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Mathletics - downloads for private study

For download instructions see below

Student groupDownload fileContentslast update
...............
GCSE levelGCSE numbers.zipArithmetic, fractions and percentages27_03_08
GCSE levelGCSE algebra.zipAlgebra diagnostic tests, handling brackets & indices and solving simple equations27_03_08
...............
A levelNumbers.zipArithmetic, fractions, percentages, complex numbers and number bases other than 10.27_03_08
A levelA level algebra.zipAlgebra diagnostic tests, handling brackets, indices algebraic and rational expressions, and solving equations27_03_08
A levelA level calculus & functions.zipRules of differentiation, techniques of integration, binomial theorem and straight lines.27_03_08
A levelDecision maths.zipAlgorithms and linear programming.27_03_08
...............
A level and beyondGraph theory.zipGraph theory.14_05_08
...............
First Year UniversityMatrices.zipDeterminants, matrices and solution of matrix equations.27_03_08
First Year UniversityMechanics.zipVectors, kinematics, dynamics and statics (including trusses and beams).27_03_08
...............
Second Year UniversityAdvanced calculus.zipVector calculus, Laplace transforms, Fourier transforms, Fourier series and ordinary differential equations.27_03_08
...............
Economics first yeargo to Metal go to Question Bank
Physics first yeargo to PPLATO go to Question Bank

Mathletics is a set of assessments in many areas of mathematics (graph theory, probability & statistics comming soon) at the levels of GCSE, AS, A level, and first- and second-year university. The tests are freely available and for educational use only.

The tests are written in Question Mark Perception version 3.4, using MathML for mathematical mark-up and SVG for diagrams. Each question uses random parameters so that many thousands of realisations will be generated and each assessment chooses randomly from within the selected topic libraries of questions. This means that if you do the test again you will get related, but not repeated, questions. Each question comes with full feedback and often our guess at why you went wrong if you did, so it is regarded by many students as a useful learning resource.

Instructions for downloading and running the tests

Firstly note that the download files are zip files; they cannot be run directly, so follow instructions 3 onwards below.

Whether you need instructions 1 & 2 below will depend on how old your PC is. It may well be that you can simply run the tests just fine on newer machines, so try one or two (see below). If you can see

If not, your PC will need a bit of setting up - sorry about this but you need do this only once (and it will be worth it). You might need to ask someone who is "techno-savvy" to help you do instructions 1 & 2.

  1. With older browsers install Adobe's SVG viewer plug-in . New browsers are supposed to support SVG natively, but I have not checked this extensively.
  2. Ensure you also have Java. You will have this automatically unless you have disabled it or removed it, or are running Windows Vista (I think!). However, your browser security must be set to allow this to run. If you do not see equations when running a test, open any ordinary web page and check your browser options say Java enabled. This depends on your version of Windows, but see TOOLS, INTERNET OPTIONS, ADVANCED and scroll down to Java; set to enabled.
  3. Download and extract each QB file (about 2Mb), using the subject links below, to a folder in some convenient place on your hard drive.
  4. Open the extracted zip file.
  5. Double click on the folder called the same name as the subject area.
  6. Double click on the file called 'presenter.exe'.
  7. Choose the test you want from the menu.
  8. each test starts with an introductory screen. Be sure to set the Fonts & Colours (click at the top right of the screen) to customise your size and colour scheme. You can also print the screen (perhaps for asking your teacher about the question or feedback) and clicking the logo tells you a bit about the people who funded and wrote the material.
No answer files are written anywhere but a final screen shows you how you got on.
There is also a step-by-step guide to doing all of this (with screen shots) at the Metal web site download page.
Existing Question Mark Perception users: if you have your own licence and would like to write your own assessments and/or assess your students, please email me (see below) stating what you have in mind and I'll do my best to help.
Students: unfortunately I do not have time to help you with any problems you may have, but your teachers/lecturers/computer-support staff will be able to.
However, in order to study effectively, you need to understand the material ... your teachers and lecturers can help you with that ... AND you need to get organised. My study skills guide at:
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/~mastmmg/ssguide/sshome.htm
will help with this. Have a look!
Teachers/lecturers: if you have suggestions and comments on the questions please send a screen shot of the question and your comments to: Martin.Greenhow@brunel.ac.uk

There is a video of me talking about the system at: mms://bluerocket.caret.cam.ac.uk/talkatcaret/MartinGreenhow041207.wmv
This is quite old now, but explains how the questions are written and some of the issues involved.

Last updated 17/04/08

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