Mathematics

Grade A

At this level, candidates should make clear, concise and accurate statements, demonstrating ease and

confidence in the use of symbolic forms and accuracy or arithmetic manipulation. They should apply the

mathematics they know in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

• Candidates are expected to apply their knowledge of rounding to determining the bounds of intervals,

which may follow calculations of, for example, areas. They should understand and use direct and inverse

proportion. A further understanding of percentages should be evident by relating percentage change to

change to a multiplying factor and vice versa, e.g. multiplication by 1.03 results in a 3% increase.

• Knowledge of the four rules for fractions should be applied to the simplification of algebraic fractions.

Building on their knowledge of algebraic manipulation, candidates should be able to manipulate linear,

simultaneous and quadratic equations. They should be able to use positive, negative and fractional

indices in both numerical and algebraic work, and interpret the description of a situation in terms of

algebraic formulae and equations. Their knowledge of graphs of algebraic functions should be extended

to the intersections and gradients of these graphs.

• The basic knowledge of scale factors should be extended to two and three dimensions and applied to

calculating lengths, areas and volumes between actual values and scale models. The basic right-angled

trigonometry knowledge should be applied to three-dimensional situations as well as being extended to

an understanding of and solving problems on non-right-angled triangles.

• At this level, candidates should be able to process data, discriminating between necessary and

redundant information. The basic work on graphs in practical situations should be extended to making

quantitative and qualitative deductions from distance/time and speed/time graphs

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