Physics IGCSEAcademic Calendar

This Academic Calendar has been compiled by Melt Louw

melt.louw.74@gmail.comhttp://o-t-a.weebly.com

to coincide with South African Coastal Province National School Term Datesaccording to

www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/schoolcal.htm – 2013-06-09http://www.kwathabeng.co.za/travel/calendar/school.html

Distribute Freely!

Please report all discrepancies to the above email address.

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 1-Year Option (PIG14/1)

2014-01 2014-02 2014-03

1 W New Year's Day 1 S 1 S

2 T 2 S 2 S

3 F 3 M 2.07 3 M 4.06

4 S 4 T 2.09 4 T 4.07

5 S 5 W 2.11 5 W 4.08

6 M 6 T 2.12 6 T FQ4

7 T 7 F FQ2 7 F 5.01

8 W 8 S 8 S

9 T 9 S 9 S

10 F 10 M 3.01 10 M 5.02

11 S 11 T 3.02 11 T 5.03

12 S 12 W 3.03 12 W 5.04

13 M 13 T 3.04 13 T 5.05

14 T 14 F 3.05 14 F 5.06

15 W 1.01 15 S 15 S

16 T 1.02 16 S 16 S

17 F 1.03 17 M 3.06 17 M 5.07

18 S 18 T 3.08 18 T 5.08

19 S 19 W 3.09 19 W 5.09

20 M 1.04 20 T 3.10 20 T 5.10

21 T 1.05 21 F FQ3 21 F Human Rights Day

22 W 1.06 22 S 22 S

23 T FQ1 23 S 23 S

24 F 2.01 24 M 4.01 24 M 5.11

25 S 25 T 4.02 25 T FQ5

26 S 26 W 4.03 26 W 6.01

27 M 2.02 27 T 4.04 27 T 6.02

28 T 2.03 28 F 4.05 28 F 6.03

29 W 2.04 29 S

30 T 2.05 30 S

31 F 2.06 31 M

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 1-Year Option (PIG14/1)

2014-04 2014-05 2014-06

1 T 1 T Workers Day 1 S

2 W 2 F School Holiday 2 M 9.04

3 T 3 S 3 T 9.05

4 F 4 S 4 W 9.06

5 S 5 M 7.12 5 T 9.07

6 S 6 T FQ7 6 F 9.08

7 M 6.04 7 W 8.01 7 S

8 T 6.05 8 T 8.02 8 S

9 W 6.06 9 F 8.03 9 M 9.09

10 T 10 S 10 T 9.10

11 F 11 S 11 W 9.11

12 S FQ6 12 M 8.04 12 T 9.12

13 S 7.01 13 T 8.05 13 F FQ9

14 M 7.02 14 W 8.06 14 S

15 T 7.03 15 T 8.07 15 S

16 W 7.04 16 F 8.08 16 M Youth Day

17 T 7.05 17 S 17 T 10.01

18 F Good Friday 18 S 18 W 10.02

19 S 19 M 8.09 19 T 10.03

20 S 20 T 8.10 20 F 10.04

21 M Family Day 21 W 8.11 21 S

22 T 7.06 22 T 8.12 22 S

23 W 7.07 23 F 8.13 23 M 10.05

24 T 7.08 24 S 24 T 10.06

25 F 7.11 25 S 25 W 10.07

26 S 26 M 8.14 26 T 10.08

27 S Freedom Day 27 T FQ8 27 F FQ10

28 M Public Holiday 28 W 9.01 28 S

29 T School Holiday 29 T 9.02 29 S

30 W School Holiday 30 F 9.03 30 M

31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 1-Year Option (PIG14/1)

