Mathematics

(NORMAL TECHNICAL)
GCE Normal Level
(Syllabus T 4043)

CONTENTS
Page
GCE NORMAL LEVEL SYLLABUS T MATHEMATICS 4043 1
MATHEMATICAL FORMULAE 11
MATHEMATICAL NOTATION 12
 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

AIMS
The syllabus is intended to provide students with the fundamental mathematical knowledge
and skills to prepare them for technical- or service-oriented education.

The general aims of the syllabus are to enable students to:

1. acquire the necessary mathematical concepts and skills for continuous learning in
mathematics and related disciplines, and for applications to the real world;

2. develop the necessary process skills for the acquisition and application of
mathematical concepts and skills;

3. develop the mathematical thinking and problem solving skills and apply these skills to
formulate and solve problems;

4. recognise and use connections among mathematical ideas, and between

mathematics and other disciplines;

5. develop positive attitudes towards mathematics;

6. make effective use of a variety of mathematical tools (including information and

communication technology tools) in the learning and application of mathematics;

7. produce imaginative and creative work arising from mathematical ideas;

8. develop the abilities to reason logically, to communicate mathematically, and to learn

cooperatively and independently.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
The assessment will test candidates’ abilities to:

AO1 understand and use mathematical concepts and skills in a variety of contexts;

AO2 organise and analyse data and information; formulate problems into mathematical
terms and select and apply appropriate techniques of solution;

AO3 apply mathematics in practical situations; interpret mathematical results and make
inferences.

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT

Paper Duration Description Marks Weighting

There will be 8–10 short questions

carrying 2–5 marks followed by 3 long
questions carrying 6–8 marks.

Candidates are required to answer all

questions which will cover topics from the
strands:
Paper 1 1½ h 50 50%
• Numbers and Algebra
• Geometry and Measurement
• Integrative Contexts (see 4.1 of
Content Outline) related to Numbers
and Algebra and Geometry and
Measurement

There will be 8–10 short questions

carrying 2–5 marks followed by 3 long
questions carrying 6–8 marks.

Candidates are required to answer all

questions which will cover topics from the
strands:
Paper 2 1½ h 50 50%
• Numbers and Algebra
• Statistics and Probability
• Integrative Contexts (see 4.1 of
Content Outline) related to Numbers
and Algebra and Statistics and
Probability

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

NOTES
1. Omission of essential working will result in loss of marks.
2. Relevant mathematical formulae will be provided for candidates.
3. Scientific calculators are allowed in both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
4. Candidates should have geometrical instruments with them for Paper 1.
5. Unless stated otherwise within a question, three-figure accuracy will be required for
answers. This means that four-figure accuracy should be shown throughout the
working, including cases where answers are used in subsequent parts of the
question. Premature approximation will be penalised, where appropriate. Angles in
degrees should be given to 1 decimal place.
6. SI units will be used in questions involving mass and measures.
Both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock may be used for quoting times of the day. In the
24-hour clock, for example, 3.15 a.m. will be denoted by 03 15; 3.15 p.m. by 15 15,
noon by 12 00 and midnight by 24 00.
7. Candidates are expected to be familiar with the solidus notation for the expression of
compound units, e.g. 5 cm/s for 5 centimetres per second, 13.6 g/cm3 for 13.6 grams
per cubic centimetre.
8. Unless the question requires the answer in terms of π , the calculator value for π or
π = 3.142 should be used.
9. Spaces will be provided in each question paper for working and answers.

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

CONTENT OUTLINE
∗ The syllabus consists of three content strands, namely, ‘Numbers and Algebra’,
‘Geometry and Measurement’, and ‘Statistics and Probability’, and a context strand
called ‘Integrative Contexts’.
∗ Application of mathematics is an important emphasis of the content strands. The
approach to teaching should involve meaningful contexts so that students can see and
appreciate the relevance and applications of mathematics in their daily life and the world
around them.
∗ ‘Integrative Contexts’ are realistic contexts that naturally have practical applications of
Mathematics, and the Mathematics can come from any part of the ‘Content Outline’.

