GCSE Foundation Maths - Area of a pyramid?

[LynetteScavo]

DDs maths homework includes questions regarding calculating the volume of pyramids. I thought the volume of a pyramid was Higher maths? She's taking the Edexcel exam if that makes any difference.

Thank you to anyone who knows the answer to this!

According to Edexcel's formula sheet it is Higher.

Formula is 1/3 x area of base x height.

Specification here:
qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/mathematics/2015/specification-and-sample-assesment/gcse-maths-2015-specification.pdf

looks like volumes of pyramids is in Foundation (G17 in spec)

She doesn't have to remember it but they could be expected to use it in a question.

Ah, there's the difference.
The formula sheet says the ones that need to be learned, but applying a given formula is easier.

It is underlined in that spec, so a higher tier thing in general.

Ah, thank you- she wasn't given the formula, but as it's homework it's not hard to Google. (She's also doing spheres and cones, and the formulae for those isn't included for Foundation or Higher, so I was really confused about that!)

It might be a few questions that she doesn't need to be able to do. The substitution into formulas is always good practice anyway.

@testing987654321

It is underlined in that spec, so a higher tier thing in general.

Underlined is included in foundation, it’s bold that isn’t. Underlined is grade 4/5 overlap sort of content. Questions will look like this with the formula given.

@noblegiraffe is it possible to to get a 4 without being able to do the underlined? DD has spent three hours with a tutor so far trying to get her head round this. The tutor now wants to move on to something else to build her confidence. DD has screamed at me that she's sorry she's so thick

So annoyed I misread that about underlining.

She can absolutely get a 4 or 5 without that particular skill. She should definitely move on to build her confidence in other areas.

Yes, she can get a 4 without being able to do that particular topic. With grade 4 students I would miss out selected topics from the syllabus anyway because it is not worth the marks to spend e.g. 2 weeks doing trigonometry to possibly pick up a few marks when those 2 weeks could be spent perfecting all the variety of percentage questions.

Some of the underlined topics are easier than others. Vectors, for example, expanding double brackets or solving an inequality.

That's helpful, thank you!