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Welcome to the Trinity Sixth Form Academy Further Maths Page. We hope you find something on here to keep your brain as well exercised as it has been over the past 2 years.

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Students who drop mathematics at the age of 16 have lower amounts of a brain chemical that is critical for brain and cognitive development, compared with those who continue maths, a study has found.

Researchers at the University of Oxford found that those who stopped maths after their GCSEs had less gamma-aminobutyric acid, a chemical which is crucial for brain plasticity, than counterparts who pursued maths post-16.

The reduction in the chemical, which works as a neurotransmitter, was found in a key area of the brain that supports maths, memory, learning, reasoning and problem solving - and researchers warned it could put affected students at a disadvantage.

More than 130 students aged 14-18 took part in the study by researchers from the university's department of experimental psychology. Students over 16 were asked if they had already stopped studying maths, while younger students were asked whether they were planning to give up maths.

Each of them underwent a brain scan and cognitive assessment, and were followed up 19 months later. According to the paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers were able to spot those who did or did not study maths post-16 based on concentrations of the brain chemical in each student.

They also found the amount of brain chemical present predicted changes in mathematical attainment about 19 months later, yet there were no differences in the levels of the chemical present before the adolescents stopped studying maths.

The findings are significant because pupils in the UK are allowed to drop maths at 16, unlike those in much of the rest of the world. They are likely to be seized upon by those in favour of extending compulsory maths to the age of 18. They also raise questions about the possible impact on children's cognitive development of disrupted learning due to Covid.

Prof Roi Cohen Kadosh, the cognitive neuroscientist at Oxford who led the study, said: "Adolescence is an important period in life that is associated with important brain and cognitive changes. Sadly, the opportunity to stop studying maths at this age seems to lead to a gap between adolescents who stop their maths education compared to those who continue it.

"Our study provides a new level of biological understanding of the impact of education on the developing brain and the mutual effect between biology and education. It is not yet known how this disparity, or its long-term implications, can be prevented."

Acknowledging that not every adolescent enjoys maths, he said alternatives which produce the same effect should be investigated, including training in logic and reasoning that engage the same brain area as maths.

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Studying maths beyond GCSEs helps brain development, say scientists

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Students who drop mathematics at the age of 16 have lower amounts of a brain chemical that is critical for brain and cognitive development, compared with those who continue maths, a study has found.

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F=ma, The Mechanics Revision Song by Mr Chadwick

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By far and away the finest publication for budding mathematicians out there. Every issue has accesible articles written by a plethora of different people. The cross number is killer!

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A magazine for the mathematically curious. Issue 17 now available: Penguins, prison and PDE patterns feature in our new issue. Plus all your favourite puzzles & columns.

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Used in chemistry for the structure of molecules, medecine for untying umbilical cords and everyday life for untangling wires in your drawer.

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Hannah Fry tells us about the maths of this simple game. Game Theory is a branch of maths that can be studied at university.

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Winning at Rock Paper Scissors - Numberphile

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Coursera have loads of interesting courses, from Matrices for Engineers to Business and Financial Modelling

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Learn online and earn valuable credentials from top universities like Yale, Michigan, Stanford, and leading companies like Google and IBM. Join Coursera for free and transform your career with degrees, certificates, Specializations, & MOOCs in data science, computer science, business, and dozens of other topics.

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This is for anyone taking maths at university next year or following a gap year. It's a 6 week course and costs £60.

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Overview

This course is for year 12 students from state-funded schools, academies and colleges who are interested in applying for places at Oxford University, Imperial College, Durham University and Warwick University to study Mathematics or for students who wish to improve their mathematical problem solving skills in preparation for a university course. Please note that the course is not suitable for GCSE students.

Students applying for places to study Mathematics or Computer Science courses (including joint honours) at Oxford University and any Mathematics undergraduate course at Imperial College, London will be required to sit the Mathematics Admission Test (MAT) as one part of the admissions process. Students applying for Mathematics at Durham University or Warwick University may be required to sit the MAT or TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) examination.

This course is designed to prepare students for the way they will have to think to achieve success in the MAT, TMUA and other problem-solving mathematics examinations by developing their mathematical thinking and problem solving skills.

The course usually consists of three face to face study days, three summer assignments and four online follow-up sessions.
Due to Coronavirus, we will be delivering the first two study days online, rather than face-to-face as they were previously. Students will be able to access videos, questions, hints and online support. We are monitoring the situation and will decide whether the third study day will also be delivered online nearer to the time. Please do not hesitate to apply for this course - it will be definitely be running, in a coronavirus-safe manner.
Aims

To introduce mathematical problems of the difficulty level of the university admissions tests.

To develop students' problem solving skills so they have confidence in applying for universities that require admissions tests or take them into consideration.

To provide information about the requirements of applicants for a maths or maths-rich undergraduate degree.

To provide support for students preparing for the MAT or TMUA admissions tests.

Who will benefit from attending?

Any student who wishes to apply for a university that requires or accepts the MAT or TMUA admissions tests will benefit from attending. The course also provides a good base for preparing for the STEP examinations.

Content

The study days will focus on specific problem solving skills that students will need to develop, featuring workshops where students will be supported by mentors from the hosting university.

Study day 1 focuses on curve sketching and coordinate geometry.

Study day 2 focuses on calculus, surds, indices and logarithms.

Between study day 2 and 3 students will attempt three summer worksheet activities one on curve sketching, one on geometry and one on logarithms and indices. These worksheets will be marked by mentors provided by the university hosts.

Study day 3 focuses on trigonometry and either combinatorics or sequences and functions.

Students will also attempt a mathematical modelling activity on day 3.

Other Information

This course takes place at 6 venues. The course is identical at all venues and applicants are asked to select the most appropriate venue for them. Applicants may be offered a place at an alternative venue if their first choice of venue reaches capacity.

The face to face study days for each venue take place on the following dates:

University of Oxford: Saturday 20th June, Saturday 11th July and Saturday 26th September

Imperial College, London: Saturday 20th June, Saturday 4th July and Saturday 26thSeptember

Durham University: Dates To be confirmed

University of Warwick: Saturday 27th June, Saturday 11th July and Saturday 19th September

University of Bristol: Dates To be confirmed

University of Manchester: Saturday 27th June, Saturday 11th July and Saturday 19th September

Eligibility

This course is only for students from state-funded schools, colleges and academies.

Cost

If you will have trouble meeting the cost of the course, free places are available. This can be indicated on the application form.

Students will be expected to make their own travel arrangements to get to the venue.

We regret that we will be unable to provide transport costs. Please take this into account when selecting your first choice of venue for the course.

Find a course

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Problem Solving Matters - Developing the Problem Solving Skills Required for University Admissions Tests

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This course is for year 12 students from state-funded schools, academies and colleges who are interested in applying for places at Oxford University, Imperial College, Durham University and Warwick University to study Mathematics or for students who wish to improve their mathematical problem solving skills in preparation for a university course.