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Mathematics for Engineering: An ASL Qualification for The Advanced Diploma in Engineering
Introduction
Mathematics is an integral part of the study of engineering
regardless of which branch of engineering is chosen. Many in the engineering
community believe that additional mathematics material should be available
for those students studying the Advanced Diploma in Engineering to prepare
them for progression onto engineering degree courses at university. Many
also appreciate that teachers in schools and colleges need more real engineering
examples to underpin the essential mathematics and also to excite interest in
engineering. In response to these challenges, the engineering and maths communities
joined together in May 2007 to form a Maths Task Group.
Maths Task Group
The group contains
representatives from well established organisation
like
The Task Group has also
benefited from the input of observers from
This group has developed an Additional and Specialist
Learning (ASL) Mathematics Unit that will be available for any Level 3
learner wishing to develop his or her mathematical skills and knowledge
in real life context, especially in engineering. A consensus is emerging
that students thinking of studying engineering at university should
take this unit as an ASL Qualification along with the Advanced Diploma
in Engineering at Level 3. However, learners enrolled on other diplomas
might also choose to study this qualification.
Mathematics for Engineering
The syllabus of this ASL Unit is based on a foundation
year course taught at Loughborough University over many years. This course
is designed for students without A level Mathematics who wish to go on to
study engineering to degree level. It has been designed to contain all
the necessary topics from A level Mathematics to facilitate such study.
The unit is designed for 180 guided learning hours calculated as actual
class contact hours, lectures or tutorials etc. Very good results have
been achieved by students following this course in their subsequent engineering
studies at Loughborough.
Clearly, this ASL unit would provide an appropriately
rigorous maths programme within the Engineering Diploma, tailored to the
needs of engineering students. To provide powerful motivation to students,
teachers/lecturers will be expected to highlight engineering applications of
the mathematics in the course. Adequate support will be available to the
teachers to teach this unit. Engineering Mathematics Exemplars are currently
under development and will be uploaded on this website as they are completed.
We are confident, based on the Loughborough experience,
that success in this demanding programme can prepare students on the Engineering
Diploma for subsequent university studies in Engineering, and possibly other
science or technology subjects as well.
For more information, please
see the following document:
This qualification is now
available in the National Database Accredited
Qualification catalogue and the details can be seen
on the following link:
http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/qualification/50041368.seo.aspx
Engineering Mathematics Exemplars
The exemplars are intended to:
-
motivate mathematics
teaching and learning
-
provide support for
teachers teaching contextualised mathematics for
the first time
-
help students gain fluency
in the use of mathematics for practical problem
solving
-
illustrate the
applicability of the mathematics in the ASL unit
-
exemplify valuable
activities undertaken by engineers
Proposed Distribution of 50 exemplars over different engineering streams
 |
Engineering Stream |
 |
% & No. of Exemplars |
 |
Examples |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
20%
10 |
 |
Design, analysis and manufacture of
motor vehicles, aircraft, heating & cooling systems, watercraft, manufacturing plants,
industrial equipment and machinery, medical devices, Wind Turbines, Gas Holders,
machine tools, precision tools, engines, etc. |
|
 |
 |
Construction and Built Environment |
 |
20%
10 |
 |
Structural Engineering, Water Provision,
Transportation, Architecture
City planning, Construction, Cultural landscape, Environmental Design,
Interior architecture, Landscape architecture, Urbanism
|
|
 |
 |
Electrical/Electronics |
 |
20%
10 |
 |
Design and construction of electronic circuits
to solve practical problems
Circuit Theory, Electronic Components (Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Diodes,
Transistors), Power Transmission, Motor Control, Domestic Appliances,
Telecommunications (Mobile phones, Landline, Internet), Computers and
integrated circuits, Battery Charger, Television, Radar and radio location
|
|
 |
 |
Chemical & Process Industries |
 |
20%
10 |
 |
Petroleum extraction, treatment, pipeline
transport and refining, petrochemical, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, pulp and
paper manufacturing, mining, food, beverages, ceramics, base metals, coal, plastics, rubber,
textiles, tobacco, wood and wood products, paper and paper products, etc.
|
|
 |
 |
Automotive & Aerospace |
 |
10%
5 |
 |
Design, construction and science behind Cars, Trucks,
Buses, Motorcycles, Trains, Aircrafts, Spacecrafts, Rockets, etc.
