When I continue to Upper Secondary, should I take E-Math and A-Math together or simply E-Math?
If I’m already going to take E-Math, why do I need to take A-Math?
“Does studying A-Math increase my chances of getting into the course I desire in the future?”
Suppose you are still determining the answers to the questions above. In that case, you are likely deciding the subject combinations you should choose for Upper Secondary. We want to congratulate you on passing your Secondary two exams. You should be pleased with yourself for your effort because it is no minor accomplishment. You will soon reach Secondary 3 in level. Before you do, we want to make sure you understand the distinctions between E-Math and A-Math so you can decide which subject combination could be the most beneficial for you.
What is AMath & EMath?
While A-Math stands for additional mathematics, E-Math stands for elementary mathematics. You can infer from the labels that E-Math will teach you the fundamentals of mathematics while A-Math will introduce you to new, more difficult mathematical ideas. Let’s examine the features that distinguish the two. E-Math and A-Math differ in their degree of complexity.
In general, E-math aims to prepare you with core arithmetic knowledge and skills and enhance your capacity for logic and the formation of connections. A-Math, on the other hand, is advanced mathematics. In A-Math, students develop the analytical and application abilities necessary to understand and apply more complex Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, and Trigonometry ideas to be prepared for A-Level H2 Math or advanced mathematics in specific Polytechnic modules.
Students who sign up for O-Level Additional Maths will also be doing O-Level Elementary Math, which is crucial to mention. Students can only choose to study A-Math if they also learn E-Math. As a result, while A-Math is an elective course, you must take E-Math. So, as you read on, keep asking yourself, “Should I study A-Math?”
A-Math vs. E-Math Syllabus Comparison
The emphasis on practical maths applications in E-Math calls on you to be familiar with words like GST, interest, and instalment payments. Additionally, you will learn how to use arithmetic tools like measures and estimation in everyday life. As a result, once you pick up E-Math, you will likely understand how it benefits you immediately.
A-Math is more abstract; therefore, it could take some time to comprehend how useful it can be. A-Math delves further to give you the research tools required for other academic disciplines, such as Physics, Biology, Economics, and many others. For instance, given a single infected person, how can we gauge the pace of COVID-19 spread in the neighbourhood? A learner can better grasp the science and research behind daily statistics and news stories by understanding the concepts covered in exponentials, logarithms, and calculus.
A-Math vs. E-Math Assessment Format Comparison
Both A-Math and E-Math use the same assessment method, which requires you to take two exam papers for each subject. Although the test format differs from piece to form, each article is equally weighted and contributes 50% of the final score.
A-Math vs. E-Math: Complexity Comparison
Is A-Math more challenging to master and more complex than E-Math? You could assume that A-Math is inherently more problematic than E-Math. However, the situation is more complicated than you might imagine. Everything comes down to what each person prefers, and A-Math may seem more systematic to some students. You will be able to perform well on exams if you memorise arithmetic formulae and put in enough practice, as exam problems frequently resemble practice questions. While most E-math questions are expansions of lower-level secondary maths ideas, some can be pretty imaginative and call for using imagination and logical thinking to reach the correct conclusion. Some pupils believe the latter is more challenging.
Furthermore, the material learned over the course of the two years, Secondary 3 and Secondary 4, will be assessed as a whole in your final O Levels Exam. In contrast, the curriculum for E-Math is drawn from the material studied throughout four years.
Since E-Math concepts are cumulative, some people might think they are simpler to understand. Before moving on to Upper Secondary, where the problems continually grow in complexity based on what they have learned, students have two years to establish their E-Math foundation. Students now have more time to become accustomed to the format of E-Math problems. Others, on the other hand, find it simpler to pass the A-Math exam because they only need to remember the information from two years’ worth of A-Math coursework rather than four years’ worth of E-Math coursework.
What Goals Do You Have?
Choosing A-Math would be safe and advantageous if you wish to pursue your engineering, maths, or science studies in university after graduating from secondary school. This is mere because most STEM majors at universities like NTU and NUS require A-Level H2 Math as a requirement.
There is much presumptive knowledge in A-Math for students who take H2 Math at A-Level, particularly in Calculus, Trigonometry, and Logarithms. While they will be forced to take a maths bridging course to get them up to speed with the rest of their peers, some JCs might let students take H2 Math without having taken A-Math first. While it is feasible for a student who did not study A-Math to take H2 Math, it may be significantly more difficult for them to grasp and perform well in the subject if they do not have a grounding in A-Math. Calculus, a significant component of the H2 Math curriculum, will be complicated for students who have never studied A-Math.
Students are also introduced to advanced maths concepts, such as Fourier, Laplace transforms, and Complex Analysis, if they also want to pursue a Polytechnic Diploma in an Engineering programme. Having a solid foundation in A-math will make studying much easier for you.
Please start thinking about your future goals now if you are unsure of what they are. Ask your parents, elder siblings, and teachers for their opinions as you carefully evaluate what you desire.
Despite the many difficulties you might face in AMath or EMath, our skilful and experienced tutors at pftuition would be able to turn all those problems into your fortes. We transform our students into masters of maths, be it EMath or AMath.