MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM OF HIGHER SECONDARY LEVEL IN SCHOOL EDUCATION

Calculus is concerned with two basic operations differentiation and integration and is a tool used by engineers to determine such quantities as rates of change and areas; in fact calculus is the mathematical ‘backbone’ for dealing with problems where variables change with time or some other reference variable and a basic understanding of calculus is essential for further study and the development of confidence in solving practical engineering problems (Goulding et al. 2003). This will become evident in the next chapter where physical systems will be modeled and the use of ‘rates of change’ equations (called differential equations) will allow the physical system to be represented an analysis made and a solution formed under defined conditions. The topic continues in the next chapter with a discussion of the use of differential equations to represent physical systems and their solution for various inputs.