AS and A Level Mathematics A: What is the ‘Use of data in statistics’ requirement i.e. the use of a large data set in A Level Maths?

There is now a requirement that all students studying AS/A Level Maths experience working with a large data set (LDS). A LDS will be provided as pre-release material for each of our specifications for use in lessons. Students will not have access to the data set in the exam, however questions will be set in the context of the data set and some related summary data, sample data or diagrams may be provided in the question paper. The intention is that these questions will provide an advantage to students who have spent time exploring the data. See the specifications, Sample Assessment Materials, Practice Papers and Past papers for more details and for examples of questions.

The LDS is a teaching and learning tool for AS and A Level Maths, provided at the start of teaching and intended to enrich the experience of learning statistics. As with the use of technology, we have included some examples of teaching and learning tasks in the specification as suggestions for the sort of activities that you could use in the classroom and we have produced resources to support these activities. See the specifications and the 'Teaching' section of the qualification pages for AS and A Level Maths on Teach Cambridge for more details.

The pre-release large data set for spec A will be used for the life of the specification. It is available from the A Level Maths A qualification page on Teach Cambridge under ‘Assessment’ then ‘Exams’ then ‘Pre-release materials’.

It is not intended that students work only with the pre-released LDS, rather students should work with real data from many different sources, including the provided data. You may wish to use the spec B large data sets in your teaching which are available from the A Level Maths B qualification page on Teach Cambridge under ‘Assessment’ then ‘Exams’ then ‘Pre-release materials’.

There is no requirement to use a Large Data Set for statistics in Further Maths and no assessment items will rely on that knowledge. You might like to use the LDS where appropriate in Further Maths statistics teaching as one example of real world data, but it is not a requirement.