PAss Functional Skills

Enzymes and digestion

Enzymes and digestion for A Level Media Studies AQA: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • A Level
  • AQA
  • Media Studies
  • Spec S13 · S11 · S6
  • 9 min read
  • 10 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
2 min read

What is enzymes and digestion?

Listen to this box

Transcript

A short spoken summary of enzymes and digestion and where it is used.

A spoken walk-through of enzymes and digestion before you read the notes.
Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
3 rows

The enzymes and digestion reference table

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Term
Meaning
Example
Common slip
Marks
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
Row 1 column 4
Row 1 column 5
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
Row 2 column 4
Row 2 column 5

Learning

6 boxes
4 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: ≈160\approx 160.
Answer: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0
2 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.

  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
4 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
  4. Check the answer against an estimate before writing it down.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
Answer: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
3 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.

  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    ≈160\approx 160
3 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
  4. Check the answer against an estimate before writing it down.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
Answer: ≈160\approx 160
2 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.
Worth knowing: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.

  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • Rule 3

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    ≈160\approx 160

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Examples

2 boxes
2 marks · worked

Worked example: enzymes and digestion

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.
1 marks · worked

Practice question 10: ≈160\approx 160

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.

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Common questions

How many marks is enzymes and digestion usually worth?
Between one and four, depending on how many steps the question asks for.
Is this on the A Level Media Studies AQA paper?
Yes — it sits in the Research methods strand.