2014-07 2014-08 2014-09

1 T 1 F 13.02 1 M 262

2 W 2 S 2 T 262

3 T 3 S 3 W 263

4 F 4 M 13.03 4 T 263

5 S 5 T 13.04 5 F 231

6 S 6 W 13.05 6 S

7 M 7 T 13.06 7 S

8 T 8 F 13.07 8 M 231

9 W 9 S Women's Day 9 T 232

10 T 10 S 10 W 232

11 F 11 M FQ13 11 T 233

12 S 12 T 161 12 F 233

13 S 13 W 161 13 S

14 M 14 T 162 14 S

15 T 15 F 162 15 M 111

16 W 16 S 16 T 112

17 T 17 S 17 W 113

18 F 18 M 163 18 T 211

19 S 19 T 163 19 F 212

20 S 20 W 131 20 S

21 M 11.01 21 T 131 21 S

22 T 11.02 22 F 132 22 M 213

23 W 11.03 23 S 23 T 361

24 T 11.04 24 S 24 W Heritage Day

25 F 11.05 25 M 132 25 T 361

26 S 26 T 133 26 F 331

27 S 27 W 133 27 S

28 M 11.08 28 T 261 28 S

29 T 11.09 29 F 261 29 M 331

30 W FQ11 30 S 30 T 311

31 T 13.01 31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 1-Year Option (PIG14/1)

2014-10 2014-11 2014-12

1 W 362 1 S 1 M

2 T 362 2 S 2 T

3 F 332 3 M 3 W

4 S 4 T 4 T

5 S 5 W 5 F

6 M 6 T 6 S

7 T 7 F 7 S

8 W 8 S 8 M

9 T 9 S 9 T

10 F 10 M 10 W Schools Close

11 S 11 T 11 T

12 S 12 W 12 F

13 M 332 13 T 13 S

14 T 312 14 F 14 S

15 W 363 15 S 15 M

16 T 363 16 S 16 T Day of Reconciliation

17 F 333 17 M 17 W

18 S 18 T 18 T

19 S 19 W 19 F

20 M 333 20 T 20 S

21 T 313 21 F 21 S

22 W 22 S 22 M

23 T 23 S 23 T

24 F 24 M 24 W

25 S 25 T 25 T Christmas Day

26 S 26 W 26 F Day of Goodwill

27 M 27 T 27 S

28 T 28 F 28 S

29 W 29 S 29 M

30 T 30 S 30 T

31 F 31 W

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2015 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG15/2)

2014-01 2014-02 2014-03

1 W New Year's Day 1 S 1 S

2 T 2 S 2 S

3 F 3 M FQ1 3 M 2.12

4 S 4 T 2.01 4 T FQ2

5 S 5 W 2.01 5 W FQ2

6 M 6 T 2.02 6 T 3.01

7 T 7 F 2.02 7 F 3.01

8 W 8 S 8 S

9 T 9 S 9 S

10 F 10 M 2.03 10 M 3.02

11 S 11 T 2.03 11 T 3.02

12 S 12 W 2.04 12 W 3.03

13 M 13 T 2.04 13 T 3.03

14 T 14 F 2.05 14 F 3.04

15 W 1.01 15 S 15 S

16 T 1.01 16 S 16 S

17 F 1.02 17 M 2.05 17 M 3.04

18 S 18 T 2.06 18 T 3.05

19 S 19 W 2.06 19 W 3.05

20 M 1.02 20 T 2.07 20 T 3.06

21 T 1.03 21 F 2.07 21 F Human Rights Day

22 W 1.03 22 S 22 S

23 T 1.04 23 S 23 S

24 F 1.04 24 M 2.09 24 M 3.06

25 S 25 T 2.09 25 T 3.08

26 S 26 W 2.11 26 W 3.08

27 M 1.05 27 T 2.11 27 T 3.09

28 T 1.05 28 F 2.12 28 F 3.09

29 W 1.06 29 S

30 T 1.06 30 S

31 F FQ1 31 M

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2015 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG15/2)

2014-04 2014-05 2014-06

1 T 1 T Workers Day 1 S

2 W 2 F School Holiday 2 M 5.06

3 T 3 S 3 T 5.07

4 F 4 S 4 W 5.07

5 S 5 M 4.05 5 T 5.08

6 S 6 T 4.06 6 F 5.08

7 M 3.10 7 W 4.06 7 S

8 T 3.10 8 T 4.07 8 S

9 W FQ3 9 F 4.07 9 M 5.09

10 T FQ3 10 S 10 T 5.09

11 F 4.01 11 S 11 W 5.10

12 S 12 M 4.08 12 T 5.10

13 S 13 T 4.08 13 F 5.11

14 M 4.01 14 W FQ4 14 S

15 T 4.02 15 T FQ4 15 S

16 W 4.02 16 F 5.01 16 M Youth Day

17 T 4.03 17 S 17 T 5.11

18 F Good Friday 18 S 18 W FQ5

19 S 19 M 5.01 19 T FQ5

20 S 20 T 5.02 20 F 6.01

21 M Family Day 21 W 5.02 21 S

22 T 4.03 22 T 5.03 22 S

23 W 4.04 23 F 5.03 23 M 6.01

24 T 4.04 24 S 24 T 6.02

25 F 4.05 25 S 25 W 6.02

26 S 26 M 5.04 26 T 6.03

27 S Freedom Day 27 T 5.04 27 F 6.03

28 M Public Holiday 28 W 5.05 28 S

29 T School Holiday 29 T 5.05 29 S

30 W School Holiday 30 F 5.06 30 M

31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2015 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG15/2)

