Functions and Graphs is a Secondary 3 E-Math topic covered in Odyssey Math Tuition’s online math course for that level, with recorded video lessons, a question bank, topical practice and a topical test. Most marks lost here come from execution errors rather than misunderstanding, which is why targeted practice works.
What functions and graphs actually asks of a student
This topic covers the standard graph shapes in the E-Math syllabus — linear, quadratic, cubic, reciprocal and exponential — how to sketch them, and how to read information from a drawn graph.
Two distinct skills are examined. Sketching from an equation tests whether the shape is known; reading from a graph tests accuracy and care. Students are usually much stronger at one than the other.
What the topic assumes you already have
Most difficulty in this topic is not caused by the topic itself. It is caused by something earlier that never became fluent. Check these first:
- Substituting values to generate coordinates
- Recognising the standard shapes from an equation
- Solving equations to find intercepts
- Plotting to scale and reading carefully
If any of these is shaky, repair it before going further. Working on new material while a prerequisite is unstable is how students spend hours and move nothing.
Where marks are actually lost
- Sketching without marking intercepts, which is where the marks are
- Missing an asymptote on a reciprocal graph
- Reading a value from the graph to insufficient accuracy
- Confusing the shapes of cubic and quadratic curves
- Not using the scale given, so plotted points are inconsistent
Most of these are execution errors rather than gaps in understanding, which is encouraging: they respond to practice and to keeping a written record of the mistakes you personally repeat.
A revision approach that works
- Learn the five standard shapes by sketching them from memory weekly.
- Mark every intercept and asymptote as a habit rather than a step.
- Practise reading values from a printed graph, which is a separate skill from sketching.
- Check that a sketch is consistent with the equation at one substituted point.
How the Secondary 3 E-Math course covers it
In the Secondary 3 E-Math online course this topic follows the same shape as every other: a recorded explanation, a question bank with answers worked through rather than printed, topical practice, and a topical test. Lessons are recorded personally by our founder, Mr. Justin Tan, and the course follows our own curriculum, aligned to the MOE syllabus.
The courses also include past-year school examination papers with worked answers, which shows how a topic is actually examined rather than how it is taught. Access is 24 hours a day with unlimited replays, and every online course carries a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Where this sits in the wider syllabus
For the year as a whole, see our guide to this stage. For the subject in context, this guide and this one cover what comes before and after.
A student on the online course
Ulfah describes what studying with the online course was actually like.
What we describe here comes from how our own online courses are built and from what we have seen in our own classes. It is not a forecast for any individual student: progress is produced jointly, by a student willing to put in the work with support at home. No tuition centre in Singapore may promise grades, and we do not. Course details and prices are as published at the time of writing — check the course pages for current information.
Frequently asked questions
What does functions and graphs cover at Secondary 3 E-Math?
This topic covers the standard graph shapes in the E-Math syllabus — linear, quadratic, cubic, reciprocal and exponential — how to sketch them, and how to read information from a drawn graph.…
What should my child revise before this topic?
The prerequisites listed above. Most difficulty traces back to an earlier skill that never became fluent rather than to the topic itself.
Where do students lose the most marks?
Almost always in execution rather than understanding — sign errors, answering a different question from the one asked, or skipping the sketch.
Is this topic in the online course?
Yes. It is covered in the Secondary 3 E-Math online math course with video lessons, a question bank, topical practice and a topical test.
Can we access just this topic?
Yes. The courses are self-paced and non-linear, so a student can go straight to one topic without working through the rest.
Is there a trial period?
All online courses carry a 7-day money-back guarantee. The terms and conditions set out how it works.
Last reviewed July 2026. Syllabus details follow the Ministry of Education and SEAB published documents.
