Advanced level mathematics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Advanced Level (A-Level) Mathematics is a qualification of further education taken in the United Kingdom and occasionally in other countries as well. In the UK A-Level exams are traditionally taken by 18 year-olds after a two-year course at secondary school.
Like other A-level subjects, mathematics has been assessed in a modular system since the introduction of Curriculum 2000, whereby each candidate must take six modules, with the combined score of these modules determining the final grade. Most students will complete three modules in one year, which will create an AS-level qualification in their own right and will complete the A-level course the following year with three more modules.
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[edit] Modular system
Mathematics candidates have a certain element of choice over which modules are sat, however examination boards have certain regulations about which combination can and can't be used. In total 6 modules must be completed to obtain an A-level qualification.
| Edexcel[1] | OCR[2] | AQA[3] | WJEC[4] | CCEA[5] | MEI[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
Core 1 Core 2 Core 3 Core 4 Statistics 1 |
[edit] Further mathematics
Some mathematics student will chose to take an A-level in Further Mathematics which requires taking a further 6 modules to give a second qualification. The grades of the two A-levels will be independent of each other.
[edit] Results and statistics
Each module carries a maximum of 100 points towards the total grade and each module is also given a separate grade depending on its score. The number of points required for different grades are defined below:
| Grade | Module (Out of 100) | AS level (Out of 300) | A level (Out of 600) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 80 | 240 | 480 |
| B | 70 | 210 | 420 |
| C | 60 | 180 | 360 |
| D | 50 | 150 | 300 |
| E | 40 | 120 | 240 |
The proportion of candidated acquiring these grades in 2007 are below :
[edit] Mathematics
| Male | Female | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 60093 | ||
| Grade A | 42.6% | 45.5% | 43.7% |
| Grade B | 20.8% | 22.2% | 21.4% |
| Grade C | 15.8% | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Grade D | 10.9% | 10.0% | 10.4% |
| Grade E | 6.4% | 5.0% | 5.9% |
| Grade U (Fail) | 3.5% | 2.2% | 3.0% |
[edit] Further mathematics
| Male | Female | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 7972 | ||
| Grade A | 57.1% | 56.2% | 56.8% |
| Grade B | 19.4% | 20.2% | 20.3% |
| Grade C | 11.6% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| Grade D | 6.6% | 6.2% | 6.5% |
| Grade E | 3.6% | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Grade U (Fail) | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.6% |
[edit] Criticisms
It has been suggested that the high proportion of candidates who obtain grade A makes it difficult for universities to distinguish between the most able candidates.
Is has also been suggested that there are inconsistencies in the difficulties of the mathematics modules, it has been suggested that students who take mechanics modules have a harder challenge than those taking statistics or decision modules.