2014-07 2014-08 2014-09

1 T 1 F 7.01 1 M 8.01

2 W 2 S 2 T 8.01

3 T 3 S 3 W 8.02

4 F 4 M 7.02 4 T 8.02

5 S 5 T 7.02 5 F 8.03

6 S 6 W 7.03 6 S

7 M 7 T 7.03 7 S

8 T 8 F 7.04 8 M 8.03

9 W 9 S Women's Day 9 T 8.04

10 T 10 S 10 W 8.04

11 F 11 M 7.04 11 T 8.05

12 S 12 T 7.05 12 F 8.05

13 S 13 W 7.05 13 S

14 M 14 T 7.06 14 S

15 T 15 F 7.06 15 M 8.06

16 W 16 S 16 T 8.06

17 T 17 S 17 W 8.07

18 F 18 M 7.07 18 T 8.07

19 S 19 T 7.07 19 F 8.08

20 S 20 W 7.08 20 S

21 M 6.04 21 T 7.08 21 S

22 T 6.04 22 F 7.11 22 M 8.08

23 W 6.05 23 S 23 T 8.09

24 T 6.05 24 S 24 W Heritage Day

25 F 6.06 25 M 7.11 25 T 8.09

26 S 26 T 7.12 26 F 8.10

27 S 27 W 7.12 27 S

28 M 6.06 28 T FQ7 28 S

29 T FQ6 29 F FQ7 29 M 8.10

30 W FQ6 30 S 30 T 8.11

31 T 7.01 31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2015 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG15/2)

2014-10 2014-11 2014-12

1 W 8.11 1 S 1 M

2 T 8.12 2 S 2 T

3 F 8.12 3 M 9.05 3 W

4 S 4 T 9.06 4 T

5 S 5 W 9.06 5 F

6 M 6 T 9.07 6 S

7 T 7 F 9.07 7 S

8 W 8 S 8 M

9 T 9 S 9 T

10 F 10 M 9.08 10 W Schools Close

11 S 11 T 9.08 11 T

12 S 12 W 9.09 12 F

13 M 8.13 13 T 9.09 13 S

14 T 8.13 14 F 9.10 14 S

15 W 8.14 15 S 15 M

16 T 8.14 16 S 16 T Day of Reconciliation

17 F FQ8 17 M 9.10 17 W

18 S 18 T 9.11 18 T

19 S 19 W 9.11 19 F

20 M FQ8 20 T 9.12 20 S

21 T 9.01 21 F 9.12 21 S

22 W 9.01 22 S 22 M

23 T 9.02 23 S 23 T

24 F 9.02 24 M FQ9 24 W

25 S 25 T FQ9 25 T Christmas Day

26 S 26 W 26 F Day of Goodwill

27 M 9.03 27 T 27 S

28 T 9.03 28 F 28 S

29 W 9.04 29 S 29 M

30 T 9.04 30 S 30 T

31 F 9.05 31 W

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG14/2)

2014-01 2014-02 2014-03

1 W New Year's Day 1 S 1 S

2 T 2 S 2 S

3 F 3 M 10.07 3 M FQ11

4 S 4 T 10.08 4 T 13.01

5 S 5 W 10.08 5 W 13.01

6 M 6 T FQ10 6 T 13.02

7 T 7 F FQ10 7 F 13.02

8 W 8 S 8 S

9 T 9 S 9 S

10 F 10 M 11.01 10 M 13.03

11 S 11 T 11.01 11 T 13.03

12 S 12 W 11.02 12 W 13.04

13 M 13 T 11.02 13 T 13.04

14 T 14 F 11.03 14 F 13.05

15 W 10.01 15 S 15 S

16 T 10.01 16 S 16 S

17 F 10.02 17 M 11.03 17 M 13.05

18 S 18 T 11.04 18 T 13.06

19 S 19 W 11.04 19 W 13.06

20 M 10.02 20 T 11.05 20 T 13.07

21 T 10.03 21 F 11.05 21 F Human Rights Day

22 W 10.03 22 S 22 S

23 T 10.04 23 S 23 S

24 F 10.04 24 M 11.08 24 M 13.07

25 S 25 T 11.08 25 T FQ13

26 S 26 W 11.09 26 W FQ13

27 M 10.05 27 T 11.09 27 T 161

28 T 10.05 28 F FQ11 28 F 161

29 W 10.06 29 S

30 T 10.06 30 S

31 F 10.07 31 M

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG14/2)

2014-04 2014-05 2014-06

1 T 1 T Workers Day 1 S

2 W 2 F School Holiday 2 M 333

3 T 3 S 3 T 461

4 F 4 S 4 W 461

5 S 5 M 262 5 T 462

6 S 6 T 263 6 F 462

7 M 162 7 W 263 7 S

8 T 162 8 T 231 8 S

9 W 163 9 F 231 9 M 463

10 T 163 10 S 10 T 463

11 F 131 11 S 11 W 431

12 S 12 M 232 12 T 431

13 S 13 T 232 13 F 432

14 M 131 14 W 233 14 S

15 T 132 15 T 233 15 S

16 W 132 16 F 361 16 M Youth Day

17 T 133 17 S 17 T 432

18 F Good Friday 18 S 18 W 433

19 S 19 M 361 19 T 433

20 S 20 T 362 20 F 561

21 M Family Day 21 W 362 21 S

22 T 133 22 T 363 22 S

23 W 261 23 F 363 23 M 561

24 T 261 24 S 24 T 562

25 F 262 25 S 25 W 562

26 S 26 M 331 26 T 563

27 S Freedom Day 27 T 331 27 F 563

28 M Public Holiday 28 W 332 28 S

29 T School Holiday 29 T 332 29 S

30 W School Holiday 30 F 333 30 M

31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG14/2)