Topic/Sub-topics Content
1 NUMBERS AND
ALGEBRA
1.1 Numbers and the Include:
four operations • negative numbers, integers, and their four operations
• four operations on fractions and decimals (including negative fractions
and decimals)
• calculations with the use of a calculator, including squares, cubes,
square roots and cube roots
• representation and ordering of numbers on the number line
• use of the symbols <, >, Y, ğ
• rounding off numbers to a required number of decimal places or
significant figures
• estimating the results of computation
• use of index notation for integer powers
• examples of very large and very small numbers such as
mega/million (106), giga/billion (109), tera/trillion (1012),
micro (10-6), nano (10-9) and pico (10-12)
• use of standard form A × 10n , where n is an integer, and 1 Y A < 10

Exclude:
• use of the terms ‘rational numbers’, ‘irrational numbers’ and ‘real
numbers’
• primes and prime factorisation
• fractional indices and surds

1.2 Ratio, rate and Include:

proportion • comparison between two or more quantities by ratio
• dividing a quantity in a given ratio
• ratios involving fractions and decimals
• equivalent ratios
• writing a ratio in its simplest form
• rates and average rates (including the concepts of speed and average
speed)
• conversion of units
• map scales (distance and area)
• direct and inverse proportion
• problems involving ratio, rate and proportion

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
1.3 Percentage Include:
• expressing percentage as a fraction or decimal
• finding the whole given a percentage part
• expressing one quantity as a percentage of another
• comparing two quantities by percentage
• percentages greater than 100%
• finding one quantity given the percentage and the other quantity
• increasing/decreasing a quantity by a given percentage
• finding percentage increase/decrease
• problems involving percentages
1.4 Algebraic Include:
representation • using letters to represent numbers
and formulae • interpreting notations:
∗ ab as a × b
∗ a as a ÷ b
b
∗ a2 as a × a, a3 as a × a × a, a2b as a × a × b, …
∗ 3y as y + y + y or 3 × y
3 ± y as (3 ± y) ÷ 5 or 1 × 3± y
∗
5 5
( )
• evaluation of algebraic expressions and formulae
• translation of simple real-world situations into algebraic expressions
• recognising and representing number patterns (including finding an
algebraic expression for the nth term)
1.5 Algebraic Include:
manipulation • addition and subtraction of linear algebraic expressions
• simplification of linear algebraic expressions, e.g.
_ 2(3 x _ 5) + 4 x , 2 x − 3(x − 5 )
3 2
• expansion of the product of two linear algebraic expressions
• multiplication and division of simple algebraic fractions, e.g.
 3a  5ab  2
   , 3a ÷ 9a
 4b2   3  4 10
• changing the subject of a simple formula
• finding the value of an unknown quantity in a given formula
• factorisation of linear algebraic expressions of the form
∗ ax + ay (where a is a constant)
∗ ax + bx + kay + kby (where a, b and k are constants)
• factorisation of quadratic expressions of the form x 2 + px + q

Exclude:
• use of special products:
(a ± b)2 = a2 ± 2ab + b2
2 2
a – b = (a + b)(a – b)
factorisation of algebraic expressions of the form
2 2 2 2
∗ a x –b y
∗ a2 ± 2ab + b2
∗ ax 2 + bx + c , where a ≠ 1
• addition and subtraction of algebraic fractions

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
Include:
1.6 Functions and
graphs • cartesian coordinates in two dimensions
• graph of a set of ordered pairs
• linear relationships between two variables (linear functions)
• the gradient of a linear graph as the ratio of the vertical change to the
horizontal change (positive and negative gradients)
• graphs of linear equations in two unknowns
• graphs of quadratic functions and their properties
∗ positive or negative coefficient of x 2
∗ maximum and minimum points
∗ symmetry

Exclude sketching of graphs of quadratic functions.

