Functions
Functions in year 12 is an extension of the work that you have currently done in year 11. Just as a reminder, understanding functions will enable you to recognise and generalise connections between the same expressions while looking at the dependent and independent variables.
Have you managed to use functions to predict your HSC mark? How much work do you really need to put into maths to get that mark that you absolutely need? Give it a try.
Trigonometric Functions
Yep, they are still here and not going anywhere - that is sin, cos and tan, cosec, sec, cot. Like it or not, there is a little bit more to do on trigonometric functions. Just as a recap from year 11, trigonometric functions are mathematical models that describe the behaviours of many naturally occurring periodic phenomena, such as vibrations or waves as well as oscillatory behaviour found in pendulums, electric currents and radio signals.
Calculus
How did you go in year 11 Calculus You were only just getting started. Knowing the rules and processes from year 11 will significantly help you out in year 12 Calculus. We dive a bit deeper in the differentiation, look at the applications of differentiation and then look at the opposite of differentiation - that being integration or anti-differentiation.
Calculus is used to solve real life problems and to predict outcomes in fields such as biomathematics, economics, engineering and the construction industry. Not interested in these fields, then you need to know calculus for all your exams for the next 12 months. Look at questions 11-15 in the past HSC papers - these are mostly made up of the calculus questions. Lots of little marks definitely add up to a great score at the end.
Financial Mathematics
You will learn how to apply sequences and series and their application to financial situations. Again, very rule based so its important to understand the simple rules when it comes to financial mathematics.
You may often draw on your financial mathematics when you leave school - to make sure that making informed financial decisions and be aware of these decisions that you make - what are the consequences if you don't pay the bank back?
Statistical Analysis
Yep - still here. Statistical analysis in year 12. As a refresher, statistical analysis involves the exploration, display, analysis and interpretation of data to identify and communicate key information. Be guaranteed that you WILL be asked a question about statistics within the HSC - this is a very popular questions with many marks awarded.
Basically you will need to describe and apply statistical techniques in order to analyse current situations or to predict future outcomes. Statistics are used in every day life - did you every watch any updates on COVID in the media? Businesses, scientific investigators and policy makers are always using statistics to make informed decisions so it is literally used in every day life.
