An engaging series for use in KS4 maths lessons, where presenters Fran and Dave use their maths skills to solve everyday problems.

Inside Maths

Formulae for the areas of different shapes for KS4 maths

Fran and Dave explain areas and the formulae for different shapes in this video aimed at Key Stage 4 maths classes. Fran's friend wants to know how much it will cost to re-tile her bathroom and Dave is promised a homemade cookie if he is able cost it. Dave wants the largest cookie, but to work out which cookie is the biggest, he needs to work out their surface areas. As Dave arrives at the house his first task is to work out the area of the walls to be covered by tiles, a job that is complicated by a mirror and windows. Separately Fran works out the area of the walls, and then changes the figure when her friend decides she wants a circular and then arched mirror. Meanwhile Dave works out the cost of re-tiling the bathroom, and is rewarded with the circular cookie, which he worked out was largest. When the cookie arrives it is considerably smaller than he expected, does this mean he got the formula for the area of a circle wrong?

Areas of Circles and Composite Shapes

Distance/time graphs are explained by measuring sporting fitness

Distance/time graphs are shown through the example of measuring sporting fitness, in a video feed used with KS4 maths students. Fran sends Dave off the gym to do some exercise and to send through data to plot distance/time graphs. Dave races two students in a 200 metre sprint, a 1,000 metre run and a stint on the rowing machines. Fran plots graphs for each activity and can see Dave's slow progress compared to that of the students. Back in the studio, the gradients of the graphs reveal that although the student rower was consistently faster, Dave was faster for the first minute.

Distance/Time Graphs

Using scale factor and enlarging shapes for KS4 maths pupils

How to use a scale factor to work out new dimensions and enlarge different shapes is explained through real-life scenarios in this video for use in KS4 maths lessons. Dave has cut two pieces of cake for himself and Fran, but cannot work out why Fran says his is eight times larger when all the sides are only twice the length of hers. Dave then tries to help a dance school enlarge a logo and paint it on some t-shirts. He successfully enlarges the logo using a scale factor of three, but can't work out why, when he comes to paint the design on the t-shirt, he quickly runs out of ink. Back in the studio, Fran demonstrates the relationship between length and area scale factors and suggests that maybe that was why Dave may not have had enough ink. Finally, the t-shirts are painted and the dance group are happy, and so is Dave, when he finally works out why his cake is eight times bigger than Fran's.

Enlargement

Ratio and proportions for Key Stage 4 Maths

Ratios and proportions are explained as presenters Fran and Dave cook the food for a dinner party, suitable for KS4 students. Fran is working out how much of each of the four fruit juices she needs to make two litres of fruit punch. Dave decides to make chilli for dinner, but finds out that the recipe is for four people, and not the six guests expected. Dave has to do some maths, to make sure he uses the correct proportion of ingredients. Later Dave encounters another problem, there is not enough chocolate to make fudge brownies. Can he use ratios and proportions to make sure the brownies still taste good?

Ratios and Proportions

Demonstrating straight-line graphs using mobile phone contracts

By using straight-line graphs to compare the price difference of two mobile phone deals, this area of KS4 maths is effectively illustrated in a video designed for use in class. Dave thinks his pay-as-you-go mobile phone deal is a bargain, with 1000 texts and 600 minutes of talk time, for £20 per month. However, he did have to pay for the phone and Fran thinks he could have got a better deal going for an 18-month contract, with a free phone, but at £35 per month. Dave speaks to some students to get their opinions on the matter, whilst Fran puts together straight-line graphs to compare each deal. It transpires that the pay-as-you-go deal is cheaper, but what happens when the 5p per day internet charge is added? Fran produces more straight-line graphs to factor this in and to work out how often he can use the internet and still be better off.

Straight-Line Graphs

How to use formulas to calculate volumes

Using the example of differently shaped fish tanks, Fran and Dave show how to calculate volumes, in this fun video for use in KS4 maths lessons. Fran explains to Dave what a prism is and using some vivid graphics, how to work out the volume of both a cuboid and cylinder. This comes in handy when Fran wants to find a fish tank for her brother. Dave finds a rather slow, but accurate way of working out the volume of a rectangular fish tank, whilst Fran shares a formula to make it much easier. Volume = Cross-sectional area x Height.

Volume of 3-Dimensional Shapes

Looking at rearranging formulae for KS4 maths

Presenters Dave and Fran explain different ways of rearranging formulae using an airplane, suitable for KS4 students.Dave is scared of flying, especially take-off and landing, because he feels the runway is not long enough. Fran challenges Dave to fly in a small plane, if by arranging formula she can prove the runway is long enough for both. Dave heads off to the airfield and Fran uses vivid graphics to show how to rearrange different formulae. At the airfield Dave has some speed and time data to gather for Fran. Fran changes the data into a formula to work out the acceleration the plane needs to take-off, then she uses another formula to work out the length of runway required to take-off. With one more formula to rearrange it is not long before Fran proves landing is safe too, and Dave has no choice to get back into the plane.

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