Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) students were generally happy with their morning's work yesterday, according to Ms Margaret Dennehy, LCA co-ordinator at Ard Scoil na nDeise, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Nine students at the school sat the mathematical-applications exam. Students were tested on three modules - maths for living, maths for leisure and maths for the consumer. However, the fact that some of these areas were only touched upon could have been a disappointment for some people, she said. Students too might also have been confused by the layout of question 2 - a chart listing the costs of renting holiday bungalows. However, question 3, about a gas bill, was definitely challenging. "They had to think about it and work things out," Ms Dennehy said. Teachers, though, were less than impressed with question 4, which related to the costs of redecorating a room. "They could have chosen a topic which was more relevant to students of that age - budgeting for clothes or the cost of a wedding for example," Ms Dennehyeise's LCA co-ordinator argued.

While students were pleased with the paper, teachers were less so. "The paper could have been more challenging. In the opinion of our teachers, the paper could easily have been done in a far shorter time than the allotted two hours." The LCA is a relatively new programme and is being examined this year for only the second time. A few hiccups apart, Ms Dennehy said that at Ard Scoil na nDeise teachers were very satisfied with the programme. "Students could be more challenged in maths and Irish, but this is under review." Yesterday afternoon LCA students sat French, German, Spanish, Italian and sign language.