2014-07 2014-08 2014-09

1 T 1 F 662 1 M 511

2 W 2 S 2 T 512

3 T 3 S 3 W 513

4 F 4 M 663 4 T 611

5 S 5 T 663 5 F 612

6 S 6 W 631 6 S

7 M 7 T 631 7 S

8 T 8 F 632 8 M 613

9 W 9 S Women's Day 9 T 161

10 T 10 S 10 W 131

11 F 11 M 632 11 T 111

12 S 12 T 633 12 F 162

13 S 13 W 633 13 S

14 M 14 T 111 14 S

15 T 15 F 112 15 M 132

16 W 16 S 16 T 112

17 T 17 S 17 W 163

18 F 18 M 113 18 T 133

19 S 19 T 211 19 F 113

20 S 20 W 212 20 S

21 M 531 21 T 213 21 S

22 T 531 22 F 311 22 M 261

23 W 532 23 S 23 T 231

24 T 532 24 S 24 W Heritage Day

25 F 533 25 M 312 25 T 211

26 S 26 T 313 26 F 262

27 S 27 W 411 27 S

28 M 533 28 T 412 28 S

29 T 661 29 F 413 29 M 232

30 W 661 30 S 30 T 212

31 T 662 31 S

Physics IGCSE – Academic Calendar – 2014 Oct Exam – 2-Year Option (PIG14/2)

2014-10 2014-11 2014-12

1 W 263 1 S 1 M

2 T 233 2 S 2 T

3 F 213 3 M 3 W

4 S 4 T 4 T

5 S 5 W 5 F

6 M 6 T 6 S

7 T 7 F 7 S

8 W 8 S 8 M

9 T 9 S 9 T

10 F 10 M 10 W Schools Close

11 S 11 T 11 T

12 S 12 W 12 F

13 M Schools Open 13 T 13 S

14 T 14 F 14 S

15 W 15 S 15 M

16 T 16 S 16 T Day of Reconciliation

17 F 17 M 17 W

18 S 18 T 18 T

19 S 19 W 19 F

20 M 20 T 20 S

21 T 21 F 21 S

22 W 22 S 22 M

23 T 23 S 23 T

24 F 24 M 24 W

25 S 25 T 25 T Christmas Day

26 S 26 W 26 F Day of Goodwill

27 M 27 T 27 S

28 T 28 F 28 S

29 W 29 S 29 M

30 T 30 S 30 T

31 F 31 W

Textbook

This academic calendar is based upon the following textbook:

Complete Physics for IGCSE

Stephen PopleOxford University Press(Cambridge-Endorsed)

ISBN 9780199138777

The Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 Syllabus endorses many other textbooks also. However, from experience, Pople's Complete Physics is more than sufficient, very well-structured and student-friendly, and therefore this academic calendar will be based upon Pople.

The textbook can usually be ordered from www.kalahari.com, www.loot.co.za, www.redpepperbooks.co.za, www.takealot.com, or www.cup.co.za/?m=7&s=1 (Cambridge University Press – African Branch). Please be advised, however, that delivery time depends on availability of stock.

Equipment

1. Textbook2. Academic Calendar3. A4, Hard-Cover, Study Note & Exercise Book4. A4 Exam Pad5. A4 Graph Paper Pad6. HB Pencils (ordinary / 0.7mm clutch)7. Red, Green, Blue, Black medium ball-point pens for graphing8. Sharpener / Spare Clutch Pencil Refills9. Ruler10. Eraser11. Scissors12. Glue13. Scientific Calculator14. Mathematical Set: Protractor, Compass, Set Square

Calendar Structure

The CIE IGCSE (Gr. 10 and 11) and AS (Gr. 12) courses are designed as a two-year and a one-year course, respectively. However, the increase in academic level and workload from IGCSE to AS is such that, doing an IGCSE course over two years, is insufficient preparation for the demands that will be placed upon the student if they intend to take the AS course.

On the other hand, there could arise certain situations in which the IGCSE course can not be completed in one year, and therefore a two-year option is also included in this document.

In general, however, it is strongly recommended that at least the IGCSE course should be attempted in one year. If the 1-Year schedule is impractical, then the student can always slow down to the 2-Year Option, but speeding up from the 2-Year to the 1-Year Option is almost certainly impossible.

The first four pages of this calendar indicate how a one-year course might be structured with the focus on an October examination session in that year.

The next four pages of this calendar give the first half of a possible two-year course with the focus on an October examination session in the year after.

