Kenderdine maths tutoring
All about numbers - maths and statistics tutoring
Achieving competence and confidence in mathematics and statistics
Achieving competence and confidence in mathematics and statistics
I am Dr Richard Kenderdine, specialist maths and statistics private tutor, located in Bowral in the Southern Highlands, to secondary and university students since 1995. Tuition is one-to-one, either in person or online.
I do not employ other tutors.
I have 20 years of post-school study in pure and applied mathematics, actuarial studies, surveying, industrial mathematics (management science), applied statistics and spatial statistics. My academic qualifications are listed on a separate page.
Working with Children WWC0943675E (valid to 13/3/2026)
Kenderdine Maths Tutoring has been providing maths and statistics tuition since 1995. Since then hundreds of secondary and tertiary students, mainly in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, have received individual tuition for everything from one session to continuous assistance as the student proceeds through school.
Tuition is available for the following: Maths Years 9 and 10, Maths all levels Years 11 and 12, HSC Preparation, TAFE courses., University Entrance, University Maths, University Statistics.
In addition, the following services are available:
Editing research reports,
Mathematical computation using Mathematica,
Statistical Data Analysis using Minitab, STATA and R
Students attending Kenderdine Maths Tutoring do maths - plenty of it. They do not watch me doing maths, they do it themselves with my guidance and assistance.
It is my job to find out what they do not know.
Most students attend for one hour per week and the content of each session is based on each student's needs.
The aim is to revise previous work if required and to cover the material likely to be met in the following week at school/university.
A defining characteristic of Kenderdine Maths Tutoring is the use of multiple methods to explain concepts. At school, students are usually shown only one method and if the student doesn't understand then the same method is repeated. In contrast Kenderdine Maths Tutoring will try one of a possible number of alternative explanations. Interactive mathematical software is used to illustrate solutions.
Students need to be motivated in order to receive the most benefit from tuition. It has been found that students who lack motivation are wasting their time and money and the tutor's time.
Kenderdine Maths Tutoring has taught students from all local high schools and colleges, TAFE and a number of universities. Those students were mainly teenagers and young adults; however mature age students have also been assisted. University students have been undertaking studies in Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Commerce, Education and Nursing.
Tuition is: one-to-one, not in a small group or class, face-to-face or by Skype and email.
Thankyou so much for all of your help over the past couple of years. Thanks to your mind-blowing mathematical expertise and teaching abilities I have been able to understand concepts and complete questions I thought I’d never be capable of – without your help I don’t think I would have considered taking Extension 2. You have made maths so much more accessible to me that sometimes I even enjoy it!
Also, thank you so much for your patience during tutoring sessions – you have to be one of the most patient people I have ever met and your willingness to repeatedly explain everything has made a world of difference to my understanding.
Thank you for going above and beyond in every way – all your emails, extra sessions and worked solutions have been so helpful.
You’re the best!
Maya
I just wanted to personally thank you for being such an amazing tutor to me throughout all of high school. Because of you, I was able to achieve a high Band 5 in Mathematics Advanced scoring an 86%. I was also able to get a 93.35 ATAR and get into my dream university course. I truly am very appreciative of your guidance and wisdom over these years, and your continual patience with me as the HSC progressed. I know all the tips and tricks you taught me will stay with me throughout university as well.
Ella
I cannot express how grateful I am, and always will be, for your tireless patience, wisdom, knowledge and willingness to share your love of maths with me. I went from not having a firm grasp of, nor confidence with advanced maths and when I began tutoring with you I really began to actually enjoy what I was learning! (yes, really!) You have taught me confidence, resilience and have ultimately changed my perception of the subject - none of this would have been possible without you Richard! Thankyou for always humouring me and being a teacher, leader and a friendly face I always looked forward to seeing! I will miss my sessions.
Madeleine
I have recently finished my first degree and will be graduating from The Australian National University. I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you gave me, in mathematics, during my high school years - you're one of the best teachers I've ever had, and you remain in my thoughts after these many years! Being taught by you was such a great experience - some of the formulas and techniques you showed me still came in handy during some of my difficult finance/statistics exams! The love and passion you had for learning has been a true inspiration for me and will stay with me for a lifetime.
Jessica
More reviews are included further below.
48622827 or 0429317491
6 Braeside Drive, Bowral 2576 NSW
Open today | 09:00 am – 04:00 pm |
Weekdays 7:30am - 8:30pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 12noon - 4:45pm
School holidays by arrangement
10 October 2023
Was it too hot in September? I've analysed temperature records at Nowra since 1956. The analysis is available from the Downloads section.
24 July 2022
An interesting article for students with maths anxiety: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-07-24/maths-anxiety-what-is-it-how-do-you-overcome-it/101200186?
6 July 2022
I hope you like my new website as much as I have enjoyed creating it. There is