Yesterday's business organisation papers, which examined the old Leaving Certificate syllabus for the last time, were challenging and wide-ranging. Mr Joseph Gallagher, TUI subject representative, said most higher-level students and teachers were pleased with the paper. The questions were very fair and once again proved that students would have to cover the whole course to do well.

"The paper was a good test of students' knowledge of the course and the questions gave ample scope to those students who had worked hard to display their knowledge, especially in the 90mark question," he added.

There were no real surprises in these questions, but they would have tested the depth of students' knowledge.

The case study in the first question was in keeping with the emphasis on enterprise. Question 2 was quite difficult - a lot of information would be required to obtain a good mark, he said. Question 4, on marketing and distribution, was a popular choice for students.

The 65-mark questions were reasonable, said Mr Gallagher, who teaches in Firhouse Community College, Tallaght, Co Dublin. Students are asked to define five of seven terms in question 7 (see sample question) and most students would have been able to answer all seven.

The ASTI subject representative, Mr Pat Morris, said the higher-level paper was very challenging, covering a broad spectrum of topics. The first four questions were "tough" but manageable. "One of the interesting aspects was that both exams asked questions on similar topics. For instance, loan applications was asked at both levels with ordinary-level students asked for five points and higher-level for four."

Students at his school, Colaiste Chriost Ri in Cork, found the higher-level paper long, Mr Morris said. The subject is sometimes seen as an "easy honour", he said, but students would have needed to have their work done to achieve high grades on yesterday's paper.

The Business Studies Teachers Association of Ireland representative, Ms Mary O'Sullivan, described the higher-level paper as quite straightforward.

Some students may have found parts of some questions testing but, in general, it was a reasonable paper for the well-prepared students. It required the application of knowledge rather than its regurgitation, said Ms O'Sullivan, who teaches in Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Blarney, Co Cork.

Mr Gallagher agreed that the ordinary-level paper was very typical, seeking factual answers. It was a very good representation of the knowledge required at ordinary level.