Paul Smith

@MathsDotScot I find that 'Fraction of a circle' is easier to explain and to learn: it ties in with geometry instead of learning yet another opaque formula. It may be 'harder' in a few cases, but those cases connect nicely with solving equtions with factions.

N5 Arcs & Sectors I prefer “sector equals fraction of circle” to the ratio approach that, I concede, connects with the sine rule and probably made 2024 P2 Q15 easier. It’s a philosophical preference, really. I’d rather maximise understanding, even if it’s “harder”. Thoughts?

Teaching finding stationary points via differentiation today, I decided to only teach them how to find the x and then y-values, and let them practise that process. Next lesson I'll just teach about completing nature tables: tes.com/resource-detai…

Here's my expressions round from our department's mathematical Christmas quiz. Share and enjoy!

Some practice for the kinds of Higher Circle questions that pupils find hard. Because, as @mrallanmaths points out, it's really just S1/2 geometry questions. Feel free to use with either year group! tes.com/resource-detai…

I made this towards the end of our topic on quadrilaterals (and they had previously done circles). Pupils always need more practice of working backwards, and this worked well: the difficulty ramps up nicely. Worksheet with answers is at tes.com/resource-detai…

@MrSMaths11 Those look great! Thank you for sharing.

New resources! Linear and quadratic equations from Pythagoras. swintonmaths.co.uk/wp-content/upl… swintonmaths.co.uk/wp-content/upl…

@mrwatkinsmaths Thank you! I've wanted something like that too - and it's arrived just in time for me to use it this week.

I'd always wanted a worksheet that mixed together parabolas, trig graphs and straight lines so pupils could attend to the differences and similarities. So I made one. Version A: drive.google.com/file/d/1Er2xym…, Version B: drive.google.com/file/d/1EtiYQ6…

@ChrisMcGrane84 @mathsjem Just what I need for my Nat 5 class, thanks. They'll benefit from not having to (yet) find the turning point.

@MrsSCantley @onechriswhite @hartmaths @mathsjem Thanks - that line has been modified on the version on TES.

@drpas1001 @onechriswhite @hartmaths @mathsjem Could you say “into a quadratic equation written in the form ax^2+bx+c=0”. They’ll see this as the ‘standard form’ when applying the quadratic formula. Great resource though for exactly this level of challenge.

#mathstlp My Yr 10s are working at Grades 4-6 and we're doing quadratics. I want them to form equs to solve eg with rectangle areas. The 2 great resources on forming quadratics (Don donsteward.blogspot.com/2013/02/form-a…) & Maths4Everyone tes.com/teaching-resou…) are too tricky. Any ideas?

@onechriswhite @hartmaths @mathsjem I have no problem with pedants. Do you have a better suggestion? (I also wondered about that phrase when writing it, but since in Scotland we refer to Standard Index Form as Scientific Notation I thought I woudl be safe...)

@drpas1001 @hartmaths @mathsjem Could I be a real pedant and say that the use of “standard form” would trigger my lot! Thanks though this is a great resource.

@ChrisMcGrane84 Thanks! (and I didn't notice either, when I read your book - I've forgotten about writing most of those Higher tasks)

@ChrisMcGrane84 @ChrisMcGrane84 I have a set of separate Powerpint files in a folder - would you like me to send them to you?

@mathsjem Here's the TES link: tes.com/resource-detai…

@mathsjem I made this up last week to tackle exactly that issue with my bottom set. I'll put it up on TES when I get a chance.

@MrScottKing @edsouthall Scottish S2 (age 14). Most pupils here wouldn't meet negative indices for at least another year.

This pupil answered a reverse percentages question with a method that I'd never thought of, but which makes perfect sense. They've just invented negative indices with a 'real' context.

@draustinmaths I love the challenge - it will be great for my class after Easter.

New resources on volume and surface area ready for Year 8 next term: ⭐️ Practice strips for surface areas of cuboids, prisms and cylinders ⭐️ Match-up for cuboids ⭐️ Crack the code for prisms ⭐️ Volumes of cuboids challenge All free at draustinmaths.com #mathscpdchat

New! My 156th gems post. Ideas, resources and updates for maths teachers. 💎 resourceaholic.com/2022/04/5-math… Hat tips to follow! #mathsgems #mathschat #teammaths

@mathycathy @Desmos Thanks! I'd had the same idea about making a Desmos version - it would be a great way to be able to see _every_ pupil's idea to then compare and contrast, especially if you challenge them to try to be unusual.

@drpas1001 Ooooo! Love this! I did something similar with volume several years back, and threw it into a @Desmos activity. It was really fun to be able to showcase student sketches from the whole class by projecting the Teacher Dashboard! #iteachmath Check it out: teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilde…

So I had this idea for a worksheet. Any suggestions before I try it out on pupils next week?

Get the pdf version of the sheet here tes.com/resource-detai… 4/4

As a starter we did this great task from @giftedHKO, which had them already thinking about pairs. 3/4

So this task was great today - lots of engagement and rich discussion. 1/4