SPECIFICATION LINK: 7357

TITLE: AQA Level 3 Advanced GCE in Mathematics

COURSE INFORMATION

Mathematics is a very useful tool that is utilised in a wide range of other subjects and future careers. It is also, however, a powerful and interesting subject in its own right that will challenge your thinking and develop your ability to problem solve and deliver clear and rigorous mathematical arguments.

The aim of the A Level Mathematics course is to develop students’ mathematical and analytical abilities, both in terms of pure mathematics and applications of mathematics.

The course is designed to provide a progression from the work covered in GCSE higher tier mathematics at grade 7 and above.

The content of A Level Mathematics will include topics from Pure Mathematics, Statistics and Mechanics:

Pure Mathematics provides the algebraic skills and techniques you need in order to solve mathematical problems. The topics studied are:

• Proof
• Algebra and Functions
• Coordinate Geometry in the (x, y) plane
• Sequences and Series
• Trigonometry
• Exponentials and logarithms
• Differentiation
• Integration
• Numerical Methods
• Vectors

Statistics also models situations mathematically and is used to solve real life problems through numerical analysis and applications of probability theory. The topics studied are:

• Statistical sampling
• Data presentation and interpretation
• Probability
• Statistical Distributions
• Statistical hypothesis testing

Mechanics has some links with Physics and looks at physical world – how objects move and the forces that act upon them. Real life situations are modelled mathematically and problems are solved through application of the algebraic techniques from pure maths. The topics studied are:

• Quantities and units in Mechanics
• Kinematics
• Forces and Newton’s laws
• Moments

To be successful at Mathematics at this level you will need to be prepared to work very hard and get real enjoyment from exploring abstract mathematical concepts and the way they can be used in the exploration and explanation of the real world.

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE

Students will be assessed on three, two-hour papers at the end of Year 13. The use of calculators is permitted for all three papers.

Paper 1 assesses only pure content. Paper 2 assesses pure and mechanics content. Paper 3 assesses pure and statistics content.

ROUTES FOR PROGRESSION

Maths graduates have one of the highest rates of graduate employment after university and studying Maths will provide you with valuable skills and a firm base for life-long learning. A Level Maths and Further Maths are highly regarded within higher education.