This Nuffield Advanced Mathematics option consisted of two units of work on different themes. A likely model for coursework was that students would develop an aspect of interest from one of the themes into a longer project.

This activity asks students to plan and carry out an investigation to test the suitability of materials to absorb or insulate sound and to identify what other variables need to be considered when choosing a material to use in a building. Students also consider whether a...

This resource shows how you can successfully lift a person off the ground using two cordless leaf blowers, problem-solving skills and some STEM knowledge: the same knowledge and skills that are used to design hovercraft.

Curriculum links include:

forces ...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), introduces students to the differences between analogue and digital communication. An analogue signal can be rendered useless by small amounts of interference, whereas a digital signal remains...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), introduces students to a mathematical solution to code breaking using a simple substitution code. Students make a survey using the frequency of letters in English sentences, match up an encoded...

Movies are amazing: a good movie can make you laugh, cry or jump in surprise. But how do they do it? The music you are listening to plays a big part. This programme investigates the design and technology that goes into making movies sound good – from understanding how soundtracks can make you feel a particular...

This resource looks at the effective use of low energy light bulbs and how they have enabled the waterfront at Durban in South Africa to be transformed. The first activity sets the scene by showing how lighting is not only a technical process but has a social impact too. It then presents students with the challenge...

Climate change has increased heat waves and drought on land, and doubled the probability of marine heatwaves around most of Africa. This resource contains a PowerPoint presentation, a graphing skills activity drawing and interpreting line graphs and a spreadsheet containing data. This is a good source of material...

This activity booklet uses the real life context of air traffic control using radar signals to identify the position of an aeroplane that students act out. It provides them with an opportunity to use their knowledge of waves and speed = distance / time to calibrate and calculate the distance a plane is from the...

A report from the National Curriculum Council (NCC). In January 1991 the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced an urgent review of the attainment targets in mathematics because:
• the structure of the 14 targets was proving an obstacle to...

Opportunities for engineers exist at all levels and these career route maps from Neon show various routes through education and training to become a professional engineer in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Due to problems in the manufacture of tinplate coils, the edge of the strip can be slightly longer than the centre. This causes a 'wave' on the wall of the coil but can be rectified by differentially stretching the strip to make the edges flat. Students are required to apply Pythagoras' theorem to find the radius...

This investigation looks at two mirrors fixed at a point. A ray of light enters the set-up, bounces around and then exits along the same path. The task is to find the angle between the mirrors....

This resource, from the Royal Institution, includes an example of a school outing that centres on mathematics. A trip to famous London buildings provides a natural context to integrate mathematics, engineering and technology. Creativity and knowledge are used to address energy efficiency issues, touch on topics...

This report from Professor Adrian Smith’s inquiry into post–14 mathematics was published in February 2004 and investigated why the UK was not meeting the demand for graduates and postgraduates in strongly mathematically oriented subjects.