Agriculture 2024 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure important components of the question are not missed
• have a clear understanding of key words and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in their response
• communicate ideas and information using relevant examples
• expect to perform some mathematical functions, interpret data/graphs/tables and assess information for accuracy, reliability and/or validity
• consider using graphical solutions if appropriate
• show full and clear working out for all questions involving calculations
• review each response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of two farming practices that have led to a decline in water quality (a)
• explain the function of a grassed waterway and make a clear link between grassed waterways and improving an aspect of water quality (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying the difference between water quality and water quantity and correctly identify a farming practice instead of a farming type (a)
• recognising how grassed waterways work in improving water quality.

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide examples of the multiple steps of a marketing chain relevant to their product studied (a)
• identify steps in a marketing chain in the correct sequence (a)
• recognise factors specifically affecting demand for a product and their impacts (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the difference between a marketing chain and processing steps (a)
• recognising the steps in changing a named raw product into different form (b).

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to: 

• recognise and name ways the government influences production or marketing of agricultural products (b)
• understand how agricultural products can be value added and provide detailed examples (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying market specifications for named agricultural products (a)
• recognising each step in a value adding process and why they are carried out (c).

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• discuss the advantages of vertical integration and contact selling of named agricultural products.

Areas for students to improve include:

• recognising the difference between the marketing options of contract selling and vertical integration.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to: 

• confirm the use of replication in an investigation and demonstrate its use in an experiment testing the effect of light on plant growth (a)
• use an example to recognise a link between a management technique and the constraint it is trying to overcome (b).

 Areas for students to improve include: 

• recognising the role replication plays in experimental design (a)
• identifying environmental constraints and their management in plant production (b).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify features of line breeding and relate to improvements in a breeding system (a)
• recognise an industry breeding program and how it incorporates objective measurement and heritability (b)
• identify a purpose of oestrus synchronisation and explain its importance in a breeding program (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the features of line breeding (a)
• showing an understanding of the meaning of heritability and objective management (b).

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a judgement based on a well-defined integrated pest management program
• recognise the need to minimise chemical resistance.

Areas for students to improve include:

• recognising that an integrated pest management program requires multiple strategies.

Question 28(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the overarching issue that the research was targeting (i)
• recognise from a research paper the way the data was collected and how results were presented (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying larger issues in agriculture and linking them to research (i)
• recognising ways in which data can be presented in detail (ii).

Question 28(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• recognise specific examples of biofuels
• provide a judgement on biofuel production in terms of both world food demands and environmental sustainability.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing links between biofuel production, world food demands and sustainability.

Question 29(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the overarching issue that the research was targeting (i)
• recognise from a research paper the way the data was collected and how results were presented (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying larger issues in agriculture and linking them to research (i)
• recognising ways in which data can be presented in detail (ii).

Question 29(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• use relevant examples and provide analysis of the ways river flows affect water storage and water trading
• recognise water trading and water licencing examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the effect of water allocations and licencing and their effects on river flows.

Question 30(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the overarching issue that the research was targeting (i)
• recognise from a research paper the way the data was collected and how results were presented (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying larger issues in agriculture and linking them to research (i)
• recognise ways in which data can be presented in detail (ii).

Question 30(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify the features of a recent technology in agriculture
• recognise how a technology impacts the environment and social issues.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating a depth of knowledge of a recent agriculture technology
• identifying what social issues are and linking them to an agricultural technology.