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It's determinants. It actually makes the problem so trivial you barely need to think about it at all.

Here's another way:

The SC report is up now at http://www.mansw.nsw.edu.au/pd/ppt/2006-School-Certificate-Power-Point.ppt The HSC ones are at http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2005exams/index.html

It got taken out because determinants and matrices got taken out. So when they went, so did this little area formula. It had nothing to do with validity.

It was taken out (along with many other things) because the course was changed from a 2-year course to a 1-year course: http://community.boredofstudies.org/2220688-post2.html

Dare I say use it at Ian Woodhouse's risk. It IS a superior method and therefore I do recommend using it, despite Ian Woodhouse (or perhaps more poignantly - BECAUSE of Ian Woodhouse........)

I assure you it has been seen since 1980 and it should resonate with people today because it's all over the internet: eg., http://mathworld.wolfram.com/TriangleArea.html

It used to be in the old Level 1 course: http://community.boredofstudies.org/2220688-post2.html It was taken out of the syllabus in 1980. But it's still valid. So I'd say still use it. But Ian Woodhouse would say don't because it's not in the current syllabus, as he said last Saturday...

Delaying stuff which you should be doing at school until uni is part of the problem.

I put a printable version (pdf) of my summary at http://www4.tpgi.com.au/nanahcub/2005hscfeedback.pdf

It has also become common in the induction hypothesis for MANSW to say "Assume it is true for n=k". I've reworded it as "If it is true for n=k" in the 2005 solutions. Also, it can be argued that this induction hypothesis is not a step in the induction, but rather part of the induction step...

An induction mantra is, for example: "It's true for n=1 ∴ it's true for n=2 ∴ true for n=3, etc., i.e., by induction it's true for all n≥1" The exam committee would prefer just: "∴ by induction it's true for all n≥1"

Trying to find the perimeter of an ellipse will lead to non-elementary functions. However, my favourite question on arc-length is Coroneos 3F Q11: Prove that d((1/2)t(1+t<SUP>2</SUP>)<SUP>1/2</SUP>+(1/2)ln(t+(1+t<SUP>2</SUP>)<SUP>1/2</SUP>))/dt=(1+t<SUP>2</SUP>)<SUP>1/2</SUP>. Find the...

First I went to Macquarie Centre for breakfast and to buy lunch and a newspaper. Unfortunately facilities at Macquarie uni are not good on weekends. Then I walked to the uni, registered and met some teachers I had worked with in various capacities in the past. I was given copies of the HSC and...

Maths mystery 'almost solved' Leigh Dayton The Australian February 20, 2006 RUSSIAN mathematician Grisha Perelman is on the verge of collecting $US1 million ($1.35 million) for solving one of the seven greatest mathematical problems of all time, the Poincare Conjecture. "The word is...

f⁽ⁿ⁾(x) is the n-th derivative of f(x) fⁿ(x) is the n-th iteration of f(x) (f(x))<SUP>n</SUP> is the n-th power of f(x).

It used to be in the course, but was removed. The current 1-year 4 unit course used to be a 2-year course (Level 1). Arc length was in Level 1 and used to be taught in high schools in NSW. Other countries' syllabuses for high school maths also have arc length. Level 1 was watered down to...

I spoke to Peter Osland from the Board of Studies about this when the syllabus changes and he said that it's a possibility. Here are the topics previously in the course which have been removed, but many people want back: Leaving Certificate (1916-1966) 3rd derivative test for...

Some people think convergence is only university work. It isn't. The current 1-year 4 unit course used to be a 2-year course (Level 1). Covergence was in Level 1 and used to be taught in high schools in NSW. Other countries' syllabuses for high school maths also have convergence. So it...