Andrew

Chemical engineering graduate. Tutor. Specialised in IB Mathematics. Assessment enthusiast, love maths pedagogy.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Hello there fellow maths teachers!
Check out my website for an up-to-date list of IB maths resources I've created.

If you're an A-level teacher, I'm sure you can find plenty of good stuff here too!
https://t.co/ITn1y5JF4T

Please RT if you find it useful!
@mathsjem

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

FOUR questions on normal distributions.
No calculators required/allowed.

Short, crisp, straight to the point.
Let me know what you think!
#ALevelMaths

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Hiya!
Just giving y'all a quick update that I'll be splitting my time between here and the other blue app.
https://t.co/N4WaTzl9GU
Same username. Different emphasis. c:

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Fun counting question for this year's mocks.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

A little update here, as I'm currently more active on the other blue app.

Here are a few questions I've written for AAHL students. Let me know what you think!

None of the questions require a calculator.
#ALevelMaths #IBAAHL

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Short question discriminating at every grade level.
Easy to get 1-2/7, hard to get full marks.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Newest post on Substack: Deep dive on trigonometric identities.

https://t.co/Mia4kXFpoo

Head over there to see some beautiful questions on trig identities! A few countries are mentioned; is it different from what you expected?

#ALevelMaths

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Hiya!
Just giving y'all a quick update that I'll be splitting my time between here and the other blue app.
https://t.co/N4WaTzl9GU
Same username. Different emphasis. c:

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

@mr_man_maths @nathanday314 Even for STEP, the parts are quite fragmented and unrelated to one another. It's good algebra practice to get to the TMUA/STEP level, but the substance is quite lacking imo.

In general HKDSE questions (esp CP) is mostly bruteforcing and not very pretty to look at.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

QUESTION DEEP DIVE - p8
ft. HKDSE CP 2025, Paper 1 (obligatory ping to @mr_man_maths!)

This is an attempt to combine quadratics and coordinate geometry, but unfortunately an unsuccessful one in my opinion.

TOO CONVOLUTED! (Unless your students are preparing for the TMUA.)

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

The two parts are weakly related to one another - it just feels like Frankenstein's monster. Two unrelated parts slapped together to make a question with no cohesion. I'm sure students are drilled for this type of question, but this has become an algebra contest than coord geo.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Now adding a sea of negatives, boy oh boy. Not going to end well.

Without a sketch, I don't know how students can solve the question. Considering this paper is for mainstream students, providing a sketch here would be beneficial because it's hard to visualise the problem.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

The other two questions are also solid, but quite predictable. That said, they're still valuable practice for A-level mathematicians to not lose marks on more "routine" questions.

If you're looking for extended questions, also look into HKCEE Add Maths. c:

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

QUESTION DEEP DIVE - p7

A-level teachers might be sleeping on a gold mine without realising it: IGCSE Further Pure Maths.

The later questions on the paper are written in a similar style to A-level, and some may arguably be even harder.

Question 8 (last photo) is the best imo.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Even though this question isn't in the same style as A-level FM (this is way too algebraically intensive, and A-level FM would rather test FM content than algebra), it is great practice for students taking the TMUA. They need to be able to solve questions of this style in 3 mins.

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

All in all, I think the question could’ve been a bit better (if they’d intended it to be more demanding), and part (a) is too routine for my taste, but still a very good testing question on the paper.

Here’s a question that I didn’t like as much. What do you think?

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

QUESTION DEEP DIVE - p6

Pre-U, even though it is now discontinued, contained some of the best questions for A-level maths.

Look at this beautiful question from 2019, perfectly appropriate as the last question on the Edexcel paper.

Thread commences below.
@mathsjem

[Andrew @andrewmaths1]

Part (c) is lovely, and the fact that it falls so nicely with (a) and (b) is a great bonus. The low mark allocation should’ve been a big hint. If there are more marks to play around I’d ask for one specific case (eg k = 1/2) that’d require a more extensive use of the result.