Since the start of the Covid-19 lock down period in March 2020 we have been running daily online A-Level Transition Courses in Physics and Mathematics. The A-Level Physics Transition courses is now fully subscribed but we have more capacity in the Maths Transition Course.
The course covers a range of skills and knowledge to prepare students to succeed with A-Level Mathematics and A-Level Further Mathematics (you don’t have to be planning to study Further Mathematics to join the course). It is taught live,online every school day by Headteacher Damian Haigh. Resources, updates and tasks are posted in our Google Classroom: you will be given details of this after applying for a place.
This online course was featured in The Times, and then mentioned on Have I Got News For You.
Topics covered in the course:
Numerical fluency
– Multiplication tables (!)
– Mental arithmetic – removing the need for a calculator wherever sensible
– Checking answers for reasonableness, various other habits of checking
Algebraic fluency
– Solve linear and quadratic equations
– Manipulate algebra e.g. rearrangements, adding/ multiplying/ dividing rational expressions
– Understand relationship between factors and roots of polynomials, using this to help sketch graphs, including repeated roots/ factors
– Laws of indices
– Factorising, completing square
Graph sketching and related algebra
– Sketch linear, quadratic, cubic, reciprocal and trig graphs
– Transformations of these graphs – translation, stretches, reflections (be able to sketch
y=a(sin(x)) + c (and possibly y=sin bx, but not y=sin (a+bx) and beyond)
– Find intersections of curves and straight lines
Manipulate surds, rationalise denominators, understand prime factorisation/ fundamental theorem
of arithmetic, rather than just have a rote method for LCM/ HCF type questions.
Functions
– The concept of a function, domain, co-domain, range
– Compound functions like fg(x), fgf(x), f 2 g 3 (y) or expressed as mappings
– Inverse functions and symmetry of graphs of these in y=x
Other things
– Sine rule & cosine rule: proof and application in problem solving
– Areas of sectors and 1/2ab sin c for area of triangle
– Proof of quadratic formula
– Algebraic proof
