Hence or Otherwise
Afrikaans: Gevolglik of Andersins
Using the previous result is recommended and usually the fastest route, but it is not compulsory. If you choose a different method entirely, your working must still be fully correct and complete, no shortcut marks are available for the alternative method. Most students should use the previous result because that is how the question is designed to be solved.
Signal phrases
These are the words that tell you this instruction is being used.
- Hence or otherwise, solve for x, using the previous result is the recommended method; an independent approach must be fully correct to earn marks.
- Hence or otherwise, determine the coordinates of..., if you can use the result from the previous part, it will almost always be shorter than working independently.
- Hence or otherwise, calculate the value of..., the examiner is signalling that the previous result makes this quicker; treat 'or otherwise' as a safety net, not a default.
- Hence or otherwise, prove that..., if you use an independent method, every step must be justified; there are no 'shortcut' marks for the alternative route.
- Hence or otherwise, find the equation of..., students who skipped the previous part should use the alternative method, but must show complete, standalone working.
Past paper examples
Hence, or otherwise, calculate the coordinates of the turning point.
Source: DBE Mathematics Paper 1, November 2021, Question 6.4
Test yourself
Before you read the answer, what is this question asking you to do?
5.1 Show that f'(x) = 6x − 4, given f(x) = 3x² − 4x + 1. 5.2 Hence or otherwise, determine the x-coordinate of the turning point of f.
Practice question: not from a past paper