Year 6 student Ava focused on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing mixed and improper fractions, as well as converting between decimals, percentages, and fractions—including recurring decimals.

In Year 9, Tom practised linear equations by finding x- and y-intercepts from equations and rewriting them in the form y = mx + b, then worked through calculating gradients using graph examples.

Meanwhile, Year 10 student Sarah reviewed the use of SOHCAHTOA for solving right-angled triangle sides and angles in trigonometry, followed by revision of Pythagoras' theorem with step-by-step calculations.

In Year 8, one student often estimated answers in algebra instead of showing full working—he skipped steps in isolating x, which hid sign errors. This meant confusion when negatives or brackets appeared.

In Year 10 financial maths, another relied heavily on plugging numbers into formulas without understanding the concepts behind them; when worded questions changed style, confidence dropped and mistakes crept in.

Meanwhile, a senior student sometimes avoided challenging algebra problems entirely if they looked abstract, missing out on valuable problem-solving practice.

These habits led to moments where the answer was technically correct but the reasoning—and deeper understanding—remained shaky.

A tutor in Merewether noticed Liz, a high school student, now initiates discussions about challenging HSC maths problems and confidently explains her reasoning—even teaching the tutor why her solution works, a big shift from earlier sessions when she hesitated to speak up.

Danika, also in high school, recently began highlighting tricky questions in class to bring to tutoring and has become much more organised—she completed most problems independently this week and reached a personal best of 60 times tables correct in 100 seconds (up from under 40).

In primary years, Lara's marked improvement was clear when she recalled and applied distance-speed-time formulas without prompting during practice questions.