QR is data extraction + basic maths.
• Remind yourself: question first, exhibit second.
• Position right hand on numpad. Left hand free.
• Open the calculator immediately.

For each set (~2 min 53 sec):

1. Glance at the exhibit type (2 sec) - table / chart / diagram? Axes? Headers?
2. Read Question 1 (5 sec) - identify skill, extract data, calculate, answer. This orients you to the exhibit.
3. Questions 2-4: same process (25-43 sec each) - flag any question that takes >43 sec. Always guess before flagging.
4. Check timer against pace (2 sec) - adjust: skip more or attempt more as needed.

Last 2 minutes:

• Return to flagged questions.
• If still stuck, keep your guess - don't change randomly.
• Ensure every question has an answer - no blanks.

Answering 30 of 36 with high accuracy beats rushing through all 36 with many mistakes. At ~43 seconds per question, skipping 4-6 questions gives you an extra 3-4 minutes to spend on the questions you can answer. This trade-off is almost always worth it.

Build your QR skills in stages rather than trying to do everything at once.

Stage 1: Technique Recognition (untimed)
Work through practice questions without time pressure. Focus on identifying the skill type instantly and applying the correct technique. Don't worry about speed yet - accuracy and method selection come first.

Stage 2: Timed Technique Drills (partial timing)
Set a timer but give yourself extra time - about 60 seconds per question. Enforce the question-first approach. If you can't identify the approach in 5 seconds, flag it and move on. The goal is building the habit loop: read question, classify, extract, calculate, check.

Stage 3: Full Timed Sections
Run a complete 36-question QR section under exam conditions: 26 minutes, calculator, no pauses. Track which questions you skip, which you get wrong, and why.

Stage 4: Error Analysis
After each timed section, categorise every mistake:

• Skill error - used the wrong technique (re-study that lesson)
• Data extraction error - pulled the wrong number from the exhibit (slow down by 0.5 sec when reading)
• Calculator error - mis-keyed or lost track of a chain (use memory more, write intermediates)
• Time error - spent too long on one question (practice skipping faster)

The category that appears most often is your priority for the next practice session. Most students find data extraction errors dominate - they're doing the maths right but reading the wrong number from the table. That's a discipline problem, not a maths problem.