Mathematics (Syllabus 9820) : Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Higher 3 (2022)
Mathematics (Syllabus 9820) : Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Higher 3 (2022)
Mathematics (Syllabus 9820) : Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Higher 3 (2022)
Mathematics
(Syllabus 9820)
CONTENTS
Page
PREAMBLE 3
SYLLABUS AIMS 3
ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES (AO) 3
USE OF A GRAPHING CALCULATOR (GC) 4
LIST OF FORMULAE AND STATISTICAL TABLES 4
INTEGRATION AND APPLICATION 4
SCHEME OF EXAMINATION PAPERS 4
CONTENT OUTLINE 4
MATHEMATICAL NOTATION 7
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
PREAMBLE
Mathematicians work with precise definitions, make conjectures, prove new results and solve problems. They
are concerned with the properties of mathematical objects and the applications of abstract ideas and models to
solve problems. Mathematical truths and solutions come from rigorously constructed arguments called proofs
and mathematically sound procedures and steps. The work of mathematicians has impact in different fields, far
beyond just sciences and engineering.
H3 Mathematics provides students, who intend to pursue mathematics at the university, with an insight into the
practice of a mathematician. It equips students with the knowledge and skills to understand and write
mathematical statements, proofs and solutions, and the techniques and results that come in helpful in their
work. Students will develop these competencies through proving mathematical results and solving non-routine
mathematical problems in the course of the learning.
SYLLABUS AIMS
The aims of H3 Mathematics are to enable students to:
(a) acquire advanced problem-solving skills and methods of proof by learning useful mathematical results and
techniques to solve non-routine problems and prove statements
(b) develop rigour in mathematical argument and precision in the use of mathematical language through the
writing and evaluation of mathematical proofs and solutions
(c) experience and appreciate the practice, value and rigour of mathematics as a discipline.
AO1 Understand and apply mathematical concepts, skills and results to solve non-routine problems,
including those that may require integration of concepts and skills from more than one topic.
AO2 Understand and apply advanced methods and techniques of proof to establish the truth or falsity of a
mathematical statement.
AO3 Reason and communicate in precise mathematical language through the writing and evaluation of
mathematical proofs and solutions.
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
Students should be aware that there are limitations inherent in GC. For example, answers obtained by tracing
along a graph to find roots of an equation may not produce the required accuracy.
CONTENT OUTLINE
Knowledge of the content of H2 Mathematics is assumed.
Students will learn to prove properties and results, and solve non-routine problems involving:
(b) Sequences and series, e.g. general terms, sum, limiting behaviours, bounds.
The examples in (a) and (b) above illustrate some types of problems that are based on content in H2
Mathematics.
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
(b) Numbers: primes, coprimes, divisibility, greatest common divisor, division algorithm, congruences and
modular arithmetic.
(c) Counting: distribution problems, Stirling numbers of the second kind, recurrence equations, bijection
principle, principle of inclusion and exclusion.
The above define the expected scope of content knowledge that may be assessed.
Notwithstanding the content areas defined above, students will also prove results and solve problems outside
these defined areas or at the intersection of two or more such areas using their ability to understand and apply
given definitions or results.
Mathematical Skills
Skills Examples
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
Mathematical Results
Students may use the following theorems and results without proof. In addition, they may be required to use the
ideas in the proofs of these theorems and results to solve other problems.
(ii) (Cauchy-Schwarz inequality) For any real numbers u1, u2 , , un and v1, v 2 , ,v n ,
2
n n 2 n 2
=
∑
i 1
u v
i i
=
∑
i 1=
i 1
∑
ui v i ,
where the equality holds if there exists a nonzero constant k such that ui = kv i for all i = 1, 2, , n .
(iv) (The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic) Every integer n > 1 can be expressed as a product of primes in
a unique way apart from the order of the prime factors.
(vi) (Division Algorithm) Let a be an integer and b a positive integer. Then there exists unique integers q and r,
with 0 r < b, such that=
a bq + r .
(vii) If a and b are positive integers, then their greatest common divisor (gcd) is a linear combination of a and b,
) sa + t b .
that is there exist integers s and t such that gcd(a, b=
Knowledge of the following theorems is not required and should not be used without proof: Euclidean algorithm,
Chinese remainder theorem, Wilson’s Theorem, Fermat’s little theorem, and Euler’s theorem.
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
MATHEMATICAL NOTATION
The list which follows summarises the notation used in Cambridge’s Mathematics examinations. Although
primarily directed towards A-Level, the list also applies, where relevant, to examinations at all other levels.
1. Set Notation
∈ is an element of
∉ is not an element of
{x1, x2, …} the set with elements x1, x2, …
{x: …} the set of all x such that
n(A) the number of elements in set A
∅ the empty set
universal set
A′ the complement of the set A
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
2. Miscellaneous Symbols
= is equal to
≠ is not equal to
≡ is identical to or is congruent to
≈ is approximately equal to
∝ is proportional to
< is less than
⩽; ≯ is less than or equal to; is not greater than
> is greater than
⩾; ≮ is greater than or equal to; is not less than
∞ infinity
3. Operations
a+b a plus b
a–b a minus b
a × b, ab, a.b a multiplied by b
a
a ÷ b, , a/b a divided by b
b
∑a
i =1
i a1 + a2 + ... + an
n n!
the binomial coefficient , for n, r ∈ ℤ+ ∪ {0}, 0 ⩽ r ⩽ n
r r! (n − r )!
n(n − 1)...(n − r + 1)
, for n ∈ ℚ, r ∈ ℤ+∪ {0}
r!
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
4. Functions
f the function f
f(x) the value of the function f at x
f: A →B f is a function under which each element of set A has an image in set B
f: x ↦y the function f maps the element x to the element y
Δx ; δx an increment of x
dy
the derivative of y with respect to x
dx
dn y
the nth derivative of y with respect to x
dx n
f'(x), f''(x), …, f (n)(x) the first, second, … nth derivatives of f(x) with respect to x
b
∫ a
y dx the definite integral of y with respect to x for values of x between a and b
ln x natural logarithm of x
lg x logarithm of x to base 10
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
7. Complex Numbers
i the square root of –1
z a complex number, z = x + iy
= r(cos θ + i sin θ ), r ∈ℝ 0+
= reiθ, r ∈ℝ 0+
8. Matrices
M a matrix M
M–1 the inverse of the square matrix M
MT the transpose of the matrix M
det M the determinant of the square matrix M
9. Vectors
a the vector a
AB the vector represented in magnitude and direction by the directed line segment AB
a the magnitude of a
AB the magnitude of AB
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9820 MATHEMATICS GCE ADVANCED LEVEL H3 SYLLABUS
f1, f2,… frequencies with which the observations, x1, x2, …occur
p(x) the value of the probability function P(X = x) of the discrete random variable X
p1, p2,… probabilities of the values x1, x2, …of the discrete random variable X
f(x), g(x)… the value of the probability density function of the continuous random variable X
F(x), G(x)… the value of the (cumulative) distribution function P(X ⩽ x) of the random variable X
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