Aim of the Mathematics Refresher Course

The main purpose of the MRC is to help first year students to adapt to the high pace of first year mathematics and to improve the pass rate. To cope with the fast pace and the large quantity of work, the MRC is of utmost importance. Work done at school is revised and new concepts are discussed. These concepts are frequently used during the course of the year, so students will understand it easier since it has already been presented during the MRC.

The modules MTHS111/121/114/124 are prerequisites for many other mathematics and applied mathematics modules. This includes students who are enrolled for programs that have chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics as modules and also includes all engineering students. Students taking these modules can easily fall behind, resulting in their studies being prolonged by at least one year, if they fail their mathematics. These students’ study time is prolonged by at least one year if they fail MTHS111/121/114/124. In the case of the engineering students, they cannot proceed with any mathematics or/and applied mathematics modules in their second year.  It is therefore very important that they pass MTHS111/121/114/124 the first time.

Presentation of the Mathematics Refresher Course

PRESENTATION MODE:

As R&O is being presented on online this year, the Mathematics Refresher Course will also be presented online. In order to do so, we will be using the NWU virtual learning platform named eFundi.

As soon as the NSC matric results are available, you will receive your letter of admission for the NWU. In this letter you will receive the instructions how to register for this course. Before starting the course, all students must register for it. It is very important that you do so, or we will not be able to send you the links or provide you access to eFundi. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE. 

Registrations open on 4 January 2022 and the course ends on on 12 March 2022. 

COST:

The cost of the course is R300 and will be deducted from your student account by the end of March 2022.

WHAT YOU NEED:

You will need at least a smart phone, an exercise book of at least 192 pages, a pen or pencil, at least 50 hours and dedication to complete the course.

ASSISSTANCE:

There are not specific set times in which the Mathematics Refresher Course will be presented. Students will logon to eFundi with the link provided to them in the official communication that they received from the Mathematics Refresher Course. Thereafter, the course takes place as follows:

1. Students complete the pre-test on eFundi.
2. After completing the pre-test, students will be able to access the study material, which they must study thoroughly.
3. Students write a post-test.  The post-test mark will contribute to your final module mark for MTHS111/114.
4. The course is then complete. Students must complete the course and tests before classes commence.

Students who require assistance, who have questions regarding the study material or require the material to be explained to them, can logon to the live Zoom sessions as indicated in the official R&O programme. Specifically, these sessions each cover a topic covered in the study material:

• Monday, 21 February 2022, 14:00-15:30: Algebra (Study unit 1)
• Tuesday, 22 February 2022, 14:00-15:30: Logarithms (Study unit 2)
• Wednesday, 23 February 2022, 14:00-15:30: Functions (Study unit 3)
• Thursday, 24 February 2022, 14:00-15:30: Radians (Study unit 4.1-4.3)
• Friday, 25 February 2022, 14:00-15:30, Trigonometry (Study unit 4.4-4.6)
• Saturday, 26 February 2022, 8:30-11:30, Absolute value, Limits and Continuity (Study unit 5)
• Saturday, 5 March 2022, 8:30-11:30, Differentiation (Study unit 6)

*See Live Sessions in R&O for more information.

Who must take the Mathematics Refresher Course?

Students admitted to the following programs have to attend the refresher course:

• Faculty of Engineering
  • Chemistry (7CG K01 - I421P)
  • Chemistry and Mineral Processing (7CG K02 - I422P)
  • Electrical and Electronics (7CN K01 - I423P)
  • Computer and Electronics (7CH K01 - I424P)
  • Electromechanical (7CL K01 - I425P)
  • Mechanical (7CJ K01 - I426P)
  • Industrial (7CK K01 - I427P)
  • Mechatronics (7CR K01 - I401P)
• Faculty of Natural Sciences
  • Applied Mathematics and Chemistry (2FF H13 - N301M)
  • Applied Mathematics and Electronics (2FF H14 - N301M)
  • Applied Mathematics and Mathematics (2FG H03 - N301M)
  • Chemistry and Computer Science (2FF H13 - N301M)
  • Chemistry and Geography (2DJ H18 - N301M)
  • Chemistry and Mathematics (2FF H11 - N301M)
  • Chemistry and Physics (2FF H05 - N301P/M)
  • Chemistry, Mathematics and Applied Mathematics (2FF H22 - N301P)
  • Computer Science and Economics (2FF H28 - N301P/V)
  • Computer Science and Electronics (2FF H17 - N301M)
  • Computer Science and Mathematics (2FF H09 - N301P/M/V)
  • Computer Science and Statistics (2FF H26 - N301P/V)
  • Electronics and Mathematics (2FF H19 - N301M)
  • Electronics and Physics (2FF H20 - N301M)
  • Geography and Applied Mathematics (2FF H30 - N301P)
  • Mathematics (2FG H01 - N301P)
  • Mathematics and Economics (2FF H29 - N301P/V)
  • Physics and Applied Mathematics (2FF H24 - N301P/M)
  • Physics and Computer Science (2FF H25 - N301P/M)
  • Physics and Mathematics (2FF H23 - N301P/M)
  • Statistics and Mathematics (2FG H02 - N301P/V)
  • Actuarial Science (2FQ H01 - N301P)
  • Business Analytics (2FR H01 - N301P/V)
  • Financial Mathematics (2FS H01 - N301P/V)
  • Quantitative Risk Management (2FT H01 - N301P/V)
  • Information Technology and Computer Science (2DX H01 N302P/V) if MTHS111 is elected
  • Biochemistry and Chemistry (2FF H06 - N301P/M)
  • Botany and Biochemistry (2DK H02 - N302P/M)
  • Botany and Chemistry (2DJ H03 - N302P/M)
  • Chemistry and Physiology (2DK H06 - N302P)
  • Geography and Computer Science (2DJ H14 - N301M)
  • Geology and Chemistry (2DJ H07 - N302P)
  • Microbiology and Biochemistry (2DK H11 - N301P/M)
  • Microbiology and Chemistry (2DJ H10 - N301P/M)
  • Zoology and Biochemistry (2DK H07 - N302P)
  • Zoology and Chemistry (2DJ H04 - N302P)
  • Urban and Regional Planning (2FE K01 - N401P)
  • Agricultural Economics (2FD K01 - N401M)
  • Agronomy and Horticulture (2FD K04 - N401M)
  • Animal Health (2FD K07 - N401M)
  • Animal Science (2FD K03 - N401M)
• Faculty of Health Sciences  
  • Physiology and Biochemistry (8DJ H01 - G301P)
• Faculty of Arts  
  • Any BA with Mathematics as elective
  • Students appointed by the Admission office or Faculty Manager to attend the course for possible admission

Mathematics Refresher Course Contact Information

Dr Mariette Hitge

mariette.hitge@nwu.ac.za

018 299 2579

Mrs Elsabe Weyer

Elsabe.Weyer@nwu.ac.za

018 299 4370

Download information as PDF document

Click here to download the Mathematics Refresher Course important information as a PDF document.

Click here for the Afrikaans version.

Live sessions in R&O 

The R&O programme makes prevision for live sessions in which you can request your lecturers help with work that you do not understand.

These sessions are hosted via Zoom for all three campuses (links listed below).

Students from the Potchefstroom Campus can also attend these sessions in person (Venues are listed in the table below). Building G1, Rooms 111 and 102).