How to enlarge a shape by scale factor is one of those GCSE questions that you don't really think you'll ever need.. I guess, like a lot of math, it's just whether you are involved in that employment area. Enlargement of shapes is very important if you work in design, architecture, city landscapes, modelling or any area that requires a scale model first. The whole idea of … [Read more...]
How to work with probability tree diagrams
Probability tree diagrams are just a picture.. .. that show all the possible outcomes from a series of events. They can be quite useful as probability needs some careful thought. Watch the video and download the quick test - good luck! This video deals with a GCSE question: There are 3 strawberry yoghurts and 4 peach yoghurts in a fridge. Kate takes a yoghurt at random … [Read more...]
How to solve linear equations with video examples
How to solve linear equations .. some of them you'll solve without really thinking about! Suppose you bought a CD for £8 and then two books at the same price. The total cost is £25 and, with a little bit of arithmetic, you might work out the price of each book is £8.50. Mathematicians like to call these "linear equations" and they look something like: 2B + 8 = 25 (where 'B' … [Read more...]
How to develop independent learning skills
Hmm .. there's a lot of information online about the value of independent learning skills Most would argue that it's a vital component of a students education. Consequently there's some really good advice about developing independent learning skills, such as setting time aside, variety of work, short meaningful goals etc. However I thought it might be useful to break the … [Read more...]
How to estimate calculations
Rule 1 in how to estimate calculations - Don't underestimate the power to estimate. Probably the most used arithmetic skill by adults is the power to estimate. We're actually pretty good and can work out a handful of change or the weight of a bag of shopping fairly accurately. There is always an emphasis on getting the correct answer in maths but... it does help if you have a … [Read more...]