2009 Update: 2009 Weekly Coaching Programme specifically for A-Math, more details here.
It’s open for registration! Enjoy $30 off when you register by 28 December 2008.

Dear parents and students,

Just to keep you posted.

My current individual Math coaching session is FULLY BOOKED.

Thanks for your support and recommendations!

For those students who desperately need help especially those in O Levels. I am conducting a small group class of 4 at Woodlands Library for GCE O Level A-Maths.

Only Limited Seats Left!

For more info, click here

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The big thing for Sec 4 A-Math ( Oh yar, since this blog has quite a number of visitors from other countries, I think it is important for me to mention that Secondary 3 – 4 is known as Grade 9 – 10 in other countries) is CALCULUS.

Well, you will hardly find this word in your A-Math textbook but you see a bulk of the chapters dedicated to Differentiation & Integration. These 2 topics arelike freezing and melting processes.

Why? Because they are simply opposite of each other !

I am going to talk about the techniques of differentiation.

There are 3 main types for Sec 4 level ; you ought to learn these techniques real well and know when to apply each one of them as application problems follow after the basics.

1. Chain Rule
2. Product Rule
3. Quotient Rule reserved for fractions. * But some fractions can skip this rule

My personal favourite is No. 2 - Product Rule. Well, let’s see the technique in action.

Differentiate [tex]y=3 (x^2 + 5)^4[/tex] with respect to x:

Now to do this, you can apply Product Rule – Differentiate Copy + Differentiate Copy

so [tex]\frac {dy}{dx}=0 (x^2 + 5)^4+ 4(x^2 + 5)^3(2x)(3)

=24x(x^2 + 5)^3[/tex]

Now from this example, we notice some patterns, if you have a constant ( a fixed number) in front, you can simply focused on differentiating the portion with x involved. For example in this case, Focus on Differentiating [tex](x^2 + 5)^4[/tex] so now, we don’t even have to use product rule :

1. Leave the constant in front
2. Differentiate the portion with x involved by Power Front – Power Down by 1-Differentiate within also known as your Chain Rule. BINGO!

[tex]\frac {dy}{dx}=(3) 4(x^2 + 5)^3(2x)=24x(x^2 + 5)^3[/tex]

By realizing this pattern, it will save you some time and less pen ink as well.

Certainly hope it is useful.

:-)

alwaysLovely

Photo by just another paul

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Need graph paper but had none at home!

This was the situation I faced yesterday. I needed some graph papers urgently for plotting of some cumulative frequency graphs but they simply ran out when I check my drawers.

I am sure some of you had the same experience like me before.

This incident reminded me of another funny thing that happened back during my old school times.

We had this very fierce Math teacher whom everyone was very fearful of. We were learning something about graphs during that time and she was returning us our graph assignments. She made a “special mention” to a classmate of his remarkable! effort of creating his own graph paper! Really drawing out the squares manually!

:)

Lesson learnt : ” Go Google and type in “Free Graph Papers”. You will get an endless list of sites which provide all the different kinds of graph papers that you will need.

Cheers to technology!

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Courtesy of  Hackintosh
Now that the GCE O Level students have received their results. I think most of you will be deciding on the path you are going to take.

Oh yar, congratulations to WS (Chung Chueng High School Main) & J ( Unity Sec School) on achieving the wonderful results (:

I think it is useful to hear from folks who have gone through the decision making on where to go after your O Levels.

Sean from SimpleChemConcepts.com has written an article based on his personal experience on his choice of route after his O Level. You can read more about here.

Options Galore – Choosing the Right Path for O-Level holders

Personally, I continued my education in the Junior College route. I was able to continue my education in National Junior College after the release of my O Level results. One of the main reasons for my choice was that I was not sure of the course I want to pursue at that moment but one thing for sure, I want to enter the local university and my parents pin high hopes on me on this aspect. Well, JC offers the fastest way to enter the university and I must say during my time, the JC route was pretty the same as Secondary in the sense that it is rather academic.

From what I understand, Poly students are exposed to more hand-ons which have definitely mould them into more “society-inclined”. Afterall, worklife is about the application of the knowledge we have learnt.

Nevertheless, I had no regrets on my choice of entering into the JC as I achieve my objective and at the same time, get to know some great friends who I have excellent friendships with until now.

I always like to emphasize, whichever your choice is, it must be something you like or have interest in continuing with so that the flame will keep on burning despite any challenges.

This is the big picture for Singapore Education System which I thought is useful.

For a complete picture, click here.

By Ministry of Education MOE

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Once again, it is the time of the year where O Level students receive their due recognition of their efforts for their secondary school learning efforts.

GCE O Level Results will be released in 24 hours time.

“School candidates may collect their results from their schools at 2:00 pm on 24 January 2008″- SEAB

There will be tears… lots … tears of joy, victory,sweetness,accomplishment…
By c*elise

There will be tears of sadness,regret,dejectness,shockness…
By PortoNortePortugal

No matter which situation you are in, I congratulate all students on completion of their GCE O Level examinations. It is a feat truly!

:)

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