Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Further Maths A level- why?

35 replies

Tansie · 07/10/2014 14:42

Genuinely- following on from another thread about A level choice advice... or lack of!

What sort of degree pathway would make having Further Maths a good idea?

'Engineering' is apparently one- any idea what sort of Engineering?

And- stupid question alert!- Is FM higher maths than plain Maths, or just more of the same? What differentiates one from t'other?

OP posts:
blestawoya · 07/10/2014 19:17

Hi. This is all very enlightening! My DD wants to do Maths at A level and then Economics at university. Sounds as though Further Maths would be very helpful. Is it possible to do Further Maths at A level without doing Further Maths GCSE?

GeorgeHerbert · 07/10/2014 19:03

I have 2 nephews who did physics degrees. Both said that the first year would have been very very difficult without having further maths. The few people on the course who didn't had to take additional summer course in 'maths for physics'.

TalkinPeace · 07/10/2014 16:41

There is a LOT of stats and data handling in it : therefore useful for any applied engineering / maths / non medicine science degree

MelanieCheeks · 07/10/2014 16:19

Definitely physics or any related discipline like astronomy. When I did it there was a lot of advanced calculus, which is what is needed for all those degrees.

irregularegular · 07/10/2014 16:19

Well, obviously, any degree/career that relies heavily on maths.

It would be close to essential for a maths degree at a top university (though they do make allowances for students who did not have the opportunity to take FM at their school). Also extremely useful for physics, engineering, computer science, economics and (I would imagine) chemistry and more.

It's basically more advanced maths - though also allows for more breadth of topics. In the same way that A-level is more advanced than AS is more advanced than GSCE is more advanced than...And first year undergrad is more advanced than Further maths etc

JabberJabberJay · 07/10/2014 16:17

Physics, meteorology, atmospheric science. Further maths would be useful in all of these.

DeWee · 07/10/2014 16:13

Engineering, Physics based stuff, some chemistry based stuff, analysis, maths modelling, a lot of science based subjects basically will study further maths as their maths course in their first year. Dh reckoned he used a lot of stuff he'd done in further maths when he was doing some medical research for his doctorate.

It's where interesting maths starts. Grin

TeenAndTween · 07/10/2014 16:12

Well, I wouldn't have got on my Maths degree without Further Maths Grin

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 07/10/2014 14:56

I think it would be useful for most branches of engineering, also some sciences. My DC studied it and now reading economics.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/10/2014 14:46

All engineering would benefit really, but especially mechanical and electrical. It is harder (including differentiation and other calculus Wink) I think it makes the transition into a uni course which uses a lot of maths much easier.