The four pages after that give the second half of the possible two-year course, but with the focus on an October examination session in the same year as for the one-year calendar. This is the calendar that a student would follow for the second year if they had started the year before. The reason for this arrangement is because the South African Education Department apparently does not supply their academic calendar two years in advance anymore.

The 1-Year Option calendar requires the student to work through one two-page spread per day as indicated for a specific date, five days a week, but not on public holidays. (Of the two, the IGCSE Physics syllabus has significantly less content than the Chemistry syllabus.)

The 2-Year Option calendar slows the pace to half of the 1-Year Option, requiring the student to work through one two-page spread every two days.

The calendar also includes revision and consolidation time, after the initial introductory phase of the course, during which the student is expected to work through past examination papers in preparation for the final examinations. The past papers in the textbook and on the CD are not recommended, because they are not as recent as those that are available on the internet.

It has been found that two hours study facilitation per week is sufficient for strong students who are doing the one-year course. However, this can be expensive. Therefore it is recommended that the student obtains the contact details of other Physics students from the facilitator, in order to organise a study group that ideally meets on a daily basis where the members discuss and attempt to solve each other's difficulties. There is much learning in teaching. The questions and exercises with which they cannot assist each other, should be clearly recorded, and then addressed to the study facilitator during the formal study sessions.

It is strongly advised that the student makes the time to study the introduction in the front of the textbook, and to ensure that they know where to find each division in the textbook and on the CD, and what kind of information is contained in each division.

How to Use this Calendar

The work that is to be completed on any particular date, is indicated within that specific date block on the calendar. For the 1-Year Option calendar, each date block usually contains reference to one two-page spread: “1.01” means that, on that day, Chapter 1, Spread 01 must be read, summarized and memorized by copying out – with concentration – calculation examples and lists, the exercises at the bottom of the right-hand page of the spread must be completed, and the student must check and determine the reasons why their final numerical answers possibly did not agree with those given in the back of the textbook.

After each chapter has been completed, the “FQ” number in the following date block refers to the “Further Questions” at the end of the chapter.

Please pay careful attention to the numbers on the academic calendar: some spreads are skipped because they are not required by the syllabus.

Revision

At the end of the course, before revision starts, the student should also download the current syllabus from FreeExamPapers, XtremePapers or http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subject?assdef_id=879, and check that they have completed all the required work.

During the revision period, at the end of the course, the references in the date blocks refer to past papers: SPV; where S indicates the latest examination

Session whose papers have not yet been revised, P indicates either the Alternative-to-Practical Paper (6), the Structured-Question Paper (3), or the Multiple-Choice Paper (1), and V indicates the variant number: 1, 2 or 3.

Cambridge designate their papers according to the following format: subj_x##_xx_PV. subj refers to the subject code: 0625 for IGCSE Physics. x refers to either the northern hemisphere summer (s) or (w) examination session. ## refers to the year: 09 = 2009. PV is identical to the explanation in the previous paragraph.

It is strongly recommended that students write papers 1, 3 and 6 for the Multiple-Choice, Structured-Question and Alternative-to-Practical papers, respectively. When the student is registered to write paper 2 (Core) and not paper 3 (Extended), even though Core requires less work to be studied, and even if the student scores 100% for all three papers (1, 2 and 6), the highest symbol that Cambridge issues on the final IGCSE certificate, is only a C symbol.

Past papers, mark schemes and question-by-question examiners' reports can be downloaded for free from www.freeexampapers.com or www.xtremepapers.com. The student must mark their own past paper exercises by comparing their solutions to the official mark schemes, and determine the reasons for any differences. The official mark schemes do not necessarily provide model solutions, but rather brief descriptions of minimum requirements for mark allocation. The student must also study the examiners' reports, which will furthermore greatly aid their insight into what the examiner and marker will require of them in the final examination.

Any difficulties that the student might experience with the interpretation of the mark schemes and/or examiner's reports should be addressed to the facilitator during study sessions.

Two days per paper are scheduled, except for the multiple choice papers, and when any paper is recommended for the second time. It is suggested that the student uses the first day, as far as possible, to attempt to write the paper under examination conditions in preparation for the final examinations, and the second day to mark the paper according to the mark scheme and examiner's report, with reference to the textbook and their own notebooks as necessary.

With each repetition of a paper or its variant, the student must strive to improve their performance with respect to completion time, accuracy, completeness and clarity of communication.

For completeness' sake, revision by means of past papers is scheduled into the fourth term, although the final external examinations usually commence early in the fourth term already. The facilitator will, however, still be available for study sessions until the last paper has been written.

The student must record the date, time taken and percentage scored for each past paper written. They should then calculate the weighted average of the percentages scored for each set of papers, as well as the average of all the papers of each each kind. Drawing graphs of this percentage data and corresponding times taken to complete the papers, will present a concise summary of their progress, which will encourage and motivate them as they see how their examination abilities increase over time. This will give them an indication of how they can expect to perform in the final examinations, and it will help them to set a target to attempt to exceed.

