Mathematics

Course summary

The A Level Mathematics course consists of pure mathematics, mechanics, and statistics. Pure mathematics content makes up two-thirds of the course and the remaining third of the course consists of applied maths and is split evenly between mechanics and statistics. It provides a thorough grounding in the mathematical tools and techniques often needed in the workplace and at University. WHAT WILL I STUDY? Pure Mathematics builds upon topics already studied: algebra, trigonometry, coordinate geometry and graphs. It also includes the fundamental mathematics of calculus. Mechanics is the study of objects, their motion and the forces acting upon them. The course investigates friction, projectiles and the effects on objects in a collision. Statistics extends GCSE topics such as the correlation between two variables as represented on a scatter graph; here the relationship is analyzed in quantitative terms. The study of chance and probability is enhanced. A study of the normal distribution is also part of this unit. The ability to analyze data in real-life contexts is extremely valuable in a number of other subject areas.