Susan Whitehouse
@susanwhitehouse.bsky.social
A Level Maths and Further Maths teacher, education consultant, co-author of "Teaching A level Maths" and of Hodder education A level Maths textbooks. She/her.
One of my favourite xkcd's
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
One of my favourite xkcd's
I would say that there are two very different things being talked about here: rigorous mathematical proof and verbally convincing others of the validity of your approach. They are both important skills for our students to develop, but they should not be equated #ALevelMaths #MathsToday
November 9, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I would say that there are two very different things being talked about here: rigorous mathematical proof and verbally convincing others of the validity of your approach. They are both important skills for our students to develop, but they should not be equated #ALevelMaths #MathsToday
Surface area of cone (and sphere) is in the formula booklet. The only mensuration formulae that the Edexcel specs say students should know are these ones.
October 22, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Surface area of cone (and sphere) is in the formula booklet. The only mensuration formulae that the Edexcel specs say students should know are these ones.
My interpretation is that they only secured the funding because the government has an AI bee in its bonnet, but the AMSP will do its best to keep it as sane as possible and to focus on "related areas" rather than AI. This may be an overly charitable interpretation.
October 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
My interpretation is that they only secured the funding because the government has an AI bee in its bonnet, but the AMSP will do its best to keep it as sane as possible and to focus on "related areas" rather than AI. This may be an overly charitable interpretation.
I suspect Robert Downey Jr
September 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM
I suspect Robert Downey Jr
Obviously all women would be absolutely delighted with such a gift #Everydaysexism
September 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Obviously all women would be absolutely delighted with such a gift #Everydaysexism
Just a reminder that if you are about to start teaching #ALevelMaths, this book is available from the Mathematical Association @mathematicala.bsky.social online shop. In my completely unbiased opinion, it's really quite useful.
August 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Just a reminder that if you are about to start teaching #ALevelMaths, this book is available from the Mathematical Association @mathematicala.bsky.social online shop. In my completely unbiased opinion, it's really quite useful.
I have been doing Paddy's problem solving questions every day this summer, and I have found a lot of them challenging. As well as enjoying them very much, they have helped me focus on how I teach problem-solving. Here are the top five things that I have come away with. #ALevelMaths
August 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I have been doing Paddy's problem solving questions every day this summer, and I have found a lot of them challenging. As well as enjoying them very much, they have helped me focus on how I teach problem-solving. Here are the top five things that I have come away with. #ALevelMaths
An xkcd cartoon especially for you @ecrmaths.bsky.social #ALevelMaths
August 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
An xkcd cartoon especially for you @ecrmaths.bsky.social #ALevelMaths
Apologies for the very badly drawn line, but thinking about the horizontal (which mine isn't) line here is helpful to me. But I know everyone sees these things slightly differently, so I can totally accept that it's not necessarily helpful to everyone.
August 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Apologies for the very badly drawn line, but thinking about the horizontal (which mine isn't) line here is helpful to me. But I know everyone sees these things slightly differently, so I can totally accept that it's not necessarily helpful to everyone.
I think what we have is a phantom curve for imaginary values of x, that is a hyperbola. We have determined the value of r by insisting on the repeated root. If z=xi, then the other y value is the value of y where y=-1/z^2 meets (y-r)^2-z^2=r^2.
August 11, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I think what we have is a phantom curve for imaginary values of x, that is a hyperbola. We have determined the value of r by insisting on the repeated root. If z=xi, then the other y value is the value of y where y=-1/z^2 meets (y-r)^2-z^2=r^2.
Something of a misnomer
August 7, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Something of a misnomer
I've found that this lesson works well - more details and solutions in the googledrive docs.google.com/document/d/1...
July 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
I've found that this lesson works well - more details and solutions in the googledrive docs.google.com/document/d/1...
This one's not Underground Maths, but I really love this #ALevelMaths Factor Puzzle too
July 8, 2025 at 5:29 PM
This one's not Underground Maths, but I really love this #ALevelMaths Factor Puzzle too
There's so much great stuff for A level on Underground Maths. It's very hard to choose a favourite but I do love the mathematical modelling task Picture the Process where students match processes, graphs and equations.
July 8, 2025 at 5:08 PM
There's so much great stuff for A level on Underground Maths. It's very hard to choose a favourite but I do love the mathematical modelling task Picture the Process where students match processes, graphs and equations.
This is my email to Ofqual about the recent #ALevelMaths Edexcel Paper 2, with their response. Please could as many of you as possible contact Ofqual, in the hope that they will be persuaded to act? Email addresses are: [email protected], [email protected] #MathsToday
June 20, 2025 at 8:25 AM
This is my email to Ofqual about the recent #ALevelMaths Edexcel Paper 2, with their response. Please could as many of you as possible contact Ofqual, in the hope that they will be persuaded to act? Email addresses are: [email protected], [email protected] #MathsToday
submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/6208/ma...
Ofqual have this make a complaint service on their website. What do you think?
Ofqual have this make a complaint service on their website. What do you think?
June 16, 2025 at 2:47 PM
submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/6208/ma...
Ofqual have this make a complaint service on their website. What do you think?
Ofqual have this make a complaint service on their website. What do you think?
@ridermeister.bsky.social They never seem to learn...
June 12, 2025 at 1:27 PM
@ridermeister.bsky.social They never seem to learn...
This is what I got - no guarantees it's right though!
June 10, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This is what I got - no guarantees it's right though!
My problem is that the area of a right-angled triangle is the only one that seems obvious to me, because it's half a rectangle. With the other types of triangle obviously I know how to find their areas, but it's at one remove, via the RA version. (I don't exactly work it out each time but I pause).
May 30, 2025 at 2:30 PM
My problem is that the area of a right-angled triangle is the only one that seems obvious to me, because it's half a rectangle. With the other types of triangle obviously I know how to find their areas, but it's at one remove, via the RA version. (I don't exactly work it out each time but I pause).
I think f(x)=x^4+x is an example that shows why you need f''(a)=0 and change of sign of f'' to show a point of inflection. x=0 is not a point of inflection even though f''(0)=0, the gradient is positive both sides of x=0, and f'(0) is not equal to zero.
May 26, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I think f(x)=x^4+x is an example that shows why you need f''(a)=0 and change of sign of f'' to show a point of inflection. x=0 is not a point of inflection even though f''(0)=0, the gradient is positive both sides of x=0, and f'(0) is not equal to zero.
Just for added amusement, this is y=(cos3x-cosx)/(cosx-1) shown on Autograph. Removable discontinuity at x=0, y=8. Again we get one of these strange vertical lines, this time to y=3.
May 23, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Just for added amusement, this is y=(cos3x-cosx)/(cosx-1) shown on Autograph. Removable discontinuity at x=0, y=8. Again we get one of these strange vertical lines, this time to y=3.
It seems to send it to n/2
May 22, 2025 at 9:14 AM
It seems to send it to n/2
It sends it to 3/2
May 22, 2025 at 9:12 AM
It sends it to 3/2