Preparing for Further Study in Mathematics

Name: Preparing for Further Study in Mathematics
Rating: 4.0 (7 reviews)

4.0 (7 reviews)

1,353 enrolled on this course

6 weeks
3 hours per week
Digital certificate when eligible
Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

Examine key mathematical concepts and theory in preparation for a maths degree

When considering a mathematics degree, people often have little idea how the subject develops from school to university and its use in professional contexts.

On this six-week course from Manchester Grammar School, you’ll be introduced to mathematical ideas you may encounter as an undergraduate, gaining an overview of higher level maths.

Explore concepts of advanced mathematics, from number theory to non Euclidean geometry

Advanced maths can open doors to many careers, including finance, engineering, and computer science.

On this course, you’ll examine advanced mathematical theory, including computability and metric spaces, and expand your understanding of mathematical analysis.

Using a case study to demonstrate your understanding of advanced maths, you’ll put your learning into practice and prove you have the necessary skills to take the next steps in your mathematical studies.

Learn how to explain complex theories, using proof of contradiction, induction, and contrapositive

In maths, proof is a series of logical steps used to verify, or disprove, a mathematical argument.

Through group discussion and a range of examples, you’ll examine the surprisingly complex nature of providing absolute proof in a mathematical context, learning how proof can be subjective.

Investigate the history of mathematics

You’ll gain a critical view of how maths has developed from ancient civilisations to modern mathematics, being able to explain key moments in mathematical development.

Using this knowledge, you’ll be able to explain the evolution of mathematical thinking and discuss the potential future of maths and its applications.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand some complex theories and concepts of advanced maths, as well as their applications in a variety of contexts.

Syllabus

Week 1
Introduction
- What is Mathematics?
  We start by looking at what we mean by Mathematics, and how this changes depending on our age and experience.
- Age-appropriate Mathematics
  How does Mathematics change as we go through the education system?
- Numbers and Notation
  An introduction to some of the notation used to describe Mathematics.
Week 2
Historical Context - Modern Maths starts in 1687?
- Classical Mathematics
  Mathematics could have come from any one of a number of civilizations around the world. Eventually, it was the Mathematics of Ancient Greece which came to have most influence on the future course of the subject.
- Newton, Leibnitz and Calculus
  The Dawn of Modern Mathematics
- Modern Mathematics
  How has Mathematics developed since 1900?
Week 3
Proof
- The History of proof
  Following on from last week, we will be having a look at how the idea of 'proof' has evolved over time. This is (surprisingly for Maths), sometimes a rather subjective idea. Let's see if we can come to a common agreement...
- Some methods of proof
  In this week, we will be looking at the idea of rigorous proof in Mathematics, and why it so vitally important to Mathematicians. We will also look at some of the common techniques used by Mathematicians.
- What makes a proof good, or bad?
  How do we know that a submitted Mathematical proof is actually rigorously correct? Here we look into some known fallacies and common misconceptions which arise all too often in Mathematics, and see how we spot them.
Week 4
Topics in Maths 1
- Analysis
  We briefly met Analysis when we talked about Calculus in Week 2. This section will give you a flavour of how precise work needs to be in professional Mathematics.
- Group Theory
  A brief introduction to Group Theory - explaining what a Group is and why it is important in Mathematics.
- Number Theory
  In this hour, we have a look at some of the advanced Mathematics that can be done, using the simple ideas of natural numbers.
Week 5
Topics in Maths 2
- Computability
  The idea of Computability predates computing machines, though not by much. It is a mixture of the practical and very abstract, and is a relatively modern area of Mathematics.
- Metric Spaces
  This is an example of the kind of Mathematics which is produced by generalising the rules followed by a familiar concept - in this case, distance.
- Non-Euclidean Geometry
  A look at what happens if we play with the rules of Euclidean Geometry
Week 6
Some Real Mathematics
- Some Real Problems
  Some real problems from post-school Mathematics. Some proofs are given, some are indicated and some unsolved problems are posed!
- Further Resources
  If you have enjoyed some (or all) of the topics covered in this course you might like to use some of the following resources to continue your studies...
- Thank You
  A thank you from your course creators!

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Explore the history of Mathematics.
Appreciate the need for precision and clarity in mathematics at a higher level.
Develop an understanding of a selection of topics in higher mathematics.
Produce a piece of work exploring an aspect of modern maths and understand its importance.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for those considering an undergraduate degree in mathematics. It’s also suitable for anyone interested in situating mathematics into a historical and cultural framework.

Who will you learn with?

Andrew Pargeter-Davies

I completed a BSc At Leeds University and spent three years working on research in Functional Analysis at Sheffield University. I have been involved in teaching Mathematics for the last 30 years.

David Naughton

I studied pure Mathematics at the University of Manchester, getting a PhD in Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems in 2014. I have taught Mathematics for 8 years.

Who developed the course?

Manchester Grammar School

Our history dates back to the time of Henry VIII, when The Manchester Grammar School was founded in 1515 by Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, to provide ‘godliness and good learning’ to the poor boys of Manchester.

The School proceeded to build a reputation as one of the country’s leading educational establishments, a position it still holds today as an independent day school.


Ways to learn	Buy this course	Subscribe & save	Limited access
Choose the best way to learn for you!	$104/one-off payment	$39.99/month Automatically renews	Free
	Fulfill your current learning need	Develop skills to further your career	Sample the course materials
Access to this course	tick	tick	Access expires 28 May 2024
Access to 1,000+ courses	cross	tick	cross
Learn at your own pace	tick	tick	cross
Discuss your learning in comments	tick	tick	tick
Certificate when you're eligible	Printed and digital	Digital only	cross
	Continue & Upgrade
		Cancel for free anytime

Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

Access to this course
Access to 1,000+ courses
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$104/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

Access to this course
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Continue & Upgrade

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

Access expires 28 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn