Saturday, November 21, 2009

MATHS

A brief update on maths this year, scores gotten, e.t.c.
In Term 1, I moved class after sitting the first Common Test of the year, Measurement, in which I got Merit.

Common test 2 was Number, and I got Excellence.

The third was on Algebra. This got me a Merit.

We had a quick unit on Statistics, and a quick test, allowing you to get Achieved at the most. I got Achieved, but this doesn't matter so much as I got the best score I could get.

Common Test 5 was Probability. My grade was Excellence!

We just finished the sixth, and final, Common Test on Geometry. Though this is normally one of my strengths, I got Merit, after a lot of trouble working out the final question on missing angles.

My first P.A.T test this year was at the beginning. I got 37 / 42. We have just sat the final one, and though I don't know the result yet, I found it quite easy.

Upcoming is The Maths Exam. I should revise this week as it affects next year's classes.

Aside from the tests, this year has held a lot of learning in maths for me, especially in Algebra. We started with time and measurement, moved to area and perimeter, followed by ratios and percentages, and decimals and fractions. Perfect numbers, prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers, significant figures and factors were all taught following that.
In Algebra, I learnt about x and y terms, expanding, simplifying, factorising, solving algebraic equations and drawing linear graphs.
In Statistics we did bar graphs, pie graphs and box and whisker plots. This lead to us having an assignment on a statistical investigation. Here is mine, which got me Merit, but also a pinkie slip (to put me in the draw for a prize) for presentation.

click to enlarge

The Maths Exam came and went, with me being very satisfied with my results! I finished the 2 hour exam with about 30 seconds left! I was allowed to use one A4 cheat sheet, though...

Though hard to read, it listed all the basic things I have learned this year. Here is what it says:

MEASUREMENT
1cm cubed = 1mL
1000cm cubed = 1L
1m cubed = 1KL

1000mg = 1g
1000g = 1Kg
1000kg = 1t

10mm = 1cm
100cm = 1m
1000m = 1km

PERCENTAGES
new amount - original amount / original amount X 100.
15% = 1.15

AREA
triangle = b x h / 2
parallelogram = b x h
trapezium = 1/2 (a+b) x h
circumference = πd
circle = πr sq
prism = base area x h
pyramid = 1/3 base area x h
cylinder = πr sq x h
cone = 1/3 πr sq x h
sphere = 4/3 πr cubed

TERMS
1st term (x = 1); what does the pattern go up in? 4? "4n..." 4 to y 1st term... 20? difference = 16; "4n+16".

BISECTING

PRIME NUMBERS
2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17...

RATIOS
a:b -> a+b = c. Divide original number by c. (d+e should equal original number.)

RECIPROCAL
1 over a term. (1 / 2a)

READ QUESTIONS WELL!
WATCH THE ROUNDING OF NUMBERS!
CALCULATE ANSWERS ACCURATELY!

EXPANDING
2(x + 3) = 2x + (2 x 3) -> 2x + 6.

ALGEBRAIC SIMPLIFYING
Symbols go with the number on their right...

STATISTICS
Mode = Most Common Number.
Range = Highest - Lowest Number.
Median = Number of numbers, +1, /2 (7 maybe), 7th number.
Mean = Add all and divide by number of numbers.

FACTORIZING
10x + 5 (HCF = 5) -> 10x / 5 = 2x; 5/5 = 1 -> "5(2x +1)".

EQUATIONS
Start with given letter; i.e, w = ...
Not ...+... = w!

QUARTILES
Interquartile = Upper quartile - Lower quartile.
Median of the median, same method as Median!

Rather than have one grade, this one tested at least 5 important units of maths. I got one grade each for Algebra, Statistics, Probability, Number and Measurement (however, the order of these have been forgotten!). I got Merit, Merit, Excellence, Excellence and Merit!

We have briefly looked at Pythagoras's Theorem and the rules about finding the area of right angled triangles. I'm finding it a tiny bit challenging, and a tiny bit fun. Next year I will learn a lot more!

There is no end to all I have learned in Maths this year, however!