Paddy MacMahon
@paddymacmahon.com
Head of Maths at Latymer Upper School
paddymacmahon.com
OCR, Cambridge International and AQA associate, Desmos and Google Colab enthusiast
paddymacmahon.com
OCR, Cambridge International and AQA associate, Desmos and Google Colab enthusiast
That's what we have - our further mathematicians are taught entirely separately from single mathematicians.
February 10, 2026 at 8:54 PM
That's what we have - our further mathematicians are taught entirely separately from single mathematicians.
I love teaching further maths from the off. It's great to be able to get into some complex numbers, matrices and series from the start.
February 10, 2026 at 7:59 PM
I love teaching further maths from the off. It's great to be able to get into some complex numbers, matrices and series from the start.
You're a long way along with your lower sixth...!
February 10, 2026 at 4:05 PM
You're a long way along with your lower sixth...!
Reposted by Paddy MacMahon
We're running our popular 'Bringing the Maths of Data Science and AI into the A level Classroom' PD course again in the summer term.
2 options: only-only and blended (online with a study day)
Bookings are open now: amsp.org.uk/maths-into-ai/
2 options: only-only and blended (online with a study day)
Bookings are open now: amsp.org.uk/maths-into-ai/
February 9, 2026 at 4:44 PM
We're running our popular 'Bringing the Maths of Data Science and AI into the A level Classroom' PD course again in the summer term.
2 options: only-only and blended (online with a study day)
Bookings are open now: amsp.org.uk/maths-into-ai/
2 options: only-only and blended (online with a study day)
Bookings are open now: amsp.org.uk/maths-into-ai/
11 is the biggest unambiguous score (1T, 2P)
12 can be 2T, 1C or 4P
13 can be 2T, 1P or 1T, 1C, 2P
14 can be 2T, 2C or 1T, 3P
And once we have a run of 3 ambiguous scores, everything else is ambiguous because we can add on penalties to these scores.
12 can be 2T, 1C or 4P
13 can be 2T, 1P or 1T, 1C, 2P
14 can be 2T, 2C or 1T, 3P
And once we have a run of 3 ambiguous scores, everything else is ambiguous because we can add on penalties to these scores.
February 8, 2026 at 10:50 AM
11 is the biggest unambiguous score (1T, 2P)
12 can be 2T, 1C or 4P
13 can be 2T, 1P or 1T, 1C, 2P
14 can be 2T, 2C or 1T, 3P
And once we have a run of 3 ambiguous scores, everything else is ambiguous because we can add on penalties to these scores.
12 can be 2T, 1C or 4P
13 can be 2T, 1P or 1T, 1C, 2P
14 can be 2T, 2C or 1T, 3P
And once we have a run of 3 ambiguous scores, everything else is ambiguous because we can add on penalties to these scores.
10 is the smallest ambiguous score (two unconverted tries or one penalty and one converted try). Everything below is unambiguous (1, 2, 4: impossible; 3: one penalty; 5: one unconverted try; 6: two penalties; 7: one converted try; 8: 1 penalty, 1 unconverted try; 9: 3 penalties)
February 8, 2026 at 10:50 AM
10 is the smallest ambiguous score (two unconverted tries or one penalty and one converted try). Everything below is unambiguous (1, 2, 4: impossible; 3: one penalty; 5: one unconverted try; 6: two penalties; 7: one converted try; 8: 1 penalty, 1 unconverted try; 9: 3 penalties)
I've split into 50 congruent triangles. 26 are shaded, so 13/25.
February 7, 2026 at 12:51 PM
I've split into 50 congruent triangles. 26 are shaded, so 13/25.
Reposted by Paddy MacMahon
Two regular hexagons inside a rectangle. What fraction of the rectangle is shaded?
I found this #geometrypuzzle in my sketchbook - I drew it last June, but I’m pretty sure I never got round to posting it. Better late than never!
I found this #geometrypuzzle in my sketchbook - I drew it last June, but I’m pretty sure I never got round to posting it. Better late than never!
February 7, 2026 at 10:37 AM
What are we doing when we do a hypothesis test? Sticking it to the man!
February 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM
What are we doing when we do a hypothesis test? Sticking it to the man!
I'll be using this!
February 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM
I'll be using this!
I don't think we're ever making a definite statement, even by accepting it. And when we reject H_0 we are also accepting H_1, despite not being sure of it.
February 6, 2026 at 11:26 AM
I don't think we're ever making a definite statement, even by accepting it. And when we reject H_0 we are also accepting H_1, despite not being sure of it.
I'm not sure I see an issue with 'accepting' H_0. If you don't reject a thing, what are you doing with it?
Here's £1000: what are you going to do with it? Well I won't reject it...
Here's £1000: what are you going to do with it? Well I won't reject it...
February 5, 2026 at 11:13 PM
I'm not sure I see an issue with 'accepting' H_0. If you don't reject a thing, what are you doing with it?
Here's £1000: what are you going to do with it? Well I won't reject it...
Here's £1000: what are you going to do with it? Well I won't reject it...
But by the same argument you can't definitively reject it if you get a significant result: you haven't proved H_1.
February 5, 2026 at 11:10 PM
But by the same argument you can't definitively reject it if you get a significant result: you haven't proved H_1.
Yes the 'h1 phrased in words' is the contextual comment.
February 5, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Yes the 'h1 phrased in words' is the contextual comment.
We were using a template for the conclusion to hypothesis tests in #ALevelMaths #MathsToday. Too many straightforward marks lost on these questions.
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
We were using a template for the conclusion to hypothesis tests in #ALevelMaths #MathsToday. Too many straightforward marks lost on these questions.
Can we find the area without calculus...?
February 5, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Can we find the area without calculus...?
February 4, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Out of interest, do you default to Autograph for checking?
February 3, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Out of interest, do you default to Autograph for checking?
That looks like the graph of y=1+x-2*sqrt(x), which isn't the same thing...
February 3, 2026 at 7:44 PM
That looks like the graph of y=1+x-2*sqrt(x), which isn't the same thing...
Reposted by Paddy MacMahon
A reminder of the Mathematical Hooks padlet - ways in which to promote thinking and discussion with students
padlet.com/tessmaths1/m...
padlet.com/tessmaths1/m...
Mathematical Hooks
Made with a touch of glamour
padlet.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:05 PM
A reminder of the Mathematical Hooks padlet - ways in which to promote thinking and discussion with students
padlet.com/tessmaths1/m...
padlet.com/tessmaths1/m...
February 3, 2026 at 5:39 PM
In L6 #FurtherMaths #MathsToday we used this picture to start talking about hypothesis tests.
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
February 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
In L6 #FurtherMaths #MathsToday we used this picture to start talking about hypothesis tests.
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
February 3, 2026 at 1:34 PM
In L6 #FurtherMaths #MathsToday we used this picture to start talking about hypothesis tests.
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
Analysis and introduction to chi-squared goodness of fit tests using this @googlecolab.bsky.social notebook:
colab.research.google.com/drive/1HU9yF...
I think they can use either (but they do get tables in the exam). We've covered both, just in case, and I've told them to get 991 calculators.
I've used some of the textbook examples which are ok, and tend to also write some of my own or use A Level exercises.
I've used some of the textbook examples which are ok, and tend to also write some of my own or use A Level exercises.
February 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
I think they can use either (but they do get tables in the exam). We've covered both, just in case, and I've told them to get 991 calculators.
I've used some of the textbook examples which are ok, and tend to also write some of my own or use A Level exercises.
I've used some of the textbook examples which are ok, and tend to also write some of my own or use A Level exercises.