1. DEMONSTRATE THE APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES IN THE CONTEXT OF SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS.
Application
Enquiry
Learning

2. CONSTRUCT AND INTERPRET A VARIETY OF GRAPHS PRODUCED FROM EXPERIMENTAL DATA. ACCURATELY INTERPRET LINEAR GRAPHS IN TERMS OF GRADIENT AND INTERCEPT.
Analysis
Communication
Problem Solving

3. APPLY ALGEBRAIC RULES TO MANIPULATE SIMPLE ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS.
Application
Problem Solving

4. UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS INCLUDING NORMAL DISTRIBUTION. APPLY A RANGE OF STATISTICAL METHODS AND CONCEPTS TO DATA.
Application
Knowledge and Understanding
Problem Solving

5. COLLECT ANALYSE AND INTERPRET EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND COMMUNICATE FINDINGS IN AN INTELLIGABLE WRITTEN FORMAT.
Analysis
Communication
Enquiry

CLASS TEST 1 length 1 HOUR to assess outcomes 1 to 5 (25%)

CLASS TEST 2 length 1 HOUR to assess outcomes 1 to 5 (25%) (Final Assessment)

A SUPERVISED ASSIGNMENT 1 length 1500 WORDS to assess outcomes 1 to 5 (25%).

A SUPERVISED ASSIGNMENT 2 length 1500 WORDS to assess outcomes 1 to 5 (25%).

Additional Assessment Information:
Students will be required to complete 4 pieces of summative assessment, namely 2 in class tests and two supervised assignments. These will be used to assess both comprehension of the subject of each module and the attainment of subject specific and transferable study skills. Each element will be used to assess the former of these, whilst the supervised assignments will also assess study skills. The nature of the supervised assignments will be chosen to develop one or more facets of study skills, such as communication, problem solving, use of IT and information retrieval.
With regards to the supervised assignments formative activities will be undertaken to provide feedback to support the students. Timing of the assessments will be staggered to hopefully ensure that the student work load is spread throughout the year.
A tutor will be assigned to monitor and coordinate study skills support across the modules, thereby ensuring that each student has the opportunity to attain the study skills learning outcomes outlined in the programme specification.

The module provides study of the mathematical techniques needed to support the study of physical and life sciences at level 3. Throughout the emphasis will be on practising the application of mathematical techniques in the context of science. Students will study the rules of algebra needed for the manipulation of equations and the transposition of simple formulae. They will be able to appreciate and handle linear and quadratic functions, leading to the solution of simultaneous linear equations and quadratic equations. The data analysis section will concentrate on the construction and interpretation of linear graphs (y=mx+c) in terms of gradient and intercept, including simple examples involving rearranging data into a linear form. Students will apply the basics of trigonometry and Pythagoras to right-angled triangles. The principles of probability and statistical analysis will be introduced, including the calculation of measures of central tendency and dispersion, and the application of the normal distribution to basic statistical data. Values to measure statistical significance will be determined and interpreted. The principles of differential and integral calculus will be studied and applied to measuring the rate of change of a function and used to determine simple maxima and minima. The concept of error and precision in measurement, including means of estimating errors in experimental work will be studied. Exponential functions will be introduced.

Subject Specific
The module will be delivered by tutor led theory sessions, problem solving classes and practical work, throughout which the emphasis will be on student involvement.
The information will be delivered using interactive lectures interspersed with tutorials and problem-solving classes. Worksheets will be used to engage students in an active role in the learning process. Problem solving activities will be used to consolidate learning. The active learning is continued in the tutorial sessions where investigative procedures will be discussed, planned and carried out by the students.
Formative learning will be aided by assignments, tutorial exercises and the ability to receive formative feedback of coursework drafts prior to submission.
The lecture and laboratory classes will be spread over 26 weeks so that there will be 4 hours of class contact per week. Each week the classes will contain an appropriate combination of theory and practical exercises for the individual topic being delivered.

The time for independent study will be taken up by preparation and completion of assignment work, library research, preparation for class discussion and report writing.
Study Skills
The programme will be designed to emphasise and develop independent study, whilst delivering the general study skills outlined in the programme specification. Dedicated IT workshops are to familiarise the students with the use of the common computer packages, within a scientific context. The overall ethos will be one of encouraging active learning and developing a sense of responsibility for learning. This will comprise 14 hours spread over 26 weeks.

Foundation Maths (4th Ed.) by Anthony Croft and Robert Davison, Prentice Hall, 2006.
Basic Mathematics for the Physical Sciences, R Lambourne and M Tinker, Wiley, 2008
Foundation Mathematics, K.A. Stroud D J Booth, Addison-Wesley, 2009
Introductory Statistics for Biology, J A Watt, Chapman and Hall, 2007
In order to provide further support specialist texts and journal articles can be accessed via the WWW as well as College and University library support services. In addition, suitable texts/resources will be cited as and when required to support a learning activity.

Well-appointed classroom, with screen casting facilities
Appropriately equipped laboratory.
Appropriately resourced library.
I.T Resources equipped with Office or equivalent