Category Archives: A-Level

281. Mathsconf5 resources

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Hi to all those who went to Mathsconf5, in Sheffield.

If you liked the proportion snapdragon you can download it here: Proportion Snapdragon

If you liked the trigonometry snapdragon you can download it here: Snapdragon download

There are instructions for it here: Trigonometry Snapdragon

If you’d like a snapdragon template or instructions on how to fold it click here: http://mathssandpit.co.uk/blog/?p=667

If you want more foldables after the Paper Maths session, run by the lovely @MsSteel_Maths, I can recommend this resource: Foldables by Dinah Zike

(Note: this pdf is widely available and a version of it is free to download from Dinah Zike’s website, however if you represent Ms Zike and there is a copyright issue please contact me in the comments below)

271. Bored with exponentials

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I have a Pi-loving colleague who is a whizz with voting presentations.

love pi

Mr D created these review activities for use with A2/C3 students. The focus is logarithms, exponentials and Ln functions, including models for growth and decay. I particularly like the equation measuring boredness in a Maths lesson. It’s obviously wrong – how could a Maths lesson possibly be boring?

Exponentials and logs review (pptx)

Exponentials and logs review (ppt)

Optional Variation

We paired up this presentation with Qwizdom voting handsets. If you don’t have them, you could try out Socrative and turn students’ mobile phones into voting handsets

270. A whiff of cheese and exponentials

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Here is an introduction to modelling exponential growth and decay … using cheese!

Exponential growth and decay (pptx)

Exponential growth and decay intro (ppt)

I used this as a starting point whilst teaching the Edexcel C3 course. You could even demonstrate with fresh and not so fresh cheese. I’m sure the staffroom or sixth form fridge will have some ‘interesting’ examples.

251. Safe as trees

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Here’s a two in one post for you, with a wooden theme:

safecracker

Tree 1

This fascinating wooden puzzle is available on Etsy. Each line has to add up to 50 – simple? Not as easy as you’d think. A perfect classroom extension puzzle or gift for a puzzle fanatic!

Tree 2

A little starter on logarithms, with a touch of safecracking too!

Crack the safe Logarithms

The questions are sourced from an A-Level textbook – why not make your own textbook tasks more interesting by creating your own safecrackers on the board? Five minutes prep = puzzle fun!

244. Resource of the Week

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I recently came across this splendid resource for introducing Sine and Cosine rule to students.

Proving the Sine and Cosine rule

The proofs for these rules are relatively simple, but getting a class of teenagers to engage with it is a different matter! These worksheets give you the proofs, step by step, but all jumbled up. Students must rearrange the stages in order to create a proof. It worked brilliantly!

Thank you @mrslack_maths

 

239. Introduction to Arithmetic sequences

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Here’s a quick post for all those of you teaching Arithmetic Sequences. Whether you are teaching Level 3 Algebra or the C1 A-Level module, the jump from GCSE Nth term to the form ‘a + (n-1)d’ can be unnecessarily tricky. To help with this I’ve written a starter booklet for Arithmetic Sequences. You can download it here:

Introduction to arithmetic sequences

By the way, if your students confuse the vocabulary ‘sequence’ with ‘series’ get them to think about television. A normal television series ends, so an arithmetic series must end too!

237. Quick Starter

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Don’t you just hate it when students forget basic key skills? Especially those at the higher end of Year 11 or studying A-Level, who should have a better core knowledge. What if there was a magic tool which began to address this issue?

Skills required

  • Comparing fractions
  • Trigonometric ratios
  • Simplifying surds
  • Rationalising surds
  • Pythagoras

Equipment

You will not need:

  • Worksheet
  • Powerpoint
  • Printer
  • Laminator
  • Calculator

Magic Tool

  • One board, with pen

Activity

Quite simply draw the four diagrams below on the board and ask the following questions:

Triangle Problems

  1. Which has the largest sine ratio: A or B?
  2. Which has the largest cosine ratio: C or D?
  3. Which has the smallest tangent ratio: A, B, C or D?
  4. Extension: Calculate the missing angles and areas (Calculator allowed)

It takes moments to draw the questions on the board, but the discussion can take some time and addresses several basic skills. You can change the numbers to adjust the level of challenge.