Subject Overview

Mathematics is a wide-ranging subject that is both practical and theoretical, geared to applications and of intrinsic interest. Its manifestations permeate the natural and constructed world and provide the language and techniques for handling many aspects of everyday and scientific life. It is also an intellectual discipline that deals with abstractions and logical arguments.

Leaving Certificate Mathematics is provided at three levels: Foundation, Ordinary and Higher, with separate syllabuses for each level.

Content

Subject content is presented at Ordinary level and Higher level under the headings:

Arithmetic (OL only)
Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry
Sequences and Series
Functions and Calculus
Discrete Mathematics and Statistics

Options (HL)

Further Calculus and Series
Further Probability and Statistics
Groups
Further geometry

Options (OL)

Further Geometry
Plane Vectors
Further Sequences and Series
Linear Programming

At Foundation level, subject content is presented under the following headings:

Number systems
Arithmetic
Areas and volumes
Algebra
Statistics and probability
Trigonometry
Functions and graphs
Geometry

Assessment

Leaving Certificate mathematics is examined at all three levels by means of terminal examination papers. There are two papers at each level.

Status

The Ordinary level and Higher level syllabuses were introduced in September 1992 and first examined in 1994. The Foundation level syllabus was introduced in September 1995, replacing the Ordinary Alternative course, and was first examined in 1997. Leaving Certificate mathematics is included in the current NCCA review of mathematics education.