What’s new
in Yr 12
Maths?
Main content of Yr 12
Maths?
Common challenges for students in Yr 12
Maths?
Main outcomes for Yr 12
Maths?
Most important concepts to ensure your child understands
in Yr 12 Maths?
If you chose to get a tutor, study habits and content
to focus on in Yr 12 Maths?
Main challenges involved in tutoring a Yr 12 Maths
student?
Some good ideas on how to help your child in Yr 12
Maths?
What’s new in Year 12 Maths?
Year 12 is heavy in new content which includes:
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Main content of Year 12 Maths
The core content of year 12 maths revolves
around calculus. Apart from this, there is the application of the principles of plane geometry to theoretical
problems as well as the use of tree diagrams to expound on the laws of probability. Very important too are
arithmetic and geometric series as well as their applications in consumer mathematics (compound interest,
hire purchase and repayment plans).
From then, the bulk of year 12 maths lies with calculus. Starting with applications of differentiation learnt the
previous year and introduction to the second derivative. This will include primitive functions, concepts such as
maxima, minima, tangents and normals to curves. Thereafter, integration is introduced. This year, students
will learn about the Simpson’s rule, the Trapezoidal rule and the application of integration to areas and volumes
of solids. Real world application of calculus is also important to this year especially in phenomena involving
growth and decay, velocity and acceleration where calculus as a measure of rate of change will be central.
Also tied to calculus will be studies in trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions and their
applications.
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Common challenges for students in Year 12 Maths
Calculus. Calculus. Calculus. Year 12 is the year of calculus in
maths. Therefore, it can be difficult for students who haven’t grasped the fundamentals to move on to the
applications. This, in the final year of High School when preparation for final assessment is in full gear,
can be daunting to students.
To be more particular, students often find it hard to unify their knowledge, especially around calculus. There are
so many rules and concepts which are inter-related. It can be challenging to understand how exactly the rules
and concepts are connected and how to apply them in a specific context. The only way to really deal with
this is to focus on true understanding of the material, without which knowledge cannot be cross contextualised.
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Main outcomes for Year 12 Maths
At the end of this year, students must show a complete
understanding of the principles and use of calculus. They must be able to integrate and differentiate
functions as well as apply these to higher concepts and real world problems. Apart from this, students are
expected to have mastered every area in algebra, probability and high school geometry. They must also be able
to solve trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions and show the sound reasoning capability of
borrowing from different areas of year 12 maths to solving problems where applications of principles are
required.
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Most important concepts to ensure your child understands in Year
12 Maths
Calculus is the most important concept your child must understand
in year 12 maths. It will help all other areas.
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If hiring a tutor, what study habits and content to
focus on in Year 12 Maths?
Studying for final assessments in year 12 will prove daunting.
When getting a tutor, be ready to allow your child extra hours for study. This is absolutely necessary.
It is even advisable to get a tutor early so your child can learn ahead of the class. This will not only
afford him/her more time for other preparations but also give the child an all-important confidence to
approach the maths in year 12 without fear and undue anxiety.
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Main challenges involved in tutoring a Year 12 Maths
student
The sheer volume of work to cover may overwhelm a year 12 maths
student and make him/her difficult to tutor. Making sure that your child covers all the necessary content
with spare time for revision can be challenging. It requires effective planning and time management
which is impossible without the full co-operation of a student and commitment to completing all set
homework.
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Some good ideas on how to help your child in Year 12
Maths
You and/or the tutor should quickly pinpoint your child’s areas of
weakness in year 12 maths and even the previous years’ maths. This will make it easy to fill those gaps and
build on a better foundation. Furthermore, give your child more time for study and lots of encouragement
to see them through the last year of High School.
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