← Design and Technology syllabus

EnglandDesign and Technology

Mathematical and technical principles (Component 01)

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do designers calculate material quantities, waste and the cost of a product?

Calculating material quantities and cost: areas and volumes, percentage material waste, material and total cost (materials, labour, overheads), mark-up and selling price, with worked calculations applied to manufacture.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on costing and quantities: calculating areas and volumes, percentage material waste, material and total cost (materials, labour, overheads), and mark-up and selling price, with worked calculations applied to manufacture.
11 min answer →

Which electrical and mechanical calculations does a product designer need, and how are they applied?

Applied electrical and mechanical calculations: electrical power and energy, Ohm's law in context, mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, efficiency and the moment of a force, and selecting and applying the right formula to a design problem.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on applied electrical and mechanical calculations: electrical power and energy, Ohm's law in context, mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, efficiency and moments, and how to select and apply the right formula to a design problem.
12 min answer →

How do designers use scale, ratio and tolerance calculations in drawings and manufacture?

Scale, ratio and tolerance calculations: scale factors and reading scale drawings, ratio and proportion, tolerance limits and bands, and the use of these in technical drawings and dimensioning, with worked calculations.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on scale, ratio and tolerance calculations: scale factors and reading scale drawings, ratio and proportion, tolerance limits and bands, and their use in technical drawings and dimensioning, with worked calculations.
11 min answer →

How are stress, strain and Young's modulus defined and calculated, and how do they describe a material under load?

Stress, strain and Young's modulus: the definitions and formulae, their units, the stress-strain relationship and the meaning of stiffness, with worked calculations applied to product components.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on stress, strain and Young's modulus: the definitions, formulae and units, the stress-strain relationship and the meaning of stiffness, with worked calculations of stress, strain and Young's modulus applied to product components.
12 min answer →