OCR a Level Further Mathematics a H245 Specification
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Qualification Accredited Oxford Cambridge and RSA A LEVEL Specification FURTHER MATHEMATICS A H245 For first assessment in 2019 Version 1.4 (February 2021) ocr.org.uk/alevelfurthermaths Disclaimer Specifications are updated over time. Whilst every effort is made to check all documents, there may be contradictions between published resources and the specification, therefore please use the information on the latest specification at all times. Where changes are made to specifications these will be indicated within the document, there will be a new version number indicated, and a summary of the changes. If you do notice a discrepancy between the specification and a resource please contact us at: [email protected] We will inform centres about changes to specifications. We will also publish changes on our website. The latest version of our specifications will always be those on our website (ocr.org.uk) and these may differ from printed versions. Registered office: The Triangle Building © 2021 OCR. All rights reserved. Shaftesbury Road Cambridge Copyright CB2 8EA OCR retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications. However, registered centres for OCR are permitted to copy material from this OCR is an exempt charity. specification booklet for their own internal use. Oxford Cambridge and RSA is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England. Registered company number 3484466. Contents 1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Further Mathematics A? 2 1a. Why choose an OCR qualification? 2 1b. Why choose an OCR A Level in Further Mathematics A? 3 1c. What are the key features of this specification? 4 1d. How do I find out more information? 5 2 The specification overview 6 2a. OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A (H245) 6 2b. Content of A Level in Further Mathematics A (H245) 7 2c. Content of Pure Core (Mandatory papers Y540 and Y541) 13 2d. Content of Statistics (Optional paper Y542) 36 2e. Content of Mechanics (Optional paper Y543) 50 2f. Content of Discrete Mathematics (Optional paper Y544) 59 2g. Content of Additional Pure Mathematics (Optional paper Y545) 77 2h. Prior knowledge, learning and progression 88 3 Assessment of A Level in Further Mathematics A 89 3a. Forms of assessment 89 3b. Assessment Objectives (AO) 91 3c. Assessment availability 92 3d. Retaking the qualification 93 3e. Assessment of extended response 93 3f. Synoptic assessment 93 3g. Calculating qualification results 93 4 Admin: what you need to know 94 4a. Pre-assessment 94 4b. Special consideration 95 4c. External assessment arrangements 95 4d. Results and certificates 95 4e. Post-results services 96 4f. Malpractice 96 5 Appendices 97 5a. Overlap with other qualifications 97 5b. Accessibility 97 5c. Mathematical notation 97 5d. Mathematical formulae and identities 103 Summary of updates 124 © OCR 2021 A Level in Further Mathematics A 1 1 Why choose an OCR A Level in Further Mathematics A? 1a. Why choose an OCR qualification? 1 Choose OCR and you’ve got the reassurance that We provide a range of support services designed you’re working with one of the UK’s leading exam to help you at every stage, from preparation through boards. Our new A Level in Mathematics course has to the delivery of our specifications. This includes: been developed in consultation with teachers, employers and Higher Education to provide learners • A wide range of high-quality creative resources with a qualification that’s relevant to them and meets including: their needs. o Delivery Guides o Transition Guides We’re part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, o Topic Exploration Packs Europe’s largest assessment agency and a o Lesson Elements department of the University of Cambridge. o …and much more. Cambridge Assessment plays a leading role in developing and delivering assessments throughout • Access to subject advisors to support you the world, operating in over 150 countries. through the transition and throughout the lifetime of the specifications. We work with a range of education providers, including schools, colleges, workplaces and other • CPD/Training for teachers including events to institutions in both the public and private sectors. introduce the qualifications and prepare you Over 13,000 centres choose our A Levels, GCSEs and for first teaching. vocational qualifications including Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals. • Active Results – our free results analysis service to help you review the performance of Our Specifications individual learners or whole schools. We believe in developing specifications that help you • ExamBuilder – our new free online past papers bring the subject to life and inspire your students to service that enables you to build your own achieve more. test papers from past OCR exam questions can be found on the website at: We’ve created teacher-friendly specifications based www.ocr.org.uk/exambuilder on extensive research and engagement with the teaching community. They’re designed to be All A level qualifications offered by OCR are straightforward and accessible so that you can tailor accredited by Ofqual, the Regulator for qualifications the delivery of the course to suit your needs. We aim offered in England. The accreditation number for to encourage learners to become responsible for their OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A is QN603/ own learning, confident in discussing ideas, 1325/0 innovative and engaged. © OCR 2021 2 A Level in Further Mathematics A 1b. Why choose an OCR A Level in Further Mathematics A? OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A is a coherent qualification. It consolidates and develops GCSE (9–1) course of study that supports the development of Mathematics and AS Level Mathematics and supports 1 mathematically informed individuals. It encourages transition to higher education or employment in any learners to think and act mathematically, using of the many disciplines that make use of quantitative mathematical skills and forms of communication to analysis, including the social sciences, business, analyse situations within mathematics and elsewhere. accounting and finance, mathematics, engineering, computer science, the sciences and economics. The course provides a balance between breadth and depth of mathematical knowledge. The pure core This qualification is part of a wide range of OCR provides the foundations for further mathematical mathematics qualifications, allowing progression study, onto which learners add two options taken from Entry Level Certificate through GCSE to Core from Statistics, Mechanics, Discrete Mathematics Maths, AS and A Level. and Additional Pure Mathematics. These options provide flexibility, allowing OCR’s A Level in Further We appreciate that one size doesn’t fit all so we Mathematics to prepare students for further study offer two suites of qualifications in mathematics and and employment in a wide range of highly further mathematics. mathematical disciplines that require knowledge and understanding of sophisticated mathematical ideas Mathematics A builds on our existing popular and techniques. course. We’ve based the redevelopment of our current suite around an understanding of what works OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A is designed well in centres and have updated areas of content for students who wish to study beyond an A Level and assessment where stakeholders have identified in Mathematics, and provides a solid foundation for that improvements could be made. We’ve undertaken progression into further study particularly in a significant amount of consultation through our mathematics, engineering, computer science, the mathematics forums (which include representatives sciences and economics. from learned societies, HE, teaching and industry) and through focus groups with teachers. OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A is both broader and deeper than A Level Mathematics. A Mathematics B (MEI) has been developed in Level Further Mathematics A builds from GCSE (9–1) collaboration with Mathematics in Education Mathematics and A Level Mathematics. As well as and Industry, and is based on the existing suite building on the algebra and calculus introduced in A of qualifications assessed by OCR. This is a well- Level Mathematics, the A Level Further Mathematics established partnership which provides a firm pure core content introduces complex numbers and foundation for curriculum and qualification matrices; fundamental mathematical ideas with wide development. MEI is a long established, independent applications in mathematics, engineering, physical curriculum development body; in developing sciences and computing. The non-core content Mathematics B (MEI), MEI has consulted with includes different options that can enable learners to teachers and representatives from Higher Education specialise in areas of mathematics that are to decide how best to meet the long term needs of particularly relevant to their interests and future learners. aspirations, and gives learners the opportunity to extend their knowledge in applied mathematics and All of our specifications have been developed with logical reasoning. subject and teaching experts. We have worked in close consultation with teachers and representatives AS Level Further Mathematics A can be co-taught from Higher Education (HE). with A Level Further Mathematics A as a separate © OCR 2021 A Level in Further Mathematics A 3 Aims and learning outcomes OCR’s A Level in Further Mathematics A will • recognise when mathematics can be used to 1 encourage learners to: analyse and solve a problem in context • understand