Higher-level Leaving Cert students should have been reasonably happy with the first paper in maths. However, there was mixed reaction among teachers and students to the ordinary and foundation-level papers.

ASTI subject convenor Ms Eileen Scanlon said the higher-level paper was "fairly nice" and "suited those who had worked. It was in line with papers in other years which were intended to entice more people to do higher-level maths . . . parts (a) and (b) were very manageable while the part (c)s, in some cases, tested critical thinking and problem solving. Question 7(c) was fairly testing."

Mr Mark Slocum, a maths teacher in CBS Youghal, Co Cork, also said the higher-level paper was "fair enough with some challenging part (c)s . . . Part (c)s are always the most difficult and they're the ones that determine the higher grades." Mr Cammie Gallagher, who teaches in St Jarlath's, Tuam, Co Galway, said the paper should encourage a lot more students to take maths at this level.

However TUI subject representative Mr John McKeon, who teaches in Maynooth Post Primary School, Co Kildare, said: "Higher-level students weren't over the moon; it was very testing, and 7(c) in particular required high maths ability." Mr John Evan, a maths teacher in Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Dublin, said the paper was "testing and fair".

Ordinary-level students had a relatively difficult, time-consuming paper, said Mr Gallagher, who is chairman of the Maths Teachers Association in Galway. A lot of the part (b)s and (c)s were difficult and he singled out part (c) of question 6 as being particularly difficult.

Mr Mark Slocum, a maths teacher in CBS Youghal, Co Cork, agreed. He said 6(c) was the "hardest question on the paper because it was unseen work and difficult to figure out under pressure." However, overall, ordinary-level students were "pleased enough with the paper" predictably finding the part (c)s difficult.

Mr Evans said the ordinary-level paper was "apparently designed to control the number of A grades at this level; that is, if you can get an A at this level, you should be doing higher. Remember that points for an A1 at ordinary correspond to a C3 at higher. The mechanism here is tough part (c)s."

Ms Maria Kelly, a maths teacher in Bishopstown Community School, Co Cork, said overall the ordinary-level students were reasonably happy. The paper followed normal patterns and there were no major surprises. However, they found 6(c) and 7(c) difficult. "The weaker students were a little intimidated at the layout of Question 6(c) but the question was quite fair," she said.

At foundation level the pattern was similar to previous years, said Mr Slocum, and the students at CBS Youghal were happy enough although they found questions 4 and 5 tricky. However Mr Slocum said he believed that was more a reflection on the the topic, algebra, than the questions themselves.

However, Mr Evans described the foundation paper as "testing . . . in my opinion, a bit more difficult than in previous years, with some quite convoluted part (c) questions".

Mr Gallagher said the foundation level paper was fair with a lot of emphasis on calculator work, he said. "The difficulty is that foundation level is not recognised by a lot of third-level institutions. It is now of sufficient standard to be used for admission purposes."