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Maths for science and technology
You're about to start a course in science and technology and you're...
You're about to start a course in science and technology and you're wondering whether your level of maths is going to be enough to get you through. This unit will show you how to reflect on what you know, identify which skills you might need for your course, and help you to learn those skills using worked examples and activities.
- Through a number of activities, you will be taught how to reflect on the maths you need for your course, in order to identify which areas you will need to concentrate.
- Through instruction, worked examples and practice activities, you will gain an understanding of the following mathematical concepts:
- indices;
- equations and algebra;
- units, significant figures and scientific notation;
- basic trigonometry;
- logarithms.
- You will be provided with a list of references to further reading and sources of help, which can help you improve your maths skills.
- Duration: 15 hours
- Published on: Monday 7th June 2010
- Level: Introductory
- Posted under: Mathematics Education
Maths for science and technology
Introduction
How do you feel about the mathematics in your course materials? It is quite possible that you do not feel as confident as you would like. If you have not done any mathematics recently, you may feel that you need to refresh your memory or there may be a specific topic that you never really fully understood.
Other students have said:
When I'm faced with a triangle, I never know which trig ratio to use.
I'm alright until I get to the point where a question asks me to use logs to solve a problem, then my mind goes blank.
This unit is one in a series of Student Toolkits; there are others to help you with such things as note taking, essay and report writing, effective use of English, revision and examinations, and working with charts, graphs and tables.
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Copyright information
- Creative-Commons: The Open University is proud to release this free course under a Creative Commons licence. However, any third-party materials featured within it are used with permission and are not ours to give away. These materials are not subject to the Creative Commons licence. See terms and conditions. Full details can be found in the Acknowledgements section.
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