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Simple Tips for Better Maths Results!

Archives for 2010

Start Your Preparation Early!

Recently, Sean - the colleague at SimpleChemConcepts.com showed me an interesting email his student sent him.

Out of the many updates this student shared was to 'Start Preparation Early!' He just completed his GCE 'O' Level examinations last month. He wrote to Sean to share his suggestion with all our students. From his experience, he felt that his Sec 4 passed too fast, with time spent on CCAs (he was a student leader) and completion of syllabus. By then, it was just 3 months left to 'O' Levels.

As I always talk to students and parents, 'O' Levels consist of the examination of the entire Sec 1 to Sec 4 (or 5) work. This is especially true for Elementary Mathematics. For Additional Mathematics, students are required to be good with 2 years of knowledge.

To Sec 4 2011 A-Maths students: please learn your Differentiation & Integration well!  These are the highlights for you.

If you are willing to take this student advice seriously of 'Start Preparation Early!', I would like to invite you to join me starting in mid-Jan 2011 in my Ultimate Leap Programme - Weekly Coaching Classes. Click here to read more.

Here are the topics discussed for Sec 3 and Sec 4(or 5) and do note that the sequence is subjected to changes.

I look forward in meeting some of you and Happy 2011! Oh, did I mention that I've something for all of you next year. *wink wink* Subscribe to the blog to be updated later in January!

E-Maths Trigonometry Workshop Post Mortem

I completed my E-Maths Trigonometry workshop with a group of sportsmen and sportswomen. We do running, archery, basketball, badminton, bowling...

It was exciting and nervous to meet new faces... They hear my stories, I hear theirs.

For the workshop, I would like to discuss about bearings and the usage of sin formula through this question. Do you have any difficulties in E-Maths Trigonometry? I would love to hear from you! Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Trigonometry E-Maths Question

For bearings, pay attention to these 3 points:

  • 3 figures
  • Reference point
  • Measured from North in a clockwise direction

For sin formula, you must know how to identify an angle and its corresponding length which are opposite each other.

View the video via this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhH1zqwn9uM

25% of 2010 'O' Level E-Maths Paper 2 is on Trigonometry

I was looking at this year 'O' Level E-Maths Papers.  They were overall 'friendly' with hardly any surprise. I shall not term the papers as easy or hard.

I was paying attention to the concepts on Trigonometry and it's interesting to note that the typical short question didn't appear in Paper 1 instead there were 2.5 questions linked very closely to Trigonometry.

Why Trigonometry you might ask?

Well, many students might not be aware Trigonometry is a fundamental set of formulas and concepts which are closely linked to arc lengths, area of sector, mensuration and any questions involving angles in triangle, area of triangles...

I can't show you the questions due to copyright but you can get a copy of Ten Years Series book (released in January 2011).

Questions on Trigonometry in 2010 'O' Level E-Maths Paper 2

Question 1 (10 marks) tests candidates on

  • TOA CAH SOH (extensively since the diagram consists of 3 right angle triangles). I suspect some might use SIN rule (nothing wrong but more manipulations) instead of TOA CAH SOH to answer the questions
  • Understanding of bearings

Question 7 (11 marks) tests candidates on

  • Usage of COS rule to find angle
  • Ability to 'see' and find angle of depression from paper
  • Manipulation of area of triangle using formula with 'sin'

Question 8bii (4 marks) tests candidates on

  • Ability to find the height of a triangular surface using TOA CAH SOH

The challenges many students face include:

  • Knowing all the formulas but not being able to select the correct approach fast and accurate enough in test and exams.
  • Not being able to 'see' 3D from paper.
  • Lacking the flexibility to manipulate formulas (due to poor Algebraic foundation in Secondary 1 and 2)
  • Not learning from repeated mistakes
  • Unaware of the misconceptions
  • Assumption that you know the important usage of every formula but in fact you don't

If your child is not scoring 'A' for E-Maths, he must know the reason and be prepared to do something about it. In 'O' Levels, A1 is unlikely to be 75% and above. It is determined by the bell curve of the entire cohort.

Trigonometry is a very important section in E-Maths and A-Maths. I would like to share with your child the strategies proven to have helped my students to achieve better results in their exams.

Join me in the Dec Trigonometry Workshop today! Click  here to read more.

Hello, Hanoi - Vietnam

Together with Sean Chua of SimpleChemConcepts.com we took a 9 days educational trip to Northern Vietnam, Hanoi.

It was an eye opener for us to be in the countryside, seeing terrace cultivation, outlines of mountains and mountains, experiencing the beauty of UNESCO world heritage site - Ha Long Bay. I did a video as well.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS5dL9j2iJo

It's a drastic change compared to city life. People's lifestyle in the Sapa villages are less developed, slower. Children there are seen to be playing with traditional games like marbles. They were left to play on their own by the streams, on the soil.

Landscape in Sapa Village
Landscape in Sapa Village
Village children enjoying themselves
Village children enjoying themselves

However, the first thing I was overwhelmed is the traffic in Hanoi city: endless honking of the motorcycles. We hardly use traffic lights to cross the busy roads, we simply walk across quickly. It's amazing how the locals travel around the busy roads. Traffic is a big part of our experience in Hanoi!

Imagine having to cross this road!
Imagine having to cross this road without traffic lights!

A common sight in Hanoi is that you will find locals, young and old sitting by the road side for a cup of tea, eating a bowl of noddles (known as 'Pho') or just catching up with one another. We have a few experiences too. You got to be willing to exchange air con with road side air and don't expect cleanliness that of Singapore!

Me at streetside, waiting for my corn and sweet potato
Me at street side, waiting for my corn and sweet potato

December Holidays (A/E-Maths) Trigonometry Revision Workshops

It doesn't matter if

  • you need to retake your A-Maths end of the year or early next year
  • you fail both your Maths horribly
  • you didn't know what you were doing during Maths lessons for 2010
  • you were suggested by your school to drop A-Maths

It matters when you decide to start afresh, work just a little harder than before, this holiday.

I would love to remind you that 'O' Level E-Maths could be easy (ask your seniors or wait for ten years series book to be out next year, some questions are easier than PSLE), but you need to have strong basic foundation of your Secondary one to four topics for you to pass 'O' Levels and to score 'A', you need to know how to apply your knowledge in problem solving.

If you haven't done well, ask not your teachers, not your parents, not your tutors nor your friends but yourself. You know yourself best!

After you know the reason (s), ask your teachers, parents, tutors or friends for help.

I can help you if you think you can do better, you can improve, you want to start afresh. This December holiday, I'm conducting two revision workshops on:

  1. E-Maths Trigonometry (Read more here)
  2. A-Maths Trigonometry (Read more here)

I welcome all.

All it matters is you decide to start afresh, work just a little harder than before, this holiday.

Have a great holiday!

"It was great! I've enjoyed myself in this workshop. Through creative methods, I've learnt many new techniques in tackling variations in Trigonometry questions. This workshop has introduced me the types of questions that may come out. Also, has nicely classified them into categories which marks learning easier. I've clarified my doubts and through the exercises given, I've strengthened my concepts. I will strongly recommend this workshops to my classmates and schoolmates. Thanks you!"

Melina Koh, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School