Conclusion

By the end of the course, the student will then have worked through the theory, examples and daily exercises. They will have revised and practised the “Further Questions” for each chapter. They will also have worked through the latest past

papers. They will have first-hand experience of marking their own papers from the official mark schemes and examiners' reports, giving them the best available preparation for, and the most optimal insight into what will be expected of them in the final examination on this level.

General

Science is usually based upon mathematical calculations. These calculations are done by means of formulae. Formulae are identified by the fact that they always contain equal signs (=) and place holders, called variables, on either side of the equal sign.

To do these calculations, first, the given numerical information for the variables involved, is summarized, and systematically written down in abbreviated mathematical form.

Then the appropriate, standard FORMULA that fits the given numerical information, is chosen and written down. A formula is most often (but not always) considered to be appropriate when it refers to the quantities involved in the given scenario, except the one quantity that is required to be calculated.

Then – if necessary – the student must MANIPULATE the formula to change the subject of the formula so that the answer for the required subject on the left of the equal sign can be calculated by means of the rearranged formula on the right. This manipulation requires some fundamental, indispensable algebraic skill.

After the algebraic manipulation, the student must SUBSTITUTE the values – as well as the proper abbreviations for the symbols of their respective measurement units – of the given numerical information into the places held by the place holder variables in the manipulated, rearranged formula.

Then, lastly, the numerical values are used to CALCULATE the final numerical answer, and the measurement units are manipulated algebraically to determine the appropriate measurement units for the final numerical answer, according to the formula.

Example: How far (in kilometres) does an airplane fly in two hours, if it flies at an average speed of 1443 kilometres per hour?

(This is a very simple example, the answer of which you've probably already worked out in your head – even before reaching the end of this sentence! ... However, simple examples are given – and need to be practised – in order to introduce, and to get to know how to handle certain concepts by means of particular methods and skills that will be used later on to solve more difficult problems that can not be solved in your head.)

Step 1: Systematic Summary of Given and Required Numerical Information:

Quantity Variable Value Unit Abbreviation Unit

Distance s ? km kilometre

Time t 2 h hour

Speed v 1443 km.h-1 kilometre per hour

The standard, conventionally-accepted symbols for the scientific variables of distance, time and speed are s, t and v, respectively.

Step 2: The standard FORMULA for dealing with distance, speed and time, is stated as follows:

“The speed of an object can be calculated by taking the distance that the object travelled, and dividing that distance by the time that it took for that object to travel that distance”

or, simply mathematically:

v = s / t (read: “v equals s over t”)

...giving speed v as the subject of the formula on the left of the equal sign.

However, we are not required to calculate speed v, but distance s. Therefore we need a new formula with distance s as the subject of the formula on the left of the equal sign, and all the other variables on the right.

Step 3: Therefore we need to MANIPULATE the standard formula algebraically:

v = s / t

∴ s / t = v ; (left <-> right, in order to get the required subject of the formula s on the left; ∴ (“therefore” against the left margin, not =, because = is already included in the equation)

∴ (s / t) x t = v x t ; (x t is the inverse operation that cancels / t, and only leaves the required s on the left, but “what you do to the left, you gotta do to the right”, therefore: x t both sides)

∴ s = v x t ; ( (1 / t) x t = (1 x t) / t = 1 ... – cancellation on the left)

Step 4: Now we SUBSTITUTE the given numerical values and their respective unit abbreviations into the places of the corresponding variables:

∴ s = 1443 km.h-1 x 2 h

Step 5: ...and only now are we finally ready to start to CALCULATE the answer:

= 1443 x 2 x km x h-1 x h+1

= 2886 km x h-1+1 ; (am x an = am+n) = 2886 km x h0

= 2886 km x 1 ; (a0 = 1; ∀ a ∊ ℝ; a ≠ 0)

∴ s = 2886 km → ; (→ is used to indicate the final result)

Please note the systematic structure of the lay-out of the solution. Most scientific calculations follow this basic procedure: “Formula, Manipulate, Substitute, Calculate” (but don't forget the summary of given information at the start).

Units of measurement are sometimes also referred to as the “dimensions” of the situation. Most of the fifth, calculatory step involves the algebraic manipulation of the dimensions of the situation in order to determine the dimensional units of the final numerical answer.

This mathematical skill of algebraic manipulation of dimensional units is called “dimensional analysis”, and it provides a very useful, single tool to get an idea of whether an appropriate formula was used, whether the numerical information was substituted correctly into the appropriately corresponding variable place holders in that formula, and whether the calculation was performed properly.

If a km answer is expected for a distance calculation, but somehow an h.km-1 (hour per kilometre) answer is achieved, then it is reasonably certain that either the formula, or the substitution, or the calculation and dimensional analysis need to be corrected.

