skip to content

STEP Support Programme

STEP 3 Coordinate Geometry (including Polar Coordinates)

Introduction

Each STEP 3 module consists of STEP questions, some topic notes and useful formulae, a "hints" sheet and a "solutions" booklet.

STEP questions are challenging, so don't worry if you get stuck. These STEP 3 modules assume that you have already begun to develop your problem-solving skills and approach to STEP questions by working on the Foundation modules and the STEP 2 modules.

About this assignment

This assignment offers a selection of questions on aspects of the STEP 3 polar coordinates specification and some other STEP 3 coordinate geometry questions. It is a good idea to draw good clear diagrams when thinking geometrically, particularly when working with a less familiar coordinate system like Polar Coordinates. Detailed knowledge of conic sections is not on the 2019 STEP specification, but there is some information about these in the Topic Notes which might be helpful when answering past paper questions..

Assignment PDF: 

Useful Links

Underground Mathematics: Selected worked STEP questions

STEP Question database

University of Cambridge Mathematics Faculty: What do we look for?

University of Cambridge Mathematics Faculty: Information about STEP

University of Cambridge Admissions Office: Undergraduate course information for Mathematics

Stephen Siklos' "Advanced Problems in Mathematics" book (external link)

MEI: Worked solutions to STEP questions (external link)

OCR: Exam board information about STEP (external link)

AMSP (Advanced Maths Support programme): Support for University Admission Tests (external link)