Saxon Math - What's the equivelant to A Level?

[HSHS]

I didn't take maths at A Level but my DD wants to when she's older & I was wondering whether Saxon will prepare her for it & if so, what level will we have to get up to to prepare her for it?

 

Thanks (:

[kiana]

I was hoping someone else who knew better would answer this, but I'll give it a shot and bump it for you. :D

 

In general, the course is modular, modules by exam board are listed as follows:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_level_mathematics

 

"Core" encompasses Calculus and Precalculus, in general.

"Mechanics" we wouldn't often cover as part of a mathematics course, it would be physics.

"Statistics" would in most cases be a separate course.

"Further Pure" seems to cover additional topics in Calculus and Precalculus, with possibly an introduction to DiffEq and Linear (at the very basic level).

"Decision" probably wouldn't be covered, if it were, it would be in a Discrete Math course.

 

Which modules you have available could depend on where you sit the exam (here I really don't know, students in schools often have some each of mechanics and statistics chosen to supplement the core).

 

If you choose to study independently, you'll need to arrange somewhere to sit the exam, which again I can't help, look it up with your local home education group maybe? If you choose to study through distance education, they'll probably have a textbook that they expect you to use.

 

Even if you study independently, I wouldn't use the Saxon textbooks. Although if you used Adv. Math and Calculus, you should cover the material from core and further pure modules, it would be covered in a far different order, meaning that she'd have to learn and remember everything at once to take all module exams at once. They also may use slightly different terminology, which can be crucial when one is taking an examination. They also wouldn't have sample questions from A level exams, as many UK books do. The wording of the word problems can make a huge difference, and Saxon (imo, please don't shoot me) is often weak in training the students to do word problems presented in a non-standard way. Here is an example of differences in vocabulary at IGCSE.

 

http://www.cie.org.uk/docs/countries/usa/IGCSE%20Mathematics-US_terminology.pdf

[langfam]

http://www.singaporemath.com/Homeschool_s/60.htm

 

I can't answer your question about Saxon, but Singapore has "O" level and "A" level maths.

 

New Additional Math for "O" Level and College Math for "A" level.

 

This is the math I used in Singapore for my GCE exams.

[langfam]

Maybe you could could cross-refer the table of contents of the Singapore Math books to Saxon Calculus for example. The websites will have the TOCs.

 

http://www.singaporemath.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CM1&Show=TechSpecs

 

http://www.singaporemath.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CM2&Show=TechSpecs

Edited September 12, 2009 by langfam

[freerange]

Have you seen MEP? It has everything from 123s to A level

 

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm

 

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/alevel/alevel.htm

 

The exam boards websites also have details on what's covered at each level.

[HSHS]

Thank you so much for your answers, I really appreciate it. I bookmarked the terminology file for when we need it. (:

 

Booking in to exams and such we already know about - we're having to do the same for GCSE/IGCSE so we already know how to do that. At least that's one thing covered. Haha!

 

DD would be doing C1, C2, C3, C4, S1 & M1. She made a decision from what you mentioned. She's going to go to sixth form college for physics, she thinks but she's already decided she'll be supplementing it with the Kinetic course because physics isn't her strong point.

 

MEP-wise, I love it but DD's not impressed. We have two sets of A Level maths books that DD would be okay with using but I think she'd prefer the routine of using Saxon (it's a program we can get cheaply and easily over here). We can also get Lial's but I think it'd take too much switching around for Geometry, etc. That's really why we chose Saxon (plus we're getting it for $10. ;D).

 

So would a good idea be to use Saxon Calculus alongside the A Level books & practise papers? Would that prepare her for it?

[kiana]

If she really really really wants to use Saxon, she'll have to supplement for Stats and Mechanics modules. Mechanics might partially be covered under physics but according to my SO (took physics/maths A levels) the questions asked in the mechanics part of the mathematics course were more difficult than the questions asked in physics.

 

Because of the incremental development of Saxon and the difference in order of topics covered, I'd probably choose to work through the Saxon first, then review through an A level exam prep book, rather than working through both concurrently.

[HSHS]

Thanks for that Kiana, maybe that would be a better idea. My worry is whether we'll have this all finished before she's 18. She's always wanted to finish her GCSEs and A Levels before she turned 16 but I doubt she'll have the knowledge required that soon. We'll see how quickly she gets through GCSE anyway. We're entering her for November for Religious Studies & General Studies as a 'trial run' and she'll be using the same exam centre for other GCSEs so it'll get her used to it and comfortable with the people in the school so cross you fingers for us & thank you so much for your help! DD says thanks too! (: