Learning Content of Module 2 (Algebra and Calculus)

Notes:
1. Learning units are grouped under three areas (“Foundation Knowledge”, “Algebra” and “Calculus”) and a Further Learning Unit.

2. Related learning objectives are grouped under the same learning unit.

3. The notes in the “Remarks” column of the table may be considered as supplementary information about the learning objectives.

4. To aid teachers in judging how far to take a given topic, a suggested lesson time in hours is given against each learning unit. However, the
lesson time assigned is for their reference only. Teachers may adjust the lesson time to meet their individual needs.

Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

60

Foundation Knowledge

1. Odd and even 1.1 recognise odd and even functions and their graphs 2 Students are required to recognise that the
functions absolute value function is an example of even
functions.

2. Mathematical 2.1 understand the principle of mathematical induction 3 The First Principle of Mathematical Induction
induction is required.
Students are required to prove propositions
related to the summation of a finite sequence.
Proving propositions involving inequalities is
not required.
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

3. The binomial theorem 3.1 expand binomials with positive integral indices 3 Proving the binomial theorem is required.
using the binomial theorem
Students are required to recognise the
summation notation (  ).
The following contents are not required:
 expansion of trinomials
 the greatest coefficient, the greatest term
and the properties of binomial coefficients
 applications to numerical approximation
61

4. More about 4.1 understand the concept of radian measure 15

trigonometric
functions 4.2 understand the functions cosecant, secant and The formulae that students are required to use
cotangent include:

1  tan2   sec2  and 1  cot 2   cosec2

Simplifying trigonometric expressions by
identities is required.

4.3 understand compound angle formulae and double The formulae include:
angle formulae for the functions sine, cosine and
tangent, and product-to-sum and sum-to-product  sin( A  B)  sin A cos B  cos Asin B
formulae for the functions sine and cosine
 cos( A  B)  cos A cos B sin Asin B
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks
tan A  tan B
 tan( A  B) 
1 tan A tan B
 sin 2A = 2 sin A cos A
 cos 2A = cos2A  sin2A
= 1  2 sin2A = 2 cos2A  1
2 tan A
 tan 2A =
1  tan 2 A

1
 sin2A = (1  cos 2A)
2
1
 cos2A =
62

(1 + cos 2A)
2
 2sin A cos B  sin( A  B)  sin( A  B)

 2cos A cos B  cos( A  B)  cos( A  B)

 2sin Asin B  cos( A  B)  cos( A  B)

A B A B
 sin A  sin B  2sin cos
2 2
A B A B
 sin A  sin B  2cos sin
2 2
A B A B
 cos A  cos B  2cos cos
2 2
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks
A B A B
 cos A  cos B  2sin sin
2 2
“Subsidiary angle form” is not required.
1
sin2A = (1  cos 2A) and
2
1
cos2A = (1 + cos 2A) can be considered as
2
formulae derived from the double angle
formulae.

5. Introduction to e 5.1 recognise the definitions and notations of e and the 2 Two approaches for the introduction to e can
natural logarithm be considered:
63

1
 e  lim(1  )n
n n
(proving the existence of this limit is not
required)
x2 x3
 ex  1  x   
2! 3!
These definitions may be introduced in
Learning Objective 6.1.

Subtotal in hours 25
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

Calculus

6. Limits 6.1 understand the intuitive concept of the limit of a 3 Student are required to recognise the theorems
function on the limits of sum, difference, product,
quotient, scalar multiplication of functions and
the limits of composite functions (the proofs
are not required).

6.2 find the limit of a function The formulae that students are required to use
include:
sin 
 lim 1
 0 
64

ex  1
 lim 1
x 0 x
Finding the limit of a rational function at
infinity is required.
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

7. Differentiation 7.1 understand the concept of the derivative of a 13 Students are required to find the derivatives of
function elementary functions from first principles, for
example: C , x n (n is a positive integer),
x , sin x , cos x , e x and ln x.
Students are required to recognise the
dy
notations: y  , f ( x ) and .
dx
Testing differentiability of functions is not
required.

7.2 understand the addition rule, product rule, The rules include:
65

quotient rule and chain rule of differentiation

d du dv
 (u  v )  
dx dx dx
d du dv
 (uv )  v  u
dx dx dx
du dv
vu
d u
 ( )  dx 2 dx
dx v v
dy dy du
 
dx du dx
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

7.3 find the derivatives of functions involving The formulae that students are required to use
algebraic functions, trigonometric functions, include:
exponential functions and logarithmic functions
 (C )  0

 ( x n )  nx n1

 (sin x)  cos x

 (cos x)   sin x

 (tan x)  sec2 x

 (e x )  e x
66

1
 (ln x ) 
x
The following algebraic functions are
required:
 polynomial functions
 rational functions
 power functions x
 functions formed from the above
functions through addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division and composition,
such as x2  1
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

7.4 find derivatives by implicit differentiation Logarithmic differentiation is required.

7.5 find the second derivative of an explicit function Students are required to recognise the
d2y
notations: y  , f ( x ) and .
dx 2
Students are required to recognise the second
derivative test and concavity.
Third and higher order derivatives are not
required.

8. Applications of 8.1 find the equations of tangents to a curve 14

67

differentiation
8.2 find the maximum and minimum values of a Local and global extrema are required.
function

8.3 sketch curves of polynomial functions and The following points should be considered in
rational functions curve sketching:
 symmetry of the curve
 limitations on the values of x and y
 intercepts with the axes
 maximum and minimum points
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

 points of inflexion
 vertical, horizontal and oblique asymptotes
to the curve
Students are required to deduce the equation
of the oblique asymptote to the curve of a
rational function by division.

8.4 solve the problems relating to rate of change,

maximum and minimum

9. Indefinite 9.1 recognise the concept of indefinite integration 15 Indefinite integration as the reverse process of
68

integration and its differentiation should be introduced.

applications
9.2 understand the properties of indefinite integrals The formulae include:
and use the integration formulae of algebraic
functions, trigonometric functions and   k dx  kx  C
exponential functions to find indefinite integrals
x n 1
  x dx  n  1  C
n

1
  x dx  ln x  C
  e dx  e C
x x
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

  sin x dx   cos x  C
  cos x dx  sin x  C
  sec x dx  tan x  C
2

9.3 understand the applications of indefinite integrals Applications of indefinite integrals in some
in mathematical contexts fields such as geometry is required.

9.4 use integration by substitution to find indefinite

integrals
69

9.5 use trigonometric substitutions to find the Students are required to recognise the
indefinite integrals involving a x
2 2
, notations: sin1x , cos1x and tan1x , and the
1 concept of their related principal values.
1
or 2
a2  x2 x  a2

9.6 use integration by parts to find indefinite integrals Teachers can use  ln x dx as an example to
illustrate the method of integration by parts.
The use of integration by parts is limited to at
most two times in finding an integral.
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

10. Definite integration 10.1 recognise the concept of definite integration 10 The definite integral as the limit of a sum and
finding a definite integral from the definition
should be introduced.
The concept of dummy variables is required,
b b
for example,  f ( x ) dx   f (t ) dt .
a a

Using definite integration to find the sum to

infinity of a sequence is not required.

10.2 understand the properties of definite integrals The properties include:

b a
  f ( x ) dx    f ( x ) dx
70

a b

a
 a
f ( x ) dx  0

b c b
 a
f ( x ) dx   f ( x ) dx   f ( x ) dx
a c

b b
 a
kf ( x ) dx  k  f ( x ) dx
a

  f ( x)  g ( x) dx
b


a
b b
  f ( x ) dx   g ( x ) dx
a a
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

a
  a
f ( x ) dx  0 if f ( x ) is an odd
function
a a
 a
f ( x ) dx 2 f ( x ) dx if f ( x ) is an
0
even function

10.3 find definite integrals of algebraic functions, The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus that
trigonometric functions and exponential functions students are required to recognise is:
b
a
f ( x ) dx  F (b)  F (a ) , where
d
F ( x)  f ( x) .
71

dx

10.4 use integration by substitution to find definite

integrals

10.5 use integration by parts to find definite integrals The use of integration by parts is limited to at
most two times in finding an integral.

