We continued the National 5 work with the first unit – Applications, with the topic Trigonometry. We continued with the Cosine Rule, using it to calculate missing sides, followed by missing angles. This can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Shape – Trigonometry – Cosine Rule Sides. This led onto the Cosine Rule which involved missing angles – Library – Shape – Trigonometry – Cosine Rule Angles. The class were reminded that they should remember how to round answers to a specified number of significant figures – Library – Number – Estimating and Accuracy – Significant Figures. Towards the end of the week, the class got onto the mixed exercise whereby they would need to decide which formula to use in order to solve a more typical problem similar to the type that would be in the National 5 exam.
We also had a brief look at the other types of question that the class would cover over the course of the National 5 course as this first topic is one of the easiest in the course whereas the rest of the work would be more challenging and as such pupils would be expected to work a lot harder and that they would need to put in more of an effort in order to understand the work. Some examples of the topics are Surds & Indices; Algebraic Fractions; Factorising a Quadratic; Sketching a Quadratic and Trigonometric Equations. All of which can be found on the MyMaths website for anyone wishing to investigate the work that they would have to complete over the next year of the National 5 course.
We again had more practice of Non-Calculator work on Percentages as well as Fractions as these are interchangeable.
