Higher Applications of Maths

Mathematics is important in everyday life, allowing us to make sense of the world and manage our lives. You will learn how to model real-life situations and make connections and informed predictions.

You will develop the skills to interpret and analyse information, simplify and solve problems, assess risk, and make informed decisions. These skills will make you valuable to future employers.

The Higher Applications of Mathematics course develops, deepens and extends the operational and reasoning skills necessary for solving problems. Through real-life contexts, you acquire and apply mathematical and statistical skills directly relevant to life and work, and learn about how mathematics affects the world you live in.

The course comprises four areas of study.

Mathematical Modelling

You will:

• understand and apply the process of mathematical modelling to evaluate, analyse and interpret mathematical models

• use software effectively in calculations.

Statistics and probability

You will:

• apply statistical skills to basic probability

• apply statistical literacy skills to data 

• apply statistical skills to correlation and linear regression 

• apply statistical skills to data analysis, interpretation and communication.

Finance

You will:

• apply mathematical skills to calculating present and future values of monetary payments

• apply mathematical skills to solving problems related to personal financial products and transactions and analyse the results

• apply personal financial planning skills.

Planning and decision making

You will:

• understand and apply project planning and decision making.

The course assessment has two components totalling 110 marks:

• Component 1: question paper  – worth 65 marks

• Component 2: project – worth 30 marks. 

The question papers will be set and marked externally by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A–D.