Differentiation Mastery
An interactive lesson on screen. Your child works through worked examples, practises on their own, then tests themselves with questions that get harder as they go.
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About this lesson
By the end of this lesson your child can differentiate any polynomial, find the gradient of a curve at a point, write the equation of a tangent, find stationary points and say whether each one is a maximum or a minimum, and use differentiation for velocity, acceleration and the largest possible area or volume. Differentiation is on the Edexcel IGCSE Higher paper but it is not taught on GCSE, so a student who has learnt everything from GCSE can still meet it for the first time in the exam.
An extra IGCSE topic, not a full IGCSE course. This is one of 4 lessons covering the topics on the Edexcel IGCSE Higher specification that GCSE does not teach. It is for students who are already working through the GCSE Higher content. The shared topics, algebra, graphs, trigonometry and the rest, are in our GCSE Higher lessons.
Topics covered:
- Differentiating powers of x, including a number in front, several terms and fractions in front
- Rewriting first, turning terms like 3/x² into powers of x and multiplying out single, double and triple brackets before differentiating
- The gradient of a curve at a point, finding the point where the gradient takes a given value, and finding a missing constant
- Tangents, writing the equation of a tangent using y = mx + c, finding where a tangent meets an axis and finding a tangent parallel to a given line
- Stationary points, finding turning points, deciding maximum or minimum from the shape of the curve, and finding where the gradient is negative or positive
- Rates and optimisation, finding velocity and acceleration from displacement, when a particle is at rest, and the largest area or volume of a shape
Your child works through this lesson on a laptop or computer, which is the screen size it is built for. They click to reveal each line of a worked example while a graph fills in beside the working, try the matching question on paper, then click to check their own answer.
How it's structured:
- Each unit is split into tabs, one per question type, with a worked example your child clicks through line by line, then practice questions colour-coded easy, medium and hard
- 37 worked examples and 315 practice questions, each with a click-to-reveal answer, plus New Questions and New Examples buttons that deal fresh questions every time
- A review after every unit, two mixed question sets, and 6 exam style questions whose worked answers reveal one line at a time
A page your child can play with. Gradient of a Curve shows y = x² or y = x³ with two lines through a point P. Your child picks the line that is the tangent, reads its gradient off the grid, then moves P along the curve and spots the rule the gradient follows. It is the idea the whole lesson builds on, seen before any algebra.
Use this if:
- Your child is sitting Edexcel IGCSE Maths Higher (4MA1) and has not been taught differentiation yet
- Your child is confident with GCSE Higher content and needs the extra IGCSE topics on top
- Your child can differentiate but loses marks on the longer questions, such as tangents, maximum or minimum, or particles changing direction
- You want a resource your child can check their own work with, not one more thing on your to-do list
Built by an experienced maths teacher with over 3,000 hours of one-to-one tutoring experience and a Master's in Education.
Better value as a bundle. This lesson is one of 4 in the IGCSE Higher Maths: The Extra Topics Bundle, all 4 for £21.99 instead of £31.96 bought separately.
Format: Interactive digital lesson, link sent by email straight after purchase.
Suitable for: Year 10 and Year 11, IGCSE Higher (Edexcel 4MA1).
Refunds: this is a digital product delivered instantly, so it cannot be returned or refunded once the link has been opened. If you have any trouble getting in, email info@shlc-tutor.co.uk and we will sort it out.
Who this is for
Built for students who want to practise independently, at their own pace, with clear examples and instant feedback rather than a static worksheet.
What's included
Worked examples
See the method explained step by step before trying it yourself.
Guided practice
Work through questions with answers hidden until you're ready to check.
Exam-style questions
Split easy to hard, so your child is always working at the right level.
How it works
Buy the lesson
Complete checkout securely through Shopify.
Get your link by email
Your lesson link lands in your inbox straight after payment.
Work through it on screen
Open the link on a laptop or computer and start straight away.
What parents say
I have been really impressed with School House Online Tuition Centre’s digital maths lessons. Zakariyya, my 10-year-old son, had been struggling with algebra, and what stood out was how the lessons built his confidence by starting with the fundamentals before gradually increasing in difficulty. The progression was gradual and well paced, so by the time he reached the more challenging questions, he was able to think them through and answer most correctly.Saba · July 2026
Aadam, the tutor has a lovely mannerism and has made my daughter feel at ease. He explains the question in a way that she understands and is patient with her. She has already seen the results at school from his help and has gone up two GCSE grades in a short period of time.P. Flower · December 2024
Aadam is the best maths tutor I’ve ever had! His online maths lessons are easy to follow, and he always breaks down difficult topics into manageable parts. Thanks to Aadam’s tutoring, I’ve gone up two grades in maths and feel ready for my GCSE exams!L. Anggriani · December 2024
Verified 5-star Google reviews of SHLC's tutoring and lessons. Read all 62 reviews
FAQs
How do I access the lesson?
You'll get an email with your lesson link as soon as payment goes through. Click it to open the lesson in any browser, no login and no app to install.
How does the marking work?
There's no typing answers into a box. Your child works it out on paper, then clicks to reveal the correct answer and checks their own work. Full working is shown too, not just the final answer, so mistakes are easy to spot.
What do I need to open it on?
A laptop or a desktop computer. The lesson puts a worked example, a diagram and a question grid on the page at once, so it needs a full size screen with room for your child's own working beside it. It will open on a phone, but everything is too small to work from and we would not recommend it.
Can I use the lesson more than once?
Yes. There's no limit on how many times you open the link, so it's there for revision right up to the exam.
What if I lose the link or don't get the email?
Email info@shlc-tutor.co.uk and we'll resend it straight away.
Ready to start?
Link sent to your email, ready in seconds
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