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Accessibility statement
This module provides a gentle start to the study of mathematics. It helps you integrate mathematical ideas into everyday thinking and builds confidence in using and learning mathematics. It covers statistical, graphical, algebraic, trigonometric and numerical concepts and techniques and introduces mathematical modelling. You'll learn skills required to study further mathematics or to successfully study many other subjects, such as business, computing, economics, education, humanities, science, social science and technology.
To study this module successfully, you should expect to be actively doing mathematics, rather than just reading it. You will also be encouraged to develop skills in interpreting and explaining mathematics, and this aspect will be assessed in some of the assignment questions.
Providing you have the appropriate background knowledge, you should expect to study for about eight hours a week. Many of the topics covered in the module depend on your understanding of topics in earlier units. So, if you have not fully understood earlier material, you may find later material more difficult and time-consuming. This is particularly true of graphs, formulas and algebra. Naturally, the study time required for the module tends to increase before an assignment deadline.
The full content list is on the Open mathematics and statistics website.
There is no formal prerequisite study.
You can check you’re ready for MU123 and see the topics it covers here.
You can find out which module is your best starting point in mathematics here.
You should aim to be confident and fluent with the concepts covered in the Are you ready? quiz here, and follow the advice in the quiz.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You'll submit your first iCMA (covering Unit 1) about two weeks after starting the module and your first TMA about a month after starting.
TMA questions typically involve calculating, creating and/or interpreting a graph or diagram, using algebra, and explaining your work and conclusions. Explaining your work is a factor that makes this a university-level module, a new approach for some, that you may find challenging initially. Some TMAs may include a short question covering a wider aspect of studying maths.
The EMA consolidates your learning; it covers the whole of the module and is compulsory.
You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
Additionally, the website includes:
We also provide physical:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying MU123 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Discovering mathematics (MU123) starts twice a year – in October and February.
It will next start in October 2026 and February 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in February 2030.
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