Algebra: Surds

Surds are numbers left in 'square root form' (or 'cube root form' etc). They are therefore irrational numbers. The reason we leave them as surds is because in decimal form they would go on forever and so this is a very clumsy way of writing them. (See here for notes and examples )

Skills needed to answer GCSE questions

Using Surds in calculations

Simplifing Surds

Rationalise Surds (which needs you to remember the difference of 2 squares)

Helpful resources, examples and links

	BBC Bitesize is always good GCSE Maths tutor - technical but some worksheets and videos
Some people fing watching a YouTube video can help, but be aware that they use real Maths teachers
MyMaths Surds1 goes through the topics in a gentle way.
Surds2 - a little harder

Revision Guides - Higher Edexcel

I think the following at around £3.50 each are well worth the money.

 

	GCSE Success Edexcel Maths Higher Revision Guide This book puts all the notes you need in one place with limited examples. All of the Specification is set out.
	GCSE Success Edexcel Maths Higher Workbook (GCSE Success Revision Guides and Workbooks) This gives lots of examples with answers to reinforce your ideas.
There are lots of sites that give you help (videos, worked examples, etc). This one is the BBC Bitesize – Statistics Site

Number: Recurring Decimals to Decimals

Statistics: Probability 1

Read and work out missing information from a two-way table
Design-two way tables and complete using data from a graph
Review the term Probability
Understand the term relative probability
Number of trials and reliability
Calculating the probability of an event using relative frequency

Sample size must be large enough to be reliable (or representative)
Using Relative frequency to estimate the results of an experiment and judge if fair or biased
Consolidate by looking at Chapter Review (Q 7, 8, 9 if time permits)

Plenary

• Skillswise

USEFUL LINKS

Statistics – Handling Data

This is the AQA Website for this Maths GCSE

Module 1 (worth 18% of the GCSE) looks at data and includes topics such as averages (should I use the same average for shoe sizes as for the average price of beer), probability (how likely are you to contract ‘swine flu?) and correlation (is it true that ‘the less alcohol and fatty foods, the longer the life’?).

This is the text book used across the college – you will need to have this to follow the course (about £18) AQA GCSE Maths: Modular Higher Student Book and ActiveBook

With private tuition students I find the following successful (£3.50 each) This one puts everything in place GCSE Success AQA Maths Higher Revision Guide (GCSE Success Revision Guides and Workbooks)

Maths Higher Workbook (GCSE Success Workbooks) This one gives examples of each to help you understand.

There are lots of sites that give you help (videos, worked examples, etc). This one is the BBC Bitesize – Statistics Site

Revision: Foundation

1 Go through 2 past Papers

2. Graphs
Quadratic Graphs - be able to write down co-ordinates
Identify maximum, minimum points and lines of symmetry
Identify graphs p.238-237 q2, q4, q8
Use a graph to find solutions p.241 q2, 4



3. Using a formula p337 q1, 4, 5
Changing the subject of a formula p347 q4,5

4 Angles in shapes
acute, obtuse, reflex
equilateral, isosceles, scalene
constructing triangles
p550 q2

5 Algebra
Simplifying Terms (Expanding brackets) p197 q7, p199 q3
FOIL p.262 Q1 and 2
Factorise p259 q1

6 Sequences
term to term rule p.433 1 and 2
patterns of shapes p440 q5,6

7 Constructions
Perpendicular Bisector of a line p.460
Angle Bisector p.462
Locus of points p.464
p.466 q1, p.467 q3

Revision: Higher

1. Go through 2 past Papers

2. Prove that triangles are Congruent P520, P521 Q1
SAS
SSS
ASA or AAS
RHS


3. Calculate equations of a line through a point and perpendicular to a given line
P514 questions 4 to 8
P515 questions 2 to 8


4. Use Sine and Cosine Rule P661, 662 q2
Area 1/2absinC P664 Q2
Cosine Rule P665 Q2 (see P667)


5. Graphs - I don't have time to teach!

Recognise non-linear graphs
quadratics, reciprocal, cubic, sine, cosine
p576 3,5,7
p580 8,9,11


Transforming functions
recognise functional notation


TRANSLATIONS P 589
y = f(x) + a
y = f(x+a)

STRETCH
y=af(x)
y = f(ax)
ExB p594 questions 1 to 5, ExB p599 questions 1 to 3