Thoughts on H2 Mathematics (9758) 2017 Paper 1

This is a new syllabus and this is the first time it will be tested. Personally, I don’t think it will be easy and students should not underestimate this upcoming A’levels. And I’m referring to the A’levels, on the whole. We saw how the Science Paper 4 were… unexpected.

The new H2 Mathematics (9758) syllabus has several topics removed, and these were mostly topics that were “drill-able”, aside from complex numbers. The new syllabus added in mainly, new integration forms, focus on parametric Equations with Cartesian equations, and of course, Discrete R.V. But let us leave the statistics out.

Students should familiarise themselves with the trigonometry Formulae in MF26. There are several topics that can be linked up with trigonometry, makes me wonder why it isn’t a chapter by itself. Complex numbers has a trigonometry form too, so make sure students know how to manipulate it, given the trigonometry Formulae.

Next, students should understand the use of Maclaurin’s. What does it mean for x to be small, and the implications when they say h is small compared to R… And also finding the general term of a Maclaurin’s Expansion.

It won’t hurt to review how to find the Area using Shoe-lace method. And not forgetting our Sine Rule and Cosine Rule.

Do know how to prove a one-one function… Non-graphically. (i.e. not using the Horizontal Line Test)

Do know that the oblique asymptote of f(x) becomes y=0 when we do the y = \frac{1}{f(x)} transformation too.

Lastly, students must READ really carefully and discern every information. Having marked many scripts, many students do not read carefully and lose marks here and there. And they do add up… Be alert and read, take note of the forms that they want. Here are 10 little things to take note when you read the question.

  1. Cartesian/ Polar/ Exponential for complex
  2. Scalar/ Parametric/ Cartesian for vectors
  3. Set/ range/ interval of values
  4. Algebraically => show all the workings without a GC.. usually discriminant, completing the square or maybe some differentiation will be involved.
  5. Without using a calculator => show your workings and check with a GC (secretly)
  6. Decimal places, etc…
  7. Rounding off when you’re dealing with an inequality
  8. Units used in the questions, (ten thousands, etc)
  9. Rate of change; leaking means the rate is negative…
  10. All answers should be in 3 SF UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. Degrees to 1 DP. RADIANS to 3 SF.

Have fun and all the best!

Showing 2 comments
  • James
    Reply

    Hi, how do you prove that a function is one-to-one non graphically? Thank you 🙂

    • KS Teng
      Reply

      show g(a) = g(b) for a \neq b. Consider 2016 P1 functions question

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