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Aug 202014
 

This is one in a large series of short videos from NCETM showing how people use maths at work. See the others here.

When you have watched the video see if you can convert time into decimals and work out how much employees should be paid.

Interactive Worksheet

Pdf worksheet

Jul 032014
 

To square a number you multiply it by itself. For example 3² =3×3=9

To cube a number you multiply it by itself three times. So 3³=3x3x3=27

If you are studying GCSE it is very helpful to learn the common squares and cubes to save you time in the non calculator exam. This exercise will help you do that-don’t be tempted to use a calculator! For Functional Skills students you can use a calculator. Look for the x² and x³ buttons on your scientific calculator and use these.

Each time you do this exercise you will get a different selection of questions. To do it again click the refresh icon on your browser.

Feb 032014
 

Here are two more practice on-line tests. When you get to the end the computer will ask you to review your answers. Go back and ensure you have answered all the questions, shown all your working and not made any silly mistakes. If everything is ok click on continue. You may have to wait a while, but eventually the computer will ask you to save a pdf. Save it, then open it. The computer will have marked some questions for you but most have to be marked by a teacher. If you have a teacher, send them the pdf and they will mark it for you.

Level 1 On-line practice test

Level 2 On-line practice test

Dec 032013
 

The news today is concentrating on UK students performance in maths, and how the students in countries like China, Korea and Japan seem to be doing much better.

Why not have a go at some of the test questions and see how you can do?

http://www.oecd.org/pisa/test/

This is what the Guardian has to say about it.  The OECD believe their results show that boys are better at maths than girls. Do you think this is true? Over the many years I have taught maths I have not found a great difference between the sexes, but I do acknowledge that the boys generally find shape and space activities such as working with nets of three dimensional shapes easier.

Sep 292013
 

Find as many different calculators as you can. Your phone, your computer, the one in the back of the overflowing drawer in the hall. Then try this sum on all of them.

4+ 7 x 3

Do all the calculators give the same answer? What is the correct answer?

If you have a cheap four function calculator you will have got the answer 33, because it always calculates in the order you enter the sum. Unfortunately this is not mathematically correct!

If you used a scientific calculator you will have got the answer 25 which is correct. Scientific calculators understand the correct order to do calculations. Multiplication is more important than addition, so this comes first.

So how do we know what order to do calculations in? We use a rule called BIDMAS.

B rackets

I ndices

D ivision ÷

M ultiplication x

A ddition +

S ubtraction –

 

Always do brackets first. Then do any indices (like 2 squared or square root of 16). Some people refer to BODMAS where the O stands for “of”.) Division and multiplication come next (these have equal priority). Last is additions and subtractions (also equal priority)

Try this interactive worksheet to see if you’ve got it.

Sep 072013
 

Have a go at this worksheet to find all the Prime Numbers less than 100.

eratostenes

 

Now try this much bigger Sieve to find all the Prime Numbers less than 400! Start by clicking on 2 and all the multiples of 2 will be removed. Then click on 3 to remove the multiples of 3 and continue clicking on the prime numbers until you are only left with red prime numbers.

Also take a look at this video

Aug 132013
 

This activity is about a wind turbine in Norfolk. Watch the video first, then try to answer the questions. You will need a calculator.

You can either do the activity on-line, or download and print the worksheet.

Aug 042013
 

This exercise will give you practice in writing big numbers in words. Many thanks to Sheffield Renewables for the use of their Top Trump cards to make this exercise.

Before you start here is an example. The St Wilfreds Centre has solar panels that produce 3250 kwh of electricity. In words this is three thousand two hundred and fifty kwh. Kwh stands for kilo watt hours.

Writing big numbers

May 282013
 

Dr Eugenia Cheng from Sheffield University hit the news today as she published her findings about the maths behind the perfect cream tea. An internet search will find articles on BBC and ITV news and many national newspapers. Have a go at this activity to see if you can use the formulae for a perfect cream tea..

May 152013
 

In these days of austerity, benefits are being cut and prices continue to rise. It has never been more important to be careful with your money, as getting into debt can spiral out of control and have dire consequences. A first step in taking control of your finances is to understand what you spend your money on. This sheet will help you work this out. To do it accurately you will need to record your spending carefully for several weeks but you may be able to estimate figures until you have got more accurate information.

Fill the figures in for an average month. So for example if you pay an MOT fee of £54.85 each year this would be recorded as 54.85/12 = £4.57 a month. If you spend £10 at the pub once a week that would be recorded as 4 x £10 = £40.

There is also an on-line version which does the sums for you here.

May 112013
 

In May 2013 global levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passed the milestone of 400 parts per million. This exercise will challenge your maths and help you understand why this is so important.