We had a review of the recent National 4 Test, going over all the questions so that everyone could learn from their mistakes.
Next we continued the topic Statistics which will lead onto a project based on the statistics that the class will have learnt how to apply and the project will be the basis of evidence of the coursework that they have achieved.
PLPs were issued to the pupils.
We continued the topic Pythagoras by finding the distance between two points which was then followed by a brief look at the Converse of Pythagoras. The class has been issued with a homework on Pythagoras which was due in on Wednesday 27th November. The work for this topic can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Shape – Pythagoras – Pythagoras Theorem.
We then went onto the topic Direction & Bearings which would incorporate scale drawings and also ratio for scale drawings. We looked at ratio and scales for scale drawings which can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Shape – Scale & Similarity – Map Scales.
We continued the topic Multiples, Factors & Primes / Powers & Roots with a look at what is a multiple? and what is a factor? This was followed with testing squares/square roots and cubes/cube roots which the class are expected to learn. The work for this topic can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Number – Powers & Roots – Squares & Roots and Indices 1. The work for this topic can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Number – Counting & Place Value – Multiples as well as Factors & Primes.
We continued the topic Equations & Expressions. We finished the booklet Balancing 1 which is basically solving equations. This can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Algebra – Equations Linear – Simple Equations. A homework sheet was issued on this due in on Friday 29th November.
We also did some work on simplifying expressions (Library – Algebra – Algebraic Manipulation – Simplifying 1) and also substituting into expressions (Library – Algebra – Expressions & Formulae – Substitution 1 & 2).
We continued Chapter 9 – Integration and having covered the basics of integration i.e. the rules of integration last week we then moved onto calculating definite integrals and the area under a graph, which led onto area between two curves. This was followed by differential equations and then the mixed exercise to complete the chapter with the class reminded that they need to have ensured their notes are fully up to date and the exercises from the chapter finished. Work on this can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – A Level – Core 2 – Integration – Particular Solutions; Area under a Curve; Negative Areas and Area Between 2 Lines. I once again emphasized the need to know the laws of indices and how to do basic calculations involving fractions.
The pupils were informed that the date for the minimum competence NAB would be the week beginning 9th December and that a practice NAB would be issued prior to this we will go through it all with guidance on the threshold scores and how the marks are awarded.
The class were issued with homework 2-4 on Integration and this is due in on Tuesday 26th November.
This week we continued with the Relationships Unit with work on Angles. We did work on angles in a circle in relation to the radius and the tangent to a circle. This is under Library – Shape – Circle Theorems – Circle Theorems – page 7.
Next we did some work recapping the topic done in S3 on Trigonometry with calculating a missing side or finding the angle in a right angled triangle. The class were reminded of the nonsense mnemonic word SOHCAHTOA to enable them to decide which is the correct trigonometric ratio to apply. This was followed by using Pythagoras & Trigonometry in circles, thus tying a number of topics together in terms of reasoning questions.
Having tied all these together, we just had the last topic Scattergraphs to cover which next week will tie in with the work previously covered on Straight Line to discover the line of best fit in a scattergraph. Again more of the reasoning style of question. This is under Library – Data – Presenting Data – Scatter Graphs.
The class were again reminded that the Unit Test on the Relationships Unit will be the week beginning the 2nd December. The pupils should refer to the summary of the topics in each Unit of Mathematics – National 4 to ensure they are clear on what will be in the test. Next week we will do two practice assessments to prepare the pupils for what will be in the test.
This week whilst waiting for the results of the tests last week and catching up on absent pupils, we spent one period on the new topic Statistics which will lead onto a project based on the statistics that the class will have learnt how to apply and the project will be the basis of evidence of the coursework that they have achieved.
The class then sat the two Working Towards National 3 Tests, with the Non-Calculator test followed by the Calculator test.
The final lesson of the week was again used for catching up on absentee pupils along with more work on statistics that the class should understand from Primary School work, S1 & S2 work.
We continued the topic Pythagoras and having learnt of the relationship between the sides of a right angled triangle we then calculated the hypotenuse before moving onto calculating a smaller side. The class were able to put into practice the squares/square roots that they had been learning as these related to this topic. Following this, there was more practice with mixed exercises and deciding whether to calculate the hypotenuse or the other side, especially with problems in a real life context. The work for this topic can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Shape – Pythagoras – Pythagoras Theorem.
We continued with Direction & Bearings getting more practice on scale drawings & bearings which can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Shape – Scale & Similarity – Scale Finding Heights & Scale Drawing, also Library – Shape – Angles – Bearings.
We then started the topic Multiples, Factors & Primes / Powers & Roots. This was begun by copying two tables dealing with squares/square roots and cubes/cube roots which the class are expected to learn as this will help not only with this topic but later topics on Scientific Notation and Pythagoras. The work for this topic can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Number – Powers & Roots – Squares & Roots and Indices 1.
We continued the topic Equations & Expressions. We finished the booklet Doing & Undoing before doing some more Problem Solving work related to this. Next we went onto a booklet Balancing 1 which is basically solving equations. This can be found on the MyMaths website under Library – Algebra – Equations Linear – Simple Equations.
