The Maths Learning Centre (MLC) was first established as a library service in 1994 but initially struggled for funding and recognition at a wider University level. Since 2000 it has been incorporated into the centrally funded Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS).

This leaflet explains the slope-intercept form of an equation describing a straight-line.

The Study Support Centre (SSC), within the Robert Gordon University (RGU), aims to provide students with assistance in Mathematics, Writing & Communication skills, Information & Communication Technology applications, Statistics, Study Skills and support for dyslexic students. The SSC offers students independent assistance through individual and small group tuition outwith their normal programme of study, as well as Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) packages, specialist software for special needs students and text based self-learning materials. The SSC has created a basic mathematics diagnostic assessment, which we give to first year students in many Schools. Currently, in collaboration with the School of Engineering, an engineering principles diagnostic assessment is being designed and implemented.

In this unit we see how finite and infinite series are obtained from finite and infinite sequences. We explain how the partial sums of an infinite series form a new sequence, and that the limit of this new sequence (if it exists) defines the sum of the series. We also consider two specific examples of infinite series that sum to e and pi respectively. (Mathtutor Video Tutorial) This resource is released under a Creative Commons license Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works and the copyright is held by Skillbank Solutions Ltd.

A report by Brendan Cooney on a project is to investigate possible technologies that enable the transmission of mathematical content, conversations in mathematics, the posing of problems and transfer of solutions in an effective and efficient manner. The intention is to trial various technologies and then to implement the chosen technology for online delivery of mathematics support to RMIT students. (2013)

The past decade or so has seen a huge growth in the number of mathematics support centres within UK higher education institutions as they come to terms with an increasing volume of students who are poorly prepared for the mathematical demands of their chosen courses. In other parts of the world we observe similar developments. In the early years many centres were short-lived enterprises staffed either by concerned volunteers who found a few hours in the week to offer additional support, or alternatively by part-time staff on short-term contracts. More recently, we have observed a trend to more substantial support centres many of which attract central funding and dedicated staff. Given this trend there is a need to ask whether our efforts are worthwhile, how we might know this, and whether we can justify ongoing funding. This talk by TONY CROFT of Loughborough University at Queensland University of Technology, 2009, will describe some of the challenges associated with acquiring data on effectiveness. Various ways in which we can measure our success will be explored. Finally, several exemplars will be provided of work being undertaken to capture the sort of evidence required to secure continued funding of mathematics support centres.

Three questions involving the transpoition of formulae. DEWIS resources have been made available under a Creative Commons licence by Rhys Gwynllyw & Karen Henderson, University of the West of England, Bristol.

A common mathematical problem is to find the angles or lengths of the sides of a triangle when some, but not all, of these quantities are known. It is also useful to be able to calculate the area of a triangle from some of this information. (Mathtutor Video Tutorial) The video is released under a Creative Commons license Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works and the copyright is held by Skillbank Solutions Ltd.

Knowledge of the trigonometric ratios of sine, cosine and tangent is vital in very many fields of engineering, science and maths. This unit introduces them and provides examples of how they can be used to solve problems. (Mathtutor Video Tutorial) The video is released under a Creative Commons license Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works and the copyright is held by Skillbank Solutions Ltd.

The sine, cosine and tangent of an angle are all defined in terms of trigonometry, but they can also be expressed as functions. In this unit we examine these functions and their graphs. We also see how to restrict the domain of each function in order to define an inverse function. (Mathtutor Video Tutorial) This resource is released under a Creative Commons license Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works and the copyright is held by Skillbank Solutions Ltd.

This mathtutor animation shows how graphs of sin, cos and tan may be plotted as angles increase in positive and negative directions. This resource is released under a Creative Commons license Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works and the copyright is held by Skillbank Solutions Ltd.

Five questions on trigonometry. The first involves determining the quadrant an angle lies in, the remaining questions involve solving trigonometric equations. DEWIS resources have been made available under a Creative Commons licence by Rhys Gwynllyw & Karen Henderson, University of the West of England, Bristol.

Ni fhloinn, E., Bhaird, C. M., & Nolan, B. (2014). University students' perspectives on diagnostic testing in mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 45 (1), 58-74. DOI:10.1080/0020739X.2013.790508 Many universities issue mathematical diagnostic tests to incoming first-year students, covering a range of the basic concepts with which they should be comfortable from secondary school. As far as many lecturers are concerned, the purpose of this test is to determine the students' mathematical knowledge on entry. It should also provide an early indication of which students are likely to need additional help, and hopefully encourage such students to avail of extra support mechanisms at an early stage. However, it is not clear that students recognize these intentions and there is a fear that students who score poorly in the test will have their confidence further damaged in relation to mathematics and will be reluctant to seek help. To this end, a questionnaire was developed to explore studentsâ?? perspectives on diagnostic testing. Analysis of responses received to the questionnaire provided an interesting insight into studentsâ?? perspectives including the optimum time to conduct such a test, their views on the aims of diagnostic testing, whether they feel that testing is a good idea, and their attitudes to the support systems put in place to help those who scored poorly in the test.