I overheard a group of youngsters mentioning about the different types of jobs available for them. They were on handphone with their guy friend. The few girls ask him to consider being a waitor or a cashier at one of the major supermarkets.

I remember I started my first job after my A Levels. I guess the trend has changed; with more toys to play, more clothes to buy, heavier handphone bill to foot. Youngsters have to find means to support their lifestyle, isn’t it?

It is so common to see a youngster with at least some if not all of the following items:

• Handphone (s)
• PSP
• ipod
• Camera
• Laptop

So we can imagine the amount of $ required to support the gadgets lifestyle when parents decide not to be part of their ATM supporters anymore.

It is no wonder that more students are quickly finishing holiday jobs to make more pocket $, know more students and be more finanically and mentally independent; the pursuit of adults lifestyle.

Youth.sg has teamed up with Jobscentral to provide more suitable jobs for students. I thought this is really a brilliant idea! Cheers! More details here

Enjoy your work stint and have fun!

For more details, click here

For more details, click here

For those who aren’t taking additional math, how can you prep yourself this holiday? (Note: I ain’t telling you to burn your holidays mugging. Nope! But I mean to say have some work time and play time!)

I remember I was given quite a bit of holiday assignments during Nov/Dec holidays. Read in Facebook comments, this is still the ongoing trend in schools. Finish those work fast (No motivation? Get friends to complete the work together )and you can play for the rest of the days! Do not be like majority of the folks who wait till the end of the holidays, only to realize school is starting in a few days time that they start knowing that homework is due.

What I personally suggest for prep for Sec 3 Elementary Math is to ensure that your Sec 1&2 foundation topics are built upon on solid ground (These topics are tested in ‘O’ levels and every often schools do not have the time to revise thoroughly during term time)

Some of the foundation topics are listed below:

• Making subject formula
• Algebraic expansion rules
• Algebraic factorization
• Properties of Angles
• Mensuration (New syllabus e-math has formula provided in exams)
• Similarity & Congruency
• Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode)
• Equation of lines

These topics involve some fundamental applications which will be revisited again in Upper Sec.

Some of the Major Sec 3 Topics you would be expecting include:

• Indices (*new)
• Quadratic Equations (*new+very important)
• Congruency and Similarity (*revision+application)
• Graphs (*new+add on from Sec 1/2)
• Properties of Circle(*new)
• Trigonometry (*new+very important+high weightage in E-Math & A-Math)
• Co-ordinate Geometry (requires basics from Equations of lines from Sec 2)
• Arc Length & Sector Areas (used to be A-Math topic but included in E-Math now)
• Quartiles & Percentiles (Statistics)
• Matrices (*new)

(Those highlighted ones are the topics which are heavily weighted and you must pay more attention in following through. They are also fundamentals you would need in A-Math as well)

You may want to familizarize yourself with the ‘O’ level E-Math formula provided but in school tests and exams, some schools choose not to provide.

(Click on image for larger view or you may even want to print out a copy and stick on your desk for easy reference)