Credit: Dulwich College, Singapore

2019 changes

Exploration - a piece of independent writing, approximately 12-20 pages long, that explores a mathematical topic.

Some of the common types include:

• creating a mathematical model for a situation

• using stats to answer a question

• exploring the applications of a mathematical model

• solving a pure mathematical puzzle

• exploring the historical development of a mathematical idea.

The first three of these listed are often, felt by students, to be easier to get higher marks, particularity in relation to the personal engagement and reflection assessment criteria.

Five criteria:

• presentation (4)

• mathematical communication (4)

• personal engagement (3)

• reflection (3)

• use of maths (6).

Past ideas have included:

• mathematical modelling of the Death Star or The Gherkin using calculus

• working out where the next MRT station should be using Voronoi diagrams

• discovering if there is a statistical relationship between mental maths and student wellbeing.