|
|
 |
 |
Health and Well Being |
 |
10%
5 |
 |
Recycling, Environmental Safety Issues, Water Purification
|
List of Proposed Exemplars
Status:
NS = Not Started
IP = In Progress
 |
Sr.No. |
 |
Exemplar Detail |
 |
Engineering Stream |
 |
Maths Used |
 |
Related Industry |
 |
Status |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
1 |
 |
The Mathematics of Aircraft Navigation |
 |
Automotive & Aerospace |
 |
Trigonometry, Formula transposition, graphical methods, Vectors |
 |
Thales |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
2 |
 |
Steam Pipe Insulation |
 |
Mechanical, Electrical, Built Environment, Process Industries, Automotive & Aerospace |
 |
Geometry, Heat Transfer, Functions,
Graphs |
 |
Rolls-Royce |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
3 |
 |
Underground Storage Tanks |
 |
Chemical Industries |
 |
Integration by substitution, 2D Geometry of Ellipse, Use of trigonometric functions |
 |
Rolls-Royce |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
4 |
 |
Operating Escalators on London Underground |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Functions, Simple Calculations, Differentiation, Percentages |
 |
London Underground |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
5 |
 |
Engineering behind London Eye |
 |
Civil, Mechanical, Electrical |
 |
2D Geometry, Circles, Forces, Trigonometry |
 |
London Eye Company Limited |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
6 |
 |
JCB Diesalmax Power Engines |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Functions, Equation of Straight Line, Graphs, Differentiation |
 |
JCB Power Systems Limited |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
7 |
 |
Vibrations in Gas Turbine |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Testing the effects of vibration, statistics |
 |
NPower |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
8 |
 |
Engineering of Wind Turbines |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Statistics, Using Empirical formulae, calculating velocity, time, etc. |
 |
E.ON |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
9 |
 |
Water Sealed Gas Holder |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Calculating temperature, pressure of gas, pump capacity, etc. |
 |
National Grid |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
10 |
 |
The Deflection of Beam |
 |
Civil |
 |
Curvature, Bending Moments, Differential Equation and Integration Techniques, Geometry of Triangle, Centroid |
 |
TBC |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
11 |
 |
The Mathematics of Earthwork Calculations |
 |
Civil |
 |
Maps and contours, Geometry, Trigonometry, Numerical Integration
|
 |
The Environment Agency |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
12 |
 |
The Mathematics of Engineering Surveying |
 |
Civil |
 |
Engineering surveying, Geometry, Trigonometry |
 |
TBC |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
13 |
 |
The Analysis of Framed Bridge Structures |
 |
Civil |
 |
Structural design and construction, Vector components of force, Solution of simultaneous equations using matrix techniques |
 |
TBC |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
14 |
 |
The Mathematics of Highway Design |
 |
Civil |
 |
Highway construction, Geometry and properties of the circle |
 |
TBC |
 |
IP |
|
 |
 |
15 |
 |
Construction of Tunnels, Dams, Bridges |
 |
Civil |
 |
Engineering Material |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
16 |
 |
Simple Harmonic Motion of a piston in a machine |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
Differential equation |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
17 |
 |
Functioning of hot water kettle/coffee maker |
 |
Electrical /Electronics |
 |
Calculating temperature, pressure, optimum height, etc. |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
18 |
 |
Glass Industry |
 |
Process Industries |
 |
Temperature, Pressure, Calculus |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
19 |
 |
Functioning of water pumps |
 |
Mechanical, Electrical |
 |
Pressure, Calculus |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
20 |
 |
Water Purifier / Filter |
 |
Mechanical, Electrical, Health and Well Being |
 |
Calculating pressure, optimum height, etc. |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
21 |
 |
Engineering behind the hand dryer |
 |
Electrical, Electronics, Health and Well Being |
 |
Velocity, temperature, time, etc. |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
22 |
 |
Television Transmitter |
 |
Electrical, Electronics |
 |
Circuit theory |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
23 |
 |
Paper Manufacturing |
 |
Process Industries |
 |
Engineering material |
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
24 |
 |
Power Station |
 |
Electrical |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
25 |
 |
Nuclear Reactor |
 |
Mechanical |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
26 |
 |
Space, Rocket, Satellite |
 |
Aeronautical |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
27 |
 |
Chemical Plant |
 |
Process Industries |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
28 |
 |
Oil Refinery |
 |
Process Industries |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
29 |
 |
Air Conditioning System |
 |
Electrical, Design Technology |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
30 |
 |
Washing Machine |
 |
Electrical, Electronics, Health and Well Being |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
31 |
 |
Electronics Gadgets like digital MP3 Player, Ipod, Mobile Phone, Laptop, Desktops, Fax Machines, Printers, etc. |
 |
Electrical, Electronics |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
|
 |
 |
32 |
 |
Designing Furniture, Analysing new material for latest furniture technology |
 |
Process Industries, Design Technology |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
NS |
We are committed to produce as many exemplars as possible
in any of the above Engineering Stream. Any support in exemplar development will
be highly appreciated. If you have any further question, wish to add your
suggestions, need more information or want to support this development with an
engineering case study, please contact:
Dr Sapna Somani
Maths Coordinator
14-19: Diploma in Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering
3 Carlton House Terrace
London
SW1Y 5DG
Direct Tel.: 020 7766 0639
Mobile: 07878 633 730
Email: Sapna Somani
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