Include:
1.7 Solutions of
equations • solving linear equations in one unknown (including fractional
coefficients)
• formulating a linear equation in one unknown to solve problems
• solving simple fractional equations that can be reduced to linear
equations, e.g.
x + x _2 = 3
3 4
3 =6
x_2
• solving simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns by
∗ substitution and elimination methods
∗ graphical method
• solving quadratic equations in one unknown by use of formula
• formulating a quadratic equation in one unknown or a pair of linear
equations in two unknowns to solve problems

Exclude solving quadratic equations by:

• method of completing the square
• graphical methods

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
2 GEOMETRY AND
MEASUREMENT
2.1 Angles, triangles Include:
and quadrilaterals • right, acute, obtuse and reflex angles, complementary and
supplementary angles, vertically opposite angles, adjacent angles on a
straight line, adjacent angles at a point, interior and exterior angles
• angles formed by two parallel lines and a transversal: corresponding
angles, alternate angles, interior angles
• properties of triangles and special quadrilaterals
• classifying special quadrilaterals on the basis of their properties
• properties of perpendicular bisectors of line segments and angle
bisectors
• construction of simple geometrical figures from given data (including
perpendicular bisectors and angle bisectors) using compasses, ruler,
set squares and protractor where appropriate

Exclude properties of polygons.

2.2 Congruence, Include:

similarity and • congruent figures and similar figures
transformations • properties of similar polygons:
∗ corresponding angles are equal
∗ corresponding sides are proportional
• drawing on square grids the following transformations of simple plane
figures
∗ reflection about a given horizontal or vertical line
∗ rotation about a given point through multiples of 90°
clockwise/anticlockwise
∗ translation represented by a given translation arrow
∗ enlargement by a simple scale factor such as 1 , 2 and 3, given
2
the centre of enlargement
• scale drawings

Exclude:
• use of coordinates
• negative scale factors

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
2.3 Symmetry, Include:
tessellations and • line and rotational symmetry of plane figures
projections • order of rotational symmetry
• identifying the unit figure(s) of a tessellation and continuing a
tessellation
• orthographic projection drawings, including plan (top view), front, left
and right views

Exclude symmetry of solids

2.4 Pythagoras’ Include:

theorem and • use of Pythagoras’ theorem
trigonometry • determining whether a triangle is right-angled given the lengths of
three sides
• use of trigonometric ratios (sine, cosine and tangent) of acute angles
to calculate unknown sides and angles in right-angled triangles
(including problems involving angles of elevation and depression)
1
• use of the formula ab sinC for the area of a triangle (extending sine
2
to obtuse angles)

Exclude:
• sine rule and cosine rule
• bearings

2.5 Mensuration Include:

1
• area of triangle as × base × height
2
• area and circumference of circle
• area of parallelogram and trapezium
• problems involving perimeter and area of composite plane figures
• visualising and sketching cube, cuboid, prism, cylinder, pyramid, cone
and sphere (including use of nets to visualise the surface area of
these solids, where applicable)
• volume and surface area of cube, cuboid, prism, cylinder, pyramid,
cone and sphere
• conversion between cm2 and m2, and between cm3 and m3
• problems involving volume and surface area of composite solids
• arc length and sector area as fractions of the circumference and area
of a circle

Exclude the radian measure of angle.

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
3 STATISTICS AND
PROBABILITY
3.1 Data handling Include:
• data collection methods such as:
∗ taking measurements
∗ conducting surveys
∗ classifying data
∗ reading results of observations/outcomes of events
• construction and interpretation of:
∗ tables
∗ bar graphs
∗ pictograms
∗ line graphs
∗ pie charts
∗ histograms
• purposes and use, advantages and disadvantages of the different
forms of statistical representations
• drawing simple inference from statistical diagrams

Exclude histograms with unequal intervals.