Another useful skill in this regard of checking answers, is estimation. By considering the relative, rounded magnitudes of the various numerical values, and how they are operated on each other according to the formula, an estimate of what the final numerical answer should be, can be approximated.

In terms of the simple example above, rounding 1443km to 1500km, and then multiplying by 2, gives an estimate of approximately 3000km... and 2886km for the final calculated answer is of the same order of magnitude as the estimated answer, giving a good indication that the final numerical answer is reasonably close to correct.

However, if an answer of 721.5km was calculated, which is one order of magnitude less than the approximated 3000km estimate, then it is reasonably certain that some kind of calculation error has crept in, either in the estimate, or in the actual calculation, and either the calculation or the estimation or both need to be corrected – if not the formula and/or substitution itself as well. (“How could an answer of 721.5km have been calculated?” Questions like this also help in determining where the possible mistake could have been made.)

...And all that: Formula, Manipulate, Substitute, Calculate, Dimensional Analysis and Estimation, was done – without you even realizing - in your head, before you could finish reading that one sentence! That's great! ...But... (...there's always a “but”...) If you cannot physically show somebody else – without them misunderstanding – all of that subconscious mental gymnastics – black on white, then it means just about less than nothing. ...And that should be your goal throughout the entirety of this course – and all your studies, as a matter of fact: to recognize, analyse, isolate, organize, re-synthesize, and communicate your thoughts clearly, without misunderstanding, in a logically-sequential and coherent whole.

Now, Pople does not always give proper formulae in terms of appropriate or standard variables and unit abbreviations. Therefore it is very strongly advised that the student keeps a little Formula Booklet for themselves. This formula booklet should be used to record for study, memorization and reference any and all quantities in terms of name, formula variable, measurement unit, and unit abbreviation, as well the formulae in which they are used, written out in words and in the proper variable symbols. These quantities and formulae should be recorded with reference to page number and date of where and when they were encountered in Pople.

The student should also keep a second little Definition Booklet in which definitions of concepts are to be recorded, similar to the Formula Booklet. The “Useful Equations” and “Units and Elements” sections in the “Reference” chapter in the textbook, as well as the “Appendix” in the Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 Syllabus, should be helpful in this regard.

The student should be careful, however, not to confuse certain formula variables and unit abbreviations, e.g.:

Quantity Variable Unit Abbreviation Unit

speed v m.s-1 metres per second

volume V m3 cubic metres

electric potential V V volt

From the above table, it should be clear that the student needs to pay particularly meticulous attention to capital and lower case letters, as well as whether to use variables or abbreviations when referring to physical quantities.

Thankfully, it is seldomly possible to confuse symbols, because they are only used in certain specific, mutually exclusive contexts.

However, the speed v of an electron at any particular given moment in an electric field can depend on the electric potential V that establishes that electric field in the first place, and therefore both v and V could possibly occur in the same formula!

Furthermore, although the abbreviation V for volt is indistinguishable in form from the variable V for electric potential, the abbreviation m3 should under no circumstance ever be used in a formula in stead of the variable V for volume.

Unit abbreviations usually follow after a numerical value; variables are never associated directly with any numerical values that might be written next to them in a formula.

In a final numerical answer 3V would refer to an electric potential value of “3 volt”, but in a formula 3V would mean “the value of the electric potential multiplied by three”.

Thankfully, however, it is very difficult to confuse a numerical answer with a formula.

Furthermore, “Newton” is not the same as “newton”. The difference is indicated, firstly, by the capital as opposed to the lower case initial letters of the two words.

Also, the meanings differ in that the capital case refers to the proper, personal surname of the man Sir Isaac Newton, and the lower case refers to the unit of measurement for Force that is named after the man Newton who made great progress in the study of the physical concept of Force.

Therefore, once again, the student must pay meticulous attention to capital and lower case letters in their scientific and mathematical communications. The words for units of measurement (as opposed to some abbreviations, like V) are always written with lower case letters, except when the word starts a sentence. If there is any doubt as to whether the student intended to write a lower case letter when it should have been a capital, the examiner and marker will penalize the student.

Also, although speed and velocity are used synonymously and interchangeably in everyday English, in Physics, the former is a scalar and the latter is a vector, which convey different kinds information regarding related concepts, and can make a significant difference in communication, depending on the context.

In sum, the student must also be extremely careful – not careless – in their scientific communication with regard to their choice of terminology. This is why they need to memorize the given definitions in the minutest detail.

CIE & HESA Examination Rules

Two-Sitting Rule:

The Two-Sitting Rule for HESA exemption purposes (i.e. South African matriculation exemption and university entrance) as far as Cambridge qualifications are concerned, applies to exemptions which are achieved by means of Cambridge International AS Levels and the Cambridge AICE Diploma.

Examinations taken in the same calendar year are regarded as ONE sitting.

