As you leave school and have a long Summer ahead, we are putting together some resources to help any Y11s prepare for A Level Maths and maybe Further Maths too. I do hope you find this useful. If you have any suggestions, comments, questions, additions or requests, please contact Ieuan Pearse - L3LBoolean@bristolcathedralschools.org

Transition to A Level Support from the AMSP

https://amsp.org.uk/resource/gcse-alevel-transition-resources

These resources will be added weekly through the Summer. These are fantastic topic by topic guides to the key areas you will need for transition to A Level. Skills checks, "more to explore" and all really clearly laid out with answers. This is your go-to resource for A Level Transition. 

In addition, do check this page below for more stuff coming through the Summer 2020 including an online Transition to A Level Mathematics Course available from July. https://amsp.org.uk/about/school-college-closures

Transition to A Level - Booklets with questions

Along with generally broadening your mathematical landscape, you will want to perfect your GCSE skills. Here are a few places to go that highlight the specific skills that are developed at A Level. Most schools and colleges will have some kind of transition test early in Y12. These are most likely to be the skills that are tested.

Task 1: A Transition Booklet from Sparx Maths - Answers Here

Task 2: An excellent Transition Booklet from Maidstone Grammar School: 

Problem Solving

Whatever you go on to do next, problem solving will be one of the key take-aways from your maths A Level. Here are some starting points. 

Advice: This doesn't apply to all these videos, but...Give these tasks a go on your own first before looking for the solutions. At least 20 minutes of struggle before you watch an explanation!!!. This is not 20min wasted! Why not wait a day, mulling the problem over in your mind as you do other stuff. Sometimes the solution will come to you in your sleep. That is not a joke. All of you need to be prepared for extended thinking on one question, attacking it from various angles. GCSE doesn't necessarily prepare you well for this. The process of attacking a problem from multiple angles is an absolutely invaluable skill - practice it!

Task 1: The Josephus Problem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCsD3ZGzMgE Watch the first bit, have a go at solving it, then listen to the methodology of solving the problem as much as finding what the answer is!

Task 2: The Cat and Mouse Problem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF_-ob9vseM 

Task 3: The Problem in Good Will Hunting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_LkYiuTKE&list=RDCMUCoxcjq-8xIDTYp3uz647V5A&index=17 

Extended Task: As ever, a Brilliant Course

Bridging Tests

These 'Bridging Tests' are produced by the organisation that provides our online A-level resources - you will use their resources a lot if your study A-level Maths at BCCS - and cover a wide range of the topics that are important for the transition from GCSE to Year 12. There are twelve tests, with associated answers, and I recommend that you complete and mark a test regularly - perhaps one a week - to help you stay practiced at those skills and to help you identify anything that you may require additional practice/study.

To break things up at first for you:

Task 1:Do this Test: https://mei.org.uk/files/pdf/fam/famas1q.pdf 

Task 2: Mark your test here: https://mei.org.uk/files/pdf/fam/famas1w.pdf

Extended Task: Go to this site for all 12 tests and solutions and do one a week for the Summer before you start your A Level

Getting Started in Branching Out

Here links to four excellent Maths websites. If you want to practice your problem solving, and have a go at some fun challenges, then have a go at some of the problems on Brilliant.org. The other three websites have lots of interesting videos covering topics that go beyond the GCSE (and A-level) syllabi. If you think that you might be interested in studying Maths or a Maths-related subject at university, these videos will give you a feel for what university Mathematics is like, and exposure to these broader aspects of Maths can be really helpful if you do choose to apply for a Math-related degree.

Daily Challenges - Brilliant.org

Fascinating Maths away from the curriculum - Numberphile

Difficult problems solved by a great presenter - Black Pen Red Pen

Some really hard, some easier - A great maths general interest channel - Mathologer

Challenge 1: Could you construct a line which has a length of the square root of 13?

Have a think about why this might be difficult. What is is about the nature of surds that makes this type of construction seemingly impossible? Is it possible to have a line that has an irrational length? Thinking about these tings is as important as solving this puzzle.

Task 1: Once you have considered these questions, take a look at the image here. Does this help you to construct the line? Are you satisfied that it is possible to do so?

Task 2: Consider what other questions you could ask about the image in Task 1. Try to answer the questions that you come up with.

Extended Work: Have a look here for some suggestions for what you may have come up with in task 2. Can you answers the questions suggested on the bottom of the sheet. A discussion on the solutions is here.

Sumaze

Can you complete this highly addictive maths game? Download the App! https://sumaze.mei.org.uk/

Euclidea

A brilliant set of puzzles to get stuck into. Maddeningly difficult and a fantastic insight into some greek geometry. There's an app or you can play in a browser - just get an account so it knows where you got to. https://www.euclidea.xyz/