11. Applications of 11.1 understand the application of definite integrals in 4

definite integration finding the area of a plane figure
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

11.2 understand the application of definite integrals in “Disc method” is required.

finding the volume of a solid of revolution about
a coordinate axis or a line parallel to a coordinate
axis

Subtotal in hours 59

Algebra

12. Determinants 12.1 recognise the concept of determinants of order 2 2 Students are required to recognise the
and order 3 notations: |A| and det A.
72

13. Matrices 13.1 understand the concept, operations and properties 10 The addition, scalar multiplication and
of matrices multiplication of matrices are required.
The properties include:

 A B  B  A
 A  ( B  C )  ( A  B)  C

 (   )A   A   A

  ( A  B)   A   B
 A( BC )  ( AB)C

 A( B  C )  AB  AC
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

 ( A  B)C  AC  BC

 ( A)(  B)  ( ) AB

 AB  A B

13.2 understand the concept, operations and properties The properties include:
of inverses of square matrices of order 2 and order
3  the inverse of A is unique

 ( A1 )1  A

 ( A)1   1 A1
73

 ( An )1  ( A1 )n

 ( AT )1  ( A1 )T
1
 A1  A

 ( AB)1  B 1 A1

where A and B are invertible matrices and 

is a non-zero scalar.
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

14. Systems of linear 14.1 solve the systems of linear equations in two and 6 The following theorem is required:
equations three variables by Cramer’s rule, inverse matrices
and Gaussian elimination A system of homogeneous linear equations has
nontrivial solutions if and only if the
coefficient matrix is singular

15. Introduction to 15.1 understand the concepts of vectors and scalars 5 The concepts of magnitudes of vectors, zero
vectors vector and unit vectors are required.
Students are required to recognise some
common notations of vectors in printed form
(including a and AB ) and in written form
(including a , AB and a ) ; and some
74

notations for magnitude (including a and

a ).

15.2 understand the operations and properties of The addition, subtraction and scalar
vectors multiplication of vectors are required.
The properties include:

 ab  ba

 a  (b  c)  (a  b)  c

 a0 a

 0a  0
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

  ( a)  ( )a
 (   )a  a  a
  (a  b)  a  b
 If a   b  1a  1b (a and b are
non-zero and are not parallel to each
other), then   1 and  =1

15.3 understand the representation of a vector in the The formulae that students are required to use
rectangular coordinate system include:

 OP  x 2  y 2  z 2 in R3
75

y
 sin   and
x  y2
2

x
cos   in R2
x y
2 2

The representation of vectors in the

rectangular coordinate system can be used to
discuss those properties listed in the Remarks
against Learning Objective 15.2.
The concept of direction cosines is not
required.
 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

16. Scalar product and 16.1 understand the definition and properties of the 5 The properties include:
vector product scalar product (dot product) of vectors
 ab  ba

 a  (b)   (a  b)

 a  ( b  c)  a  b  a  c

aa  a  0
2


 a  a  0 if and only if a  0

 a b  ab
76

a  b  a  b  2(a  b)
2 2 2


16.2 understand the definition and properties of the The properties include:
vector product (cross product) of vectors in R3
 aa  0

 b  a  (a  b)

 (a  b)  c  a  c  b  c

 a  (b  c)  a  b  a  c

 (a)  b  a  (b)   (a  b)

a  b  a b  (a  b ) 2
2 2 2

 Learning Unit Learning Objective Time Remarks

17. Applications of 17.1 understand the applications of vectors 6 Division of a line segment, parallelism and
vectors orthogonality are required.
Finding angles between two vectors, the
projection of a vector onto another vector and
the area of a triangle are required.

Subtotal in hours 34

Further Learning Unit

18. Inquiry and Through various learning activities, discover and 7 This is not an independent and isolated
investigation construct knowledge, further improve the ability to learning unit. The time is allocated for
77

inquire, communicate, reason and conceptualise students to engage in learning activities from
mathematical concepts different learning units.

Subtotal in hours 7

Grand total: 125 hours