3.2 Data analysis Include:

• interpretation and analysis of dot diagrams

• purposes and use of averages: mean, mode and median
• calculations of mean, mode and median for a set of ungrouped data
• percentiles, quartiles, range and interquartile range
• interpretation and analysis of cumulative frequency diagrams

3.3 Probability Include:

• probability as a measure of chance

• probability of single events (including listing all the possible outcomes
in a simple chance situation to calculate the probability)

Exclude probability of combined events: P(A and B), P(A or B)

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

Topic/Sub-topics Content
4 INTEGRATIVE
CONTEXTS
4.1 Problems derived Include:
from practical • practical situations such as
real-life situations ∗ profit and loss
∗ simple interest and compound interest
∗ household finance (earnings, expenditures, budgeting, etc.)
∗ payment/subscription rates (hire-purchase, utilities bills, etc.)
∗ money exchange
∗ time schedules (including 24-hour clock) and time zone variation
∗ designs (tiling patterns, models/structures, maps and plans,
packagings, etc.)
∗ everyday statistics (sport/game statistics, household and market
surveys, etc.)
• tasks involving:
∗ use of data from tables and charts
∗ interpretation and use of graphs in practical situations
∗ drawing graphs from given data
∗ creating geometrical patterns and designs
∗ interpretation and use of quantitative information

Exclude use of the terms percentage profit and percentage loss

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 4043 MATHEMATICS N LEVEL (2010)

MATHEMATICAL FORMULAE
Note:
Below is the list of formulae for Paper 1. For Paper 2, only the section on Numbers
and Algebra will be given.

Numbers and Algebra

Compound interest
n
Total amount = P 1+ r 
 100 

Quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0

_ b ± b2 _ 4ac
x=
2a

Geometry and Measurement

Curved surface area of a cone = πrl

Surface area of a sphere = 4πr 2

Volume of a cone = 1 πr 2h
3

Volume of a pyramid = 1 × base area × height

3

Volume of a sphere = 4 πr 3
3

1
Area of triangle ABC = ab sinC
2
C
a
b
B
c
A

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 MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

The list which follows summarises the notation used in the Syndicate’s Mathematics
examinations. Although primarily directed towards A Level, the list also applies, where
relevant, to examinations at all other levels.

1. Set Notation

∈ is an element of
∉ is not an element of
{x1, x2, …} the set with elements x1, x2, …
{x: …} the set of all x such that
n(A) the number of elements in set A
∅ the empty set
universal set
A′ the complement of the set A
 the set of integers, {0, ±1, ±2, ±3, …}
+
 the set of positive integers, {1, 2, 3, …}
 the set of rational numbers
+
 the set of positive rational numbers, {x ∈ : x > 0}
+
0 the set of positive rational numbers and zero, {x ∈ : x [ 0}
 the set of real numbers
+
 the set of positive real numbers, {x ∈ : x > 0}
+
0 the set of positive real numbers and zero, {x ∈ : x [ 0}
n the real n tuples
`= the set of complex numbers
⊆ is a subset of
⊂ is a proper subset of
is not a subset of

is not a proper subset of

∪ union
∩ intersection
[a, b] the closed interval {x ∈: a Y x Y b}

[a, b) the interval {x ∈: a Y x < b}

(a, b] the interval {x ∈: a < x Y b}

(a, b) the open interval {x ∈: a < x < b}

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 MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

2. Miscellaneous Symbols

= is equal to
≠ is not equal to
≡ is identical to or is congruent to
≈ is approximately equal to
∝ is proportional to
< is less than
Y; — is less than or equal to; is not greater than
> is greater than
[; – is greater than or equal to; is not less than
∞ infinity

3. Operations

a+b a plus b
a–b a minus b
a × b, ab, a.b a multiplied by b
a
a ÷ b, , a/b a divided by b
b

a:b the ratio of a to b

n

∑a
i =1
i a1 + a2 + ... + an

√a the positive square root of the real number a

a the modulus of the real number a

n! n factorial for n ∈ + U {0}, (0! = 1)

n n!
  the binomial coefficient , for n, r ∈ + U {0}, 0 Y r Y n
r r! (n − r )!
n(n − 1)...(n − r + 1)
, for n ∈ , r ∈ +U {0}
r!