However, where a subject, such as Afrikaans Language, is not examined by Cambridge in the May/June sitting, then the immediately following May/June sitting in the next calendar year, when that subject is not examinable, after the Oct/Nov sitting when the Afrikaans examination was written, may also still be regarded as the same, single sitting.

This means, for example, that other subjects, such as Art Photography, may be examined in the following May/June sitting, and counted together with Afrikaans, which was examined in the Oct/Nov sitting of the previous calendar year, as having been written during the same examination sitting.

Portuguese Language, Turkish, German etc., on the other hand for example, are not offered in the Oct/Nov sitting, but the same still applies to these subjects also, as far as the immediately preceding Oct/Nov sitting of the previous calendar year is concerned.

Candidates who qualify for the above matriculation exemptions for university entrance and Bachelor Degree purposes, need to meet the minimum requirements for South African universities within a maximum of two examination sittings.

Take note: there is NO required time limit within which these two examination sittings need to be completed, as long as all subject examinations are taken on AS Level only.

13-Month Rule:

However, when a student is required to take a full A Level examination in any subject, i.e. both AS AND A2 Levels for that subject, for the purposes of foreign university entrance for example, then no more than 13 months may elapse between the AS and the A2 examinations for that subject.

Usually this means, taken together with the Two-Sitting Rule, that a student who is required to take full A Level examinations, would write their AS examinations in the Oct/Nov sitting of one year, for example, and would then write their A2 examinations in the Oct/Nov sitting of the immediately following calendar year.

However, it is entirely possible to write the AS and A2 examinations for one or two subjects in the same examination sitting, and then let more than 13 months elapse before writing the AS and A2 examinations for another two subjects together in the same, second and last examination sitting.

This last interpretation of the two rules in combination is, however, based upon the HESA Matriculation Exemption Requirements for South African universities. A student who intends to take their tertiary studies abroad, however, should contact their prospective foreign university well in advance, before the start of their IGCSE course already, in order to determine the exact entrance requirements for that foreign university.

Legal, Logistical and Financial Practicalities

The SA Schools Act (SASA) 1996, Chapter 5: Independent Schools, Article 51 “Registration of learner for education at home” implies that “education at home” means that a learner receives “education at the learner's home”, and that the parent is primarily responsible for such education (subsections 1, 2(c), 4 & 5). Any secondary study facilitation should therefore occupy less time than any primary schooling might, in an approximate maximum 40:60 ratio, or else the facilitator must apply for independent school status, or be fined, or serve a prison sentence of three months (Article 46, Subsection 4).

The Pestalozzi Trust offers legal defence for home-instruction institutions in this regard to its members, but while an independent facilitator has not yet established affiliation with the Pestalozzi Trust, this means that, for every 1 hour facilitation time, at least 1.5 hours must be spent at a public or independent school, or in home-instruction self-study. Therefore no facilitation, independent of the Pestalozzi Trust, should assume a schooling or day-care function. No independent facilitator should assume an in loco parentis teacher or guardian role, nor take responsibility for the student beyond the scheduled facilitation appointment time.

The SA Matriculation Board Exemption Regulations require a minimum of four AS subjects and one IGCSE subject for SA matriculation purposes.

This means that, if a CIE AS home-instruction student spends 4.75 hours per day in guided facilitation for all their subjects (1 hour per AS subject), then they are still required by law to spend 7.125 hours per day in self-study, for a total of almost 12 hours per day – study breaks excluded.

CIE Syllabi are designed on the assumption that students will have about 180 guided/facilitated learning hours per AS subject [1.00] and 135 hours per IGCSE subject [0.75]. (Refer to the relevant CIE subject syllabi.)

According to South African Government Information, there are approximately between 150 and 160 state-school days in the first three terms of the academic year, differing slightly from year to year. The CIE home-instruction student usually starts with their examinations shortly after the start of the fourth term.

Therefore, in the South African home-instruction scenario, it is logistically very difficult to comply with SA Education Law, and it is financially unattainable for the majority to complete a full CIE AS course for SA matriculation exemption and university entrance purposes in a single year – if full-fledged, independent study facilitation is to be employed as described above.

Many South African home-instruction students, however, have obtained their CIE AS qualifications with great, even phenomenal success. It can be done. However, the student can not assume, nor depend on, full-fledged teaching or even tutoring anymore. They must take the responsibility to study on their own, by themselves, independently from their parents and the facilitator. The parent seldomly has the specialised, high-level subject knowledge required. SA Education Law does not allow the independent facilitator to be the major role player in the equation anymore. The home-instruction student will necessarily be required to take significantly more ownership of their studies and responsibility in and for their own academic life. They should only use the limited facilitation time available to ask questions for which none of the available textbooks, internet and other study resources could provide sufficient answers. The student must grow up and learn to read and write and study for themselves. No study takes place without writing what is being studied.