Topic outline

• General

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  STEP Preparation

  

  Useful Reading

  Entrance exams are a different way of thinking about Mathematics. These 2 guides are intended to help students think about questions in a different way and are great preparation for any course.

  Advanced Problems in Mathematics

  Advanced Problems in Core Mathematics

  It is also useful to read around the subject. The list below has many books which you may enjoy reading and will help you to know more about the subject.

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    Wider Reading File
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    Discussion Group URL

• Key Dates

  Mid-October: Deadline for applications.

  December: Interviews

  Early January: Conditional offer letters sent.

  End of April: First deadline for STEP entries

  Late June: STEP examinations. You sit the papers specified in your conditional offer
  

  Mid-August: STEP results (at the same time as A-level results).

• Topic 2

  STEP Past Papers

  STEP contains some truly wonderful questions to test your understanding of a topic (or a mixture of topics). However, they are designed to be very hard indeed to test the very top end of A Level candidates, so don't get discouraged if you can't do a question straight away; keep coming back to it and mulling it over in your mind.

  It is advised that the best place to start is by taking a couple of papers and going straight to the solutions. See if you can figure out

  • How the solution answers the question
  • Any extra cases or subtleties that you may have overlooked which would have topped you getting all the marks
  • How you should have thought of using that approach

  The two Stephen Siklos booklets (above) are the best place to start.

  2004 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions

  2005 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions

  2006 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions

  2007 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2008 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2009 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2010 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2011 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2012 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2013 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

  2014 Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Solutions Report

• Topic 3

  Step Preparation Modules by Nrich

  STEP Prep Module 1

  Our first STEP preparation module provides a gentle introduction to being a problem-solver.

  

  STEP Prep Module 2

  The second STEP Prep module introduces you to mathematical notation and logical thinking.

  

  STEP Prep Module 3

  This STEP Prep module introduces some important aspects of mathematical proof.

  

  STEP Prep Module 4

  Our fourth module aims to give you a clearer understanding of the concepts underpinning calculus.

  

  STEP Prep Module 5

  Our fifth module explains some of the key calculus skills you will need for STEP.

  

  STEP Prep Module 6

  In our sixth STEP preparation module, clever substitutions are the key to solving problems.

  

  STEP Prep Module 7

  This module contains advice and resources to help you prepare for university interviews.

  

  STEP Prep Module 8

  This module will help you to improve your trigonometry skills and understanding.

  

  STEP Prep Module 9

  In this module, you will learn about proof by induction and apply it to STEP questions.

  

  STEP Prep Module 10

  This module highlights the importance of integration for STEP.

  

  STEP Prep Module 11

  This module offers advice and practice on how to sketch graphs.

  

  STEP Prep Module 12

  This module looks at how to solve problems involving vectors.

  

  STEP Prep Module 13

  This module helps you to understand how to approach geometry on STEP.

  

  STEP Prep Module 14

  This module explores what you need to know in order to tackle STEP Mechanics questions.

  

  STEP Prep Module 15

  This module looks at STEP Statistics questions and what you need to know in order to solve them successfully.

  

  STEP Prep Module 16

  In this module, we explore how to tackle STEP Probability questions.

  

  STEP Prep Module 17

  This module offers advice and practice on dealing with STEP questions involving Differential Equations.

  

  STEP Prep Module 18

  This module covers some techniques for dealing with complex numbers.

  

  STEP Prep Module 19

  This module offers some tricks and tips for dealing with STEP questions involving equations and inequalities.

  

  STEP Prep Module 20

  This module looks at some of the things you need to understand about polar coordinates when working on STEP questions.

  

  STEP Prep Module 21

  This module offers advice on getting your head round "unusual" STEP questions.

  

  STEP Prep Module 22

  This module looks at what you need to know about hyperbolic functions for STEP.

  

  STEP Prep Module 23

  This module looks at some of the key concepts involving series and sums.

  

  STEP Prep Module 24

  This module offers last-minute hints, advice and practice for your final STEP preparation.

• Topic 4

• Topic 5