Mathematics 数学

Mathematical Modelling

The Mathematics department seeks ways to expose students to mathematical modelling, a useful way to solve real-world problems.

Dr Kiesha Prem from the Saw See Hock School of Public Health and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine shared on public health with some of our Secondary Three students. From her sharing, students gained a deeper understanding of how mathematical modelling is applied in managing the pandemic situation. Students had the opportunity to apply their knowledge to projects under her guidance.

Students with the aptitude and ability participated in the International Mathematical Modelling Competition. Through in-depth mathematical analysis, they took on the challenge of proposing an optimal boarding and disembarking method for passengers on commercial flights. The team was awarded a Certificate of Merit for their commendable efforts.

Curious and Creative Learners

To encourage students to be reflective learners who are curious about the world around them, the department embarked on a journey of problem-posing for the lower secondary level. As a start, students were tasked to pose as many questions as possible for the scenarios they came up with. This activity generated much interest and further discussion.

Instead of solving problems from textbooks, students had the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-life situations. For instance, students were challenged to find the height of various structures in school using different creative ways. These engaging activities help students appreciate possible applications of mathematics in the real world.

Enriching the learning experiences of students amidst the pandemic 2020 started with the Mathematics Department embarking on a journey to enhance student engagement so as to bring about joy of learning. We made the effort to provide learning experiences that could also deepen students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. Although the progress was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked at overcoming the new challenges through designing lessons that incorporated videos, games and quizzes, and promoted online interaction. We also tapped on Google Classroom to monitor students’ work and tools like the Padlet application to encourage students to learn independently. In the process, there was rich learning for everyone as we discovered the possibilities that the various platforms had opened up to us.

Sec 3 CnME Modules

(i)        Undoing Common Sense through Mathematical Thinking

Through this module, students had the opportunity to work on counter-intuitive problems, and learn the mathematical concepts and logical reasoning behind problems. One of the highlights of the module was when students had a chance to play the well-known “Monty Hall Game Show” and used the concepts in Probability to increase their chances at winning the game. It was a unique experience for all.

A beautiful parabolic curve can be created by joining dots with line segments.
A Sec 2 student using a clinometer and applying trigonometric ratios to find the height of a building.

(ii)        Seeing the World through Mathematics

 In this module, students learnt how to gather data, construct mathematical models and applied their learning to scenarios such as the minimisation of travelling time and obtaining the height of a “criminal” just from a handprint. These culminated in a project which gave students the autonomy to research on a topic of their interest. This year, we embarked on investigations of interesting topics ranging from designing the ideal classroom seating arrangement to the evaluation of the “best” bubble tea. Students gained new insights about the application of Mathematics in the real world and also new perspectives. 

Circle properties can be learnt in a fun way through online game show

Math and Science Week 2021 

    To inspire students to explore principles of Mathematics and Science embedded in real-life, and be discerning about information presented, the theme “Quare”, which means “Why?” in Latin, was chosen this year.

During the Assembly programme, students explored misconceptions and paradoxes. Some intriguing misconceptions and paradoxes include bullets that can curve (a misconception especially prevalent in Hollywood films), and the Birthday Paradox. The programme culminated in an online Escape Room activity, where students collaborated with their peers to solve challenging Mathematics and Science questions.

Excel Programme

Appreciating the usefulness of Mathematics in real life is a goal of Mathematics education. Through our Excel Programme “Seeing the World through Mathematics”, students who demonstrate an aptitude for in-depth study of the subject could engage in mathematical modelling. The department also aspires to help students develop a sense of positive accomplishment through opportunities to participate in the International Mathematical Modelling Competition and Singapore Mathematical Society’s Essay Competition in which students conducted mathematical analysis of the current pandemic situation. In the process, students learnt to appreciate the subject at a deeper level, thereby igniting their passion for learning.

After a fruitful brainstorming session by the IMMC Team 

Positive Accomplishments:

• Singapore Mathematical Olympiad 2022 ●       School Award Category 1: Bronze ●       Junior Section: 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 9 Bronze ●       Senior Section: 1 Silver and 1 Bronze

• International Mathematical Modelling Competition -   Merit Award

• Category B: National 1st