Transition resources for Maths

hand writing mathematical symbols on a blackboard

We have created an online course that covers key concepts from A level Maths and Further Maths which will be built on during your degree programmes within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. The course contains lecture recordings, further resources and problem sheets to test your knowledge.

Go to the Maths online course

If you are preparing to study maths at university you might also want to consider keeping engaged with the subject during the summer to keep your skills fresh. Below we have listed some additional resources to develop your mathematical curiosity:

Further reading

  • Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction, by Timothy Gowers - an elementary, but not basic introduction to advanced mathematics. This is perfect for students looking to begin an undergraduate programme in STEM.
  • Weapons of Maths Destruction, by Cathy O’Neill - a short history of how mathematics changed the world over the last 30 years, and why an understanding of maths is key to understanding the systems of the world we live in today and the futures we will inhabit.
  • Plus Maths - Plus Maths contains short summaries of current research and ideas in mathematics.

Videos

  • Toy Models, Tadashi Tokieda - in this video lecture, Japanese mathematician Tadashi Tokieda discusses various “toys” and models. Rather than see these objects as mere oddities, Professor Tokieda invites us to think through very carefully about what is happening, why it’s happening and whether it makes any sense. 
  • 3Blue1Brown on YouTube - these videos tend to cover higher level mathematics that is nearer undergraduate level than A level.
  • Khan Academy - there are a wealth of resources available on Khan Academy that you can use to explore topics deeper or revise something. These videos continue to be helpful even for higher level mathematics at university.
  • Numberphile on YouTube - the content on Numberphile ranges in complexity meaning there is something for everyone, but definitely anyone preparing to study STEM at university. We have provided a few recommendations of where to start if the channel is new to you.
    • One minus one plus one minus one: this video deals with issues of infinite series, convergence and divergence that you will meet in the first year of a maths degree.
    • A Curious Pattern Indeed: this video shows that simple patterns can seem to arise when in fact the true pattern is far more interesting and has a deeper connection with combinatorics
    • The Brachistochrone problem: this video explores a classical problem in mathematics which concerns how to find the shortest time from one point to another if the only driving force is gravity. The solution to this problem is wonderfully geometric and can be approached from a calculus, geometry or even physics perspective.