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Maths in a Box

In the UK, every school student has to study maths up to the age of 16. And every maths teacher in the UK at some point will have been asked by their students ‘But what is the point of maths?’ and ‘Why should I carry on studying it?’

Now teachers can get some fresh ideas on how to tackle these questions with Maths in a Box, a collection of resources, including posters, and booklets containing careers profiles and even a book of magic tricks.

The box contains resources which aim to encourage the uptake and further study of maths and are suitable from key stage 3 right up to key stage 5. These materials have been tried and tested in schools around England and Wales as part of the government-funded More Maths Grads project.

Each secondary school in England received a copy of Maths in a Box during the first few months of 2010. A similar box was also distributed to secondary schools in Wales with the same resources in Welsh.

More Maths Grads in a Box HE Edition

This was designed to help universities who want to work with schools to promote interest in mathematics. It contains resources that tackle questions school students ask such as “What is the point of maths?” or “Why should I carry on studying it?”

Together, they show that maths is used in a whole number of ways that school students may never have even thought of – from exploring how quadratic equations and probability are linked to football to understanding why logarithms are so useful in our analysis of earthquakes.

Selected contents from both of these projects are available to download below.

Additional downloads can be found on our Posters, Booklets and Leaflets page.


What’s the Point … index posters

Posters describing the maths inside different photographs

whats the point in maths aerial view poster What’s the point – Index Aerial

whats the point of maths poster balloons What’s the point – Index Balloons

whats the point in maths poster jump What’s the point – Index Jump

 

What’s the Point …

20 x A2 posters  from that What’s the Point booklet

algebra poster What’s the point of Algebra?

 Binomial Theory poster  What’s the point of Binomial Theory?

 differentiation poster  What’s the point in Differentiation?

 Distributions poster  What’s the point of Distributions?

 

 exponentials poster  What’s the point of Exponentials?

 geometry poster  What’s the point of Geometry?

 graphs poster  What’s the point of Graphs

 Imaginary Numbers poster  What’s the point of Imaginary Numbers?

 inequalities poster  What’s the point of Inequalities

 integration poster  What’s the point of integration?

 

logarithms poster  What’s the point of logarithms?

 

 numerical methods poster  What’s the point of Numerical Methods?

 

 Powers-and-Roots poster  What’s the point of Powers-and-Roots?

 Prime Numbers poster  What’s the point of Prime Numbers?

 probability poster  What’s the point of Probability?

 

 pythagoras poster  What’s the point of Pythagoras?

 Quadratic Equations poster  What’s the point of Quadratic Equations?

 

 sequences poster  What’s the point of Sequences?

 Trigonometry poster  What’s the point of Trigonometry?

 Venn Diagrams poster  What’s the point of Venn Diagrams?

 

A3 posters  ‘When will I ever need Maths?’

Posters describing the use of maths in different school subjects

maths in art When will I ever need Maths? Art

maths in busines poster When will I ever need Maths? Business Studies

maths in food technology poster When will I ever need Maths? Food Technology

Maths in Geography poster When will I ever need Maths? Geography

 

 maths in IT poster When will I ever need Maths? ICT

 maths in physical education  When will I ever need Maths? Physical Education

 

 maths in Science poster   When will I ever need Maths? Science

 

Origami A3 posters

Posters describing the use of maths in different real world areas such as nature or architecture

maths and aerospace See the maths in aerospace

maths and architecture See the maths in architecture

maths and music See the maths in music

 

maths in nature See the maths in nature

maths and navigation See the maths in navigation

maths sport See the maths in sport

 

Cut Through the Numbers A3 poster:

Shows different kinds of careers where doing A-Level Maths would be helpful

cut through the numbers poster Cut Through the Numbers A3 poster

Question Mark A3 poster.

Shows the different kinds of careers where doing A-Level Maths would be helpful

question mark poster Question Mark A3 poster

FMSP Posters by undergraduates

Detailed posters produced by undergraduates on an interesting mathematical topic. These posters are at quite a high level, but could be used to inspire students.

Perfect Circle Poster Perfect Circle Poster

Shape of the Universe Poster Shape of the Universe Poster

the zeta function The Zeta Function

Age is just a Number posters

babbage poster Age is just a Number – Charles Babbage

 beethoven poster  Age is just a Number – Beethoven

 Larry david poster  Age is just a Number – Larry David

 morgan freeman poster  Age is just a Number – Morgan Freeman

 

 hawking poster  Age is just a Number – Stephen Hawking

 

 florence nightingale poster  Age is just a Number – Florence Nightingale

 

Booklets and Activities

 Career Profile Booklet Cover Career Profiles Booklet

Booklet containing a selection of career profiles

 Enrichment Activities  Enrichment Activities booklet

A small selection of enrichment activities.

 

 What do we need maths for booklet  What do we need Maths for? Booklet

A booklet describing some of the maths used outside the classroom. Topics are considered which students should be familiar with, such as going on holiday.

 Everyday Maths  Everyday Maths booklet

A booklet describing some of the career opportunities available to maths graduates. The booklet links the jobs to applications which the students will be familiar with such as Climate Change.

 careers in maths boklet Maths Careers booklet

A detailed booklet for teachers on the careers that maths can lead to.

 information about maths booklet  More Maths Grads leaflet

 

 maths at university  Maths at University

How to prepare and what to expect

 

 attitudes to maths booklet  Reflections – Maths at University

Exploring attitudes to maths among university applicants and undergraduates.

 good practice guide  Good Ideas Guide

Using outreach work to encourage interest in maths.

 

From the ‘What’s the point’ DVD