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Teaching Mathematics and its Applications Advance Access published online on August 6, 2007
Teaching Mathematics and its Applications, doi:10.1093/teamat/hrm005
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Original Papers

Prior knowledge of mechanics amongst first year Engineering students

Dick Clements *

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Dick Clements, E-mail: rr-clements{at}cantab.net


  Abstract

In the last 25 years, A-level Mathematics syllabi have changed very considerably, introducing a broader range of application areas but reducing the previous emphasis on classical mechanics. This article describes a baseline survey undertaken to establish in detail the entry levels in mechanics for the cohort of students entering Engineering courses at Bristol University in October 2005. The survey results confirm and quantify existing anecdotal evidence indicating that universities must now assume a considerably reduced familiarity with concepts in basic mechanics. These changes have strong implications for future course design.


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