John Rubinstein

@missradders.bsky.social Nice maths Q on Only Connect (if you are still collecting them).

Came across this quote today from St Augustine: “The good Christian should beware the mathematician and all those who make empty promises. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of hell.”

Does anyone teach row reduction as a method for finding the inverse of a 3x3 matrix? This is the method I was brought up with (SMP A level maths many years ago). It is never mentioned in specs and mark schemes but I assume it’s an acceptable method? #ALevelMaths #FurtherMaths

I was cycling to work this morning and as I came to a crossroads, I noticed another cyclist coming toward me on the other side. He waited at the red light and then set off when it turned green. I make a habit of writing down rare or notable events.

Why has Piddington declared itself a principality? Doesn’t it need a prince for that?

Interesting article

Has anyone researched the latest ‘best place to buy calculators’ before I do? #ALevelMaths

Anyone around north London can teach A level maths for a few days at an outstanding sixth form college in Harrow on the Hill? Their results were fab, and they are massively over subscribed and maths numbers are bouncing ... I taught there three years myself, brilliant place to teach. #ALevelMaths

BBC are reporting the regional gap in A Level results, saying it’s a post code lottery, that some students are doing worse just because of where they live, implying some regions just have worse schools. Surely that’s facile. The regional differences are driven by demographic differences.

Lucy Powell 2 Esther Phillipson 0

Email comes from a Year 13 A level maths student who is on holiday abroad somewhere. Not quite sure how to answer …

@hcsstweets.bsky.social Do you know: have City done enough business to avoid the points deduction?

So, Edexcel paper 3 looks reasonable. A bit weird that they specified vertical resolving in the inclined plane question (an ‘or otherwise’ would have been nice) but overall no complaints. Some students say the stats was harder and some say the mechanics, and that’s a good sign.

My new favourite LDS question: What is the modal value of daily rainfall in Jacksonville in 1987? #ALevelMaths

Edexcel Paper 2 looks a good paper and exactly in line with our expectations in terms of content (unlike last year). #ALevelMaths

Reaction online says that Edexcel Paper 2 was much easier than paper 1. But one mention that there were three logarithmic modelling questions raises my suspicions. I wonder if they did another late paper substitution? Easy to do as the maths exam papers only reach schools the day before the exam.

You don’t protest by setting buses on fire. You’re a rioter. You don’t protest by setting refugees’ houses on fire and attacking black people in the street. You’re a racist. You aren’t on the right side of history by staying silent whilst these facists rise. Speak up. You too, Keir.

Some of my students pointing out that two questions on the Edexcel Paper 1 yesterday are identical to Madasmaths questions. I guess Edexcel examiners were bound to run out of ideas eventually. #Alevelmaths

Having seen the Edexcel Paper 1 now, I don’t think it is as hard as people are saying. Also not sure about some people’s topic lists for paper 2. Bicen says integration by substitution definite for paper 2 but see Q10c on paper 1. Will try to produce something in coming days. #ALevelMaths

Wembley! Up the Hull!

I like to give my students in #ALevelMaths numerical answers and not full mark schemes. Yesterday I compiled a long set of revision questions for core pure and uploaded them to ChatGPT. It gave me numerical answers in about one minute, saving me a lot of time. (I wonder if they are all correct?)

Edexcel Core Pure 2 paper likely topics #ALevelMaths

Edexcel Core Pure 1 sounds like it was okay, but I don’t get to see the paper until tomorrow.

Nice quadratic inequality question, at least I like it. #ALevelMaths

My Y12s were doing their test corrections in class today. They were all writing in green ink. I told them I was impressed with their training but I don’t actually care what colour pens they use. Shocked, they asked what Ofsted would say. I was an Ofsted inspector 12 years … #ALevelMaths #mathstoday

Would you say that the area between curve and y-axis being calculated as integral of xdy is on the A level spec? #ALevelMaths

Warm-up questions for (Edexcel) Core Pure Maths. I intend to print on A3 and give them to students on the morning of 14th May. #ALevelMaths drive.google.com/file/d/1X9fZ...

New research from the Institute shows that setting > mixed-ability in maths. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Just checking, if anyone who does Edexcel Further #ALevelMaths could confirm: am I right in thinking that this question is not on the Core Pure syllabus? It came from madasmaths.

@hcsstweets.bsky.social With Wrexham losing, I reckon City qualify for the play-offs if they win 3 of their last 4 games. And probably, as several top teams play each other, they can fall a little short of that.

@tommctague.bsky.social Great editor’s note (as always the article I look forward to most) but for one thing. Durham is lovely but not God’s own country, which is very much Yorkshire.

I’m in love with these photos by Misan Harriman at a free exhibition at Hope 93 (on Eastcastle Street just behind Oxford Street).

@jvl.org.uk No Jewish bloc at the antiwar march today 😢

In #MathsToday I am marking #ALevelMaths mock Stats papers and getting depressed. Students seem incapable of giving contextual replies in plain English.

*unless in Minnesota

Hang on …. Cambridge maths applicants will have to take both TMUA and STEP?! Three entrance exams?! #ALevelMaths

If you have MUBI, watch the Spanish series ‘The New Years’. It’s the best thing I have watched on TV for a long time. Worth signing up to MUBI to binge it.

For anyone interested in history/WW2 or stories of real people going through extraordinary times, sometimes shocking and often moving, this is a fantastic book. Just finished it but going to call it one of my favourite reads in 2025.

@mrsmaths.bsky.social My students have been working their way though your further maths practice core pure papers as a revision (double) lesson before their mocks. Absolutely brilliant questions: thank you so much.

In #MathsToday I gave my further #ALevelMaths students a vectors worksheet to do as revision for forthcoming mocks. I accidentally used a set of questions they had previously done as homework but no one noticed!

Just finished the fourth and last episode of Trespasses on Channel 4. Excellent. I recommend it.

Apart from madasmaths, where is the best place to find very hard exam-style questions for (Edexcel) Further Maths? #ALevelMaths #MathsToday

@andrewhickey.500songs.com Interesting documentary last night on Sky Arts ‘I was a teenage Sex Pistol’, Glen Matlock’s story. A lot of talking heads and clips. A well done, informative and entertaining story. Still available on catch up.

This may have come up before but is is arccotx or arcotx? #AlevelMaths #MathsToday

And breathe

I am teaching differentiation practical problems at the moment and wondering which area/volume formulae students need to know. For example, surface area of a cone? Is there a list somewhere of assumed knowledge for #AlevelMaths ? #MathsToday