AS/A2 Maths Course Title
Teacher in charge of subject
AS/A2 Maths
Mr S. Darton
Exam Board and Specification No.
Edexcel A-Level Maths 9371
Why is subject important, valuable and engaging? Maths is a fantastic subject both in its own right and as a foundation for many other courses in Science, Engineering, Computing and Social Sciences. It helps us to understand the whole world around us and builds on our natural instincts to solve problems. Much of the modern world technology should simply not exist if it were not for Mathematicians and developments in future technology will be driven by Maths making it a hugely exciting and interesting field of study. What do I need to have studied, or have knowledge of, before I begin this course? Students need to enjoy the challenge of Mathematics and in particular the algebra elements. We would be looking for at least a high B grade with evidence of strong algebra skills. What will I learn on this course? The A-Level course consists of six modules, four of which are compulsory. These modules are about Pure Mathematics which really means it is mostly Algebra. You will start by developing the Algebra skills from your GCSE course, before moving onto new topics such as Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic/Geometric sequences and then Calculus (Differentiation/Integration). You will also study two other applied modules, one in Statistics and one in Mechanics (which is very similar to Physics). This means you will get all the core Mathematical skills but also an opportunity to see them applied in different areas. The skills you learn in Statistics will be useful in other subjects such as Geography, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The Mechanics content links well with Physics and is particularly useful if you are interested in Engineering The structure is that in Y12 you would study the first two core modules (C1 and C2) along with the statistics (S1). Then in Y13 you study the last two core modules (C3 and C4) alongside the mechanics (M1) What key skills will I develop? AS Level - Algebraic techniques, Differentiation and Integration, Trigonometry, Statistical and Probability techniques. A2 Level - The core units build upon the techniques in Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus developed in Core 1 and Core 2. The introductory module on Mechanics has a vector approach. How will I be assessed? (details of examinations/coursework) All modules are equally weighted and all exams are 1 hour 30 minutes long. There is no coursework involved.
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