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Mathematics A Level
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > Study Help > Exams and Qualifications > A Levels > Mathematics A Level Maths is a popular subject at A Level and covers a large area of knowledge and skills.
Why Study Maths?There are many reason why people choose to study A Level Mathematics. It might be a requirement for what you want to study at university (physics, psychology, economics, computing, and business studies prefer students to have A Level maths if possible). Since maths is one of the most traditional subjects a good grade in maths can boost an application for pretty much every course! Studies have also shown that people with Maths A Level also tend to earn more on average than people without it. Though this itself may or may not be a good enough reason to study maths, the skills it allows you to develop include problem solving, logic and analysing situations. Add in the improvements to your basic numeracy skills and that bit of creativity needed to solve maths problems and you've got yourself a set of skills which would make you more desirable for almost any job! Finally, you might also really like maths - this is as good a reason as any to continue studying it. If you study something you enjoy you are likely to do better at it. With maths there is the excitement of new discoveries you will make. You will see more of the beauty of it and realise just how much everything around in the universe is connected to mathematics. The bottom line is, maths is an amazing subject to have at A Level and provided you have a solid understanding of the GCSE concepts before you start, alongside some perseverance and effort, you should be able to do well. Course StructureMathematics A Level is almost always now taken as a modular course. Each module is specific to particular of areas of work, and the work slightly varies from exam board to exam board. Generally all the information below relates to Edexcel's specification. In the links to specific modules below you will find textbook answers, textbook mistakes, and links to TSR where you can see how the community finds the module. A Level Maths modules
Unit Combinations{A / B / C} - indicates that you can chose one of the options A, B or C Mathematics: AS Level: C1, C2, {M1 / S1 / D1}
Pure Mathematics: AS Level: C1, C2, C3
Further Mathematics: AS Level: FP1, {Applied Module A}, {Applied Module B}
Applied Modules: A-D can be any applied modules you haven't already used in AS/A2 Mathematics, although you will have to have done M1, M2, M3 before doing M4 (for example). One of these 'Applied Modules A-D' could be FP2/FP3 as well (if you decide to do both of them) Further Mathematics (Additional): AS Level: {Three more applied modules not used for any other award} - if you've done 15-17 maths units altogether
Other Boards' Course StructuresAll boards have the central 'core' units of C1-4. They also have the 'further pure' FP1-3. They also have a selection of mechanics (all have M1-4), statistics (all have S1-4) and decision maths/discrete units D1-2. Each one of these rests on the one before it, as do the pure core units. But the relationships between these areas can be different, and especially over the further pure units: each one has its pure core and further pure units structure differently. AQA has C1-4, FP1-4, M1-5, S1-4, D1-2. Note that it has FP4 as well as FP1-3. FP2, FP3, FP4 are all options independent of each other that can be used in Further Maths (one of which must be used in the A-level). It is an A-level with FP1 as an AS module (rather than A2 as Edexcel and WJEC), though not available for use in A-level Mathematics, only Further Maths. In terms of its material, it is quite different from the other A-levels: there are no sequences and series in C1 for example, but both the factor theorem and the remainder theorem are compulsory for C1. There is some unique material (e.g. Simpson's rule for integration as well as the trapezium and mid-ordinate rules). And significantly, AQA has a coursework-and-exam option for M1 and S1 (and before 2007, M2 and S2 as well) as well as an all-exam option where most boards do not.
Cashing-InWhen you cash-in for one of the above awards, your individual modules marks from the required units (as shown above) will be combined and you will be given a mark out of 300 for AS Level and 600 for A2 Level.
Other QualificationsIt is also possible to study for other qualifications in maths while doing your A Levels. Like with many subjects an AEA is available in maths. Also, the STEP exams are still available in maths and often form a part of the offers people receive for studying maths at Cambridge or Warwick Universities. Study helpWhy not read our A Level mathematics revision notes? Get help with areas you struggle with, read up around the subject or maybe add your own revision notes for others to use. Also, this list of maths websites might also be of use to you, either for study help or for finding out about more maths and the applications of maths. Also See
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