Mathematical Studies

Course summary

The Edexcel level 3 certificate in mathematics in context is a post-16 qualification, designed to equip learners to develop and apply real-world maths skills. There are four content strands, which are taught over one year. The strands have been selected due to their relevance and application to a wide range of areas of study and employment. The four strands are; ▪ Application of statistics – this is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. It is used in areas of study such as actuarial science, biology, business and economics, IT, and psychology. ▪ Probability – probability is used to determine a numerical value for the chance or risk of events happening. Probability is used in areas of study such as finance, science, artificial intelligence, business, computer science, and philosophy. ▪ Linear programming - this is a problem-solving approach to achieve the best outcome (such as maximum profit or lowest cost) through consideration of conditions that can be modeled by linear relationships. Linear programming can be applied to a variety of contexts in business and industry. ▪ Sequences and growth – an understanding of sequences, growth, and decay can be applied to a variety of real-life contexts and problem-solving tasks including population growth, epidemics, earthquakes, and radioactive decay. Finance is also covered, giving an understanding of credit, loans, insurance, and mortgages. Following the mathematics in context course provides the mathematical skills to support students progressing to university to study subjects that ‘use’ mathematics, including biology, business, geography, nursing, and psychology. If you go on to employment then employers look for hard-working, self-motivated, and intelligent people to join their staff. Obtaining a Maths AS level qualification shows that you have what it takes. You may not use Algebra or Probability in your job every day, but the transferable skills of analysis, logic, and problem-solving will always come in handy.