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 MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

4. Functions

f function f
f(x) the value of the function f at x
f: A →B f is a function under which each element of set A has an image in set B
f: x
y the function f maps the element x to the element y
–1
f the inverse of the function f
g o f, gf the composite function of f and g which is defined by
(g o f)(x) or gf(x) = g(f(x))

lim f(x) the limit of f(x) as x tends to a

x→ a

∆x ; δx an increment of x
dy
the derivative of y with respect to x
dx
dn y
the nth derivative of y with respect to x
dx n
f'(x), f′′(x), …, f(n)(x) the first, second, … nth derivatives of f(x) with respect to x

∫ ydx indefinite integral of y with respect to x

b
∫ ydx
a
the definite integral of y with respect to x for values of x between a and b

x& , &x& , … the first, second, …derivatives of x with respect to time

5. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

e base of natural logarithms

x
e , exp x exponential function of x
log a x logarithm to the base a of x
ln x natural logarithm of x
lg x logarithm of x to base 10

6. Circular Functions and Relations

sin, cos, tan,

cosec, sec, cot
} the circular functions
sin–1, cos–1, tan–1
cosec–1, sec–1, cot–1
} the inverse circular functions

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 MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

7. Complex Numbers

i square root of –1
z a complex number, z = x + iy
= r(cos θ + i sin θ ), r ∈ 0+
= reiθ, r ∈ 0+

Re z the real part of z, Re (x + iy) = x

Im z the imaginary part of z, Im (x + iy) = y
z the modulus of z, x + iy = √(x2 + y2), r (cosθ + i sinθ ) = r

arg z the argument of z, arg(r(cos θ + i sin θ )) = θ , – π < θ Y π

z* the complex conjugate of z, (x + iy)* = x – iy

8. Matrices

M a matrix M
–1
M the inverse of the square matrix M
MT the transpose of the matrix M
det M the determinant of the square matrix M

9. Vectors

a the vector a

AB the vector represented in magnitude and direction by the directed line segment AB
â a unit vector in the direction of the vector a
i, j, k unit vectors in the directions of the cartesian coordinate axes
a the magnitude of a

AB the magnitude of AB

a.b the scalar product of a and b

aP b the vector product of a and b

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 MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

10. Probability and Statistics

A, B, C, etc. events
A∪B union of events A and B
A∩B intersection of the events A and B
P(A) probability of the event A
A' complement of the event A, the event ‘not A’
P(A | B) probability of the event A given the event B
X, Y, R, etc. random variables
x, y, r, etc. value of the random variables X, Y, R, etc.
x1 , x 2 , … observations

f1 , f 2 ,… frequencies with which the observations, x1, x2 …occur

p(x) the value of the probability function P(X = x) of the discrete random variable X
p1 , p 2 … probabilities of the values x1 , x 2 , …of the discrete random variable X

f(x), g(x)… the value of the probability density function of the continuous random variable X

F(x), G(x)… the value of the (cumulative) distribution function P(X Y x) of the random variable X
E(X) expectation of the random variable X
E[g(X)] expectation of g(X)
Var(X) variance of the random variable X
B(n, p) binominal distribution, parameters n and p
Po(µ) Poisson distribution, mean µ
N(µ, σ2) normal distribution, mean µ and variance σ
2

µ population mean
2
σ population variance
σ population standard deviation
x sample mean
s2 unbiased estimate of population variance from a sample,

1
∑( x − x )
2
s2 =
n −1

φ probability density function of the standardised normal variable with distribution N (0, 1)
Φ corresponding cumulative distribution function
ρ linear product-moment correlation coefficient for a population
r linear product-moment correlation coefficient for a sample

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