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Enzymes and digestion

Enzymes and digestion for ESOL Food Preparation: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • ESOL
  • Food Preparation
  • Spec R5
  • 4 min read
  • 10 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
1 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.
The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
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.
2 rows

The enzymes and digestion reference table

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
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.
Term
Meaning
Example
Common slip
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Row 1 column 4
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
≈160\approx 160
Row 2 column 4

Learning

6 boxes
3 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
  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: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
3 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.

  • 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

  • Rule 3

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
5 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
  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: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Answer: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
2 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
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: ≈160\approx 160.

  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}

  • Rule 2

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

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
  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: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
Answer: ≈160\approx 160
3 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.
Worth knowing: ≈160\approx 160.

  • 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.
    a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2

  • Rule 3

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

20 minutes

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Examples

2 boxes
1 marks · worked

Worked example: enzymes and digestion

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
2 marks · worked

Practice question 10: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.

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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 ESOL Food Preparation paper?
Yes — it sits in the Research methods strand.