Supporting mathematics for chemists

I’ve been involved in the ‘mathematics for chemistry’ agenda for longer than I care to remember. First as a teacher of this subject, then as a writer of software, a textbook author and latterly as the author of a regular column in this magazine. It’s easy, when involved in all these activities, to fail to stand back and to appreciate the enormity of the challenge. The fact that this challenge is routinely achieved is a great testament to those who do teach such courses. I do believe that in no other subject is there such a gap between what students can do mathematically when they arrive at university and what they are subsequently required to do.

Paul Yates discusses the maths challenge university chemistry teachers face, considering how skill gaps are adressed, resources are developed and how putting maths in context can cause its own challenges.