A-Level Maths or A-Level Further Maths?

Nathania

Medical Student

You may really enjoy maths but do you want to study A-level Further Maths? Do you need to study Further Maths? This article is to help you consider different factors to help you make this decision.

Desire

If you’re considering studying Further Maths, it’s likely that you really like maths. However, studying both A-level Maths and Further Maths will mean you spend 50% of your time studying maths. To some people, this would be an absolute turn-off. But, if you’re the type of person who loves maths and enjoys doing calculations then you may really enjoy A-level Further Maths.

Content

It’s important to consider the difference in the content that you will study in Further Maths. Further Maths goes into greater depth than A-level Maths so ideally, you want to have a good foundation knowledge of maths.

You will study content that covers pure mathematics, mechanics and statistics. Pure mathematics consists of algebra, trigonometry and vectors as well as other topics. Mechanics is helpful for students studying physics or interested in engineering as it covers the idea of motion, force and energy. Statistics focuses on probability and data analysis.

For greater insight into what you would be studying if you chose A-level Further Maths, you can look at the specification on different exam boards websites. If the topics sound interesting to you and like something you would enjoy, you should consider studying Further Maths.

Ability

A level Further Maths is for students who enjoy maths and have a very strong ability in maths. You want to have achieved a high GCSE grade in mathematics and have felt very comfortable with the GCSE maths content. Some schools will have a minimum requirement for you to study a level further maths based on your GCSE grade. Other schools may require you to sit an exam within the first few weeks of A-levels to assess if you have a strong foundation to thrive in A-level Further Maths.

Degree

Depending on the degree you want to study, A-level Further Maths may be a requirement. If you want to study Mathematics at university, A-level Further Maths isn’t always a requirement so it’s good to check if you have an idea of what you want to study, where it’s a requirement. If the degree you would like to study requires or highly recommends studying Further Maths, you should consider doing so.

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