Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Gcse maths?

Can anyone tell me if any of these are learnt in Gcse?

Propositional logic: propositions, connectives, truth tables, tautologies, contradictions; predicates, quantifiers; proof techniques (including mathematical induction).

Set theory: sets, set operations, Venn diagrams, set equality, subsets, cardinality. Relations: relations on a set, inverse relations, equivalence relations, orders.

Functions: domain and range, inverse functions, composition of functions, properties of functions.
Number systems: decimal, binary and hexadecimal; floating point representation, rounding error.

Vectors and matrices: vectors, vector operations (sum, scalar multiplication, difference, dot product, norm), matrices, matrix operations (sum, scalar multiplication, difference, multiplication), solving systems of linear equations, inverse of a matrix.

Combinatorics: multiplication principle, addition principle, permutations with unlimited repetition, combinations with unlimited repetition.

Discrete probability theory: experiment, sample space, event, finite probability space, probability of an event, equiprobable spaces, conditional probability, independent events.

Statistics: normal distributions, probability, correlation, t-tests.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

thanette

a lot of it seems too complex for gcse...posters do correct me if I am wrong imho...!

Reply 2

Darkest Knight

I'm a bit intrigued.. Why? Yes some of it is taught at GCSE, but if you really want to know about each bit, check the specifications, yourself.

Reply 3

Moronic Acid

Why don't you just go to the exam board's website and look it up yourself?

I doubt half that stuff will be on any syllabus, and i also doubt that anyone here remembers everything (or anything :p:

) they learnt at gcse

Reply 4

DoMakeSayThink

Other than a little of the probability and statistics material, all of the material is reserved for A-level and beyond. Set theory, for instance, gets only a passing mention even in most Further Maths syllabuses. Propositional logic isn't even a compulsory part of my degree.

Reply 5

qgujxj39

Hardly any of that is taught at GCSE. The only things that might be are
- vectors (used to represent transformations and other quantities), very basic manipulation
- basic probability.

That's pretty much it.

Reply 6

qgujxj39

DoMakeSayThink

Set theory, for instance, gets only a passing mention even in most Further Maths syllabuses.

It's not in Edexcel's at all.

Reply 7

Darkest Knight

tommm

It's not in Edexcel's at all.

Set theory comes up in IGCSE. It's a pretty easy topic.

Reply 8

doodygirl

Thank you so much for your help. I am going onto study a computing degree which involves all these. I never done A-Level so therefore was worried a little, thinking that I'd not been learnt the right things on my gcse! Is all the A-Level stuff hard to learn?

Reply 9

conroe-killed-the-k8-star

I've done Further Maths A2 and haven't met half of what you're talking about in my A2 course.A few things such as functions and venn diagrams are taught at a basic level at GCSE but a lot of the stuff would be too advanced.

Don't worry about not knowing these things - I'd be surprised if it came in as assumed knowledge so they'd teach it you as required in your computing degree.

Reply 10

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

doodygirl

What a bizarre post!

Well at GCSE Maths you meet the decimal number system (!), some simple vectors and a bit of probability and correlation. In GCSE Statistics, the normal distribution makes a limited appearance.

I'm intrigued about the reason you are asking? Most of the topics you list appear in A Level Maths or A Level Further Maths or the first year of a mathematics degree.

Reply 11

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

doodygirl

Oh right now I see. Shame you didn't do A Level maths. It is (rightly) a requirement for many computing degrees. What grade did you attain at GCSE?

Reply 12

Draconis

In IGCSE you meet some set theory, vectors and functions. Emphasis on some.

Reply 13

username130457

No. Too complex - try Additional Maths or AS level for most.

Reply 14

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Ramadulla

No. Too complex - try Additional Maths or AS level for most.

These topics are beyond Additional Maths or AS Level.

Reply 15

doodygirl

Mr M

Oh right now I see. Shame you didn't do A Level maths. It is (rightly) a requirement for many computing degrees. What grade did you attain at GCSE?

Not very good I got a C in maths, this is why I asked if it was A-Level work because I am thinking about taking a gap year to re-study my Gcse maths and hopefully get a better grade.

Reply 16

username130457

Mr M

These topics are beyond Additional Maths or AS Level.

Thought so. Why is this asked in a GCSE forum then with the title 'Gcse maths?'

Reply 17

jermaindefoe

i only got a c and im doing comp science, tbh they will teach it all from scrath anyways

you wouldnt have got the offer if they didnt think you could cope

Reply 18

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Ramadulla

Thought so. Why is this asked in a GCSE forum then with the title 'Gcse maths?'

If you read the whole thread, the OP is starting a computing degree and is concerned about whether she should have met some of these topics at GCSE.

Reply 19

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

jermaindefoe

i only got a c and im doing comp science, tbh they will teach it all from scrath anyways

you wouldnt have got the offer if they didnt think you could cope

That's a little naive. Universities make offers to fill spaces on courses which would otherwise become uneconomical to run. A shocking number of people fail to complete degree courses.