Those who have been through the Oxford or Cambridge admissions processes report that the emphasis is largely on an applicant’s mathematical ability, so that should be the main focus of any utilitarian supercurricular work towards competitive university entry. The other suggestions below (after maths problems, puzzle books and YouTube channels) are therefore for developing your passion in the subject matter and to understand its academic field rather than to improve your skills.
Online maths problems
- Oxford University’s Mathematical Institute has an excellent . There are weekly livestreams of mathematical challenges.
- UK Maths Trust is best known for its , but also hosts past papers on its website which are great for practice.
- Maths extension activities from Cambridge University.
- Cambridge University’s trains advanced mathematical problem solving towards this demanding entry test.
- Advanced maths and physics problems, geared more towards those interested in applied mathematics. Includes games, problem generators and interview preparation.
- Interactive problem solving across maths, data analysis, computer science, programming, science and engineering.
- Creative mathematical games and activities created by Cambridge University’s Millennium Mathematics Project.
- : Biweekly mathematical puzzles for students up to Year 13, exercising creative thinking.
YouTube channels
- Nearly 7.5 million subscribers to this maths channel! Visualises core ideas in Maths through clear animations.
- Another wildly popular one with over 4.5 million subscribers. Suitably fascinating videos on ideas, such as one building an elliptical pool table where the ball always rebounds into the pocket.
- : Australian professor tackles ‘hard and beautiful maths’.
- Engaging Oxford mathematician takes challenges and lends timely advice.
- Communicates ideas of interest from Maths and Physics, plus admissions insights about Maths at Cambridge.
- Watchable explorations of counter-intuitive concepts in maths, engineering and science. Expect experiments, interviews and public interaction.
- : Public lectures promoting mathematical knowledge.
- : Engaging popular lectures on maths problems, maths history and modern applications.
Documentaries and films
- Four-part BBC series tracing the development of mathematics from ancient times to now. Presented by Marcus du Sautoy.
- Another Marcus du Sautoy documentary about historical and current attempts to solve the pattern of prime numbers.
- Film dramatisation of the life of pioneer Cambridge mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan
- Character drama about the Nobel Prize-winning Princeton mathematician John Nash.
- Biographical documentary about Paul Erdos, prolific solver of many previously unsolved mathematical problems.
Magazines
- ‘Magazine for the mathematically curious’ published twice a year. Free to download or available in print form for the cost of postage. You can submit articles of your own for publication alongside top contributors including PhDs and professors:
- Covers mathematical research, history and applications.
Books
Exercise your mathematical reasoning:
- by Richard Earl: An accessible resource book of maths problems designed to stretch students beyond the A-Level syllabus.
- by Martin Gardner: 70 brain teasers compiled from the ‘Mathematical Games’ column for Scientific American.
- by Anany and Maria Levitin Popular with those whose mathematical interest extends towards computer science.
- by Lara Alcock: Practical advice from educational research to help students adapt their thinking and learning skills.
These books offer interesting applications of mathematics:
- by Jordan Ellenberg: Fascinating analyses of everyday life using various tools from mathematics.
- by Matt Parker: The entertaining pitfalls of applying maths to the real world.
These books give a broad or historical introduction to mathematical ideas and figures:
- by Steven Strogatz: Survey of the greatest mathematical ideas with their curious links to other areas of thought.
- by Charles Seife: The mind-bending history of this surprisingly recent mathematical innovation. Revealing connections between maths, philosophy and the sciences.
- Finding mathematical geometry in nature. A potentially unexpected angle on the subject.
- by Ian Stewart: Introductions to fourteen famous solved and unsolved problems.
- by Matt Parker: The entertaining stories of mathematicians, philosophers and engineers who ‘dared to take triangles seriously’!
- by Eugenia Cheng: An engaging stretch beyond the curriculum to consider different types of infinities and the paradoxes they entail.
- by Simon Singh: Full of human drama, the story of this 350-year quest to resolve some enigmatic marginalia.
- , Problems and Personalities by William Dunham: An episodic run through various maths topics. Recommended as broad preparation for interview.
- by GH Hardy: 1940 classic account of the beauty of mathematics. One Oxford student’s review commented that this book reignited his passion for the subject.
Online courses
There are dozens of excellent ‘Massive Open Online Courses’ (MOOCs) on core maths topics. Below are some of the more idiosyncratic supercurricular options:
- (University of York on FutureLearn)
- (Weizmann Institute of Science on FutureLearn)
- (HKUST on Coursera)
- (University of Notre Dame on edX)
- (Harvard University on edX)
Maths University Entrance Tuition
Please do get in touch with °®ÒºÊÓƵ Tutors if you are looking for a Maths tutor to further support your university preparation. Our tutors have extensive experience with the MAT and Maths entrance to top UK universities, both through having successfully sat the test and then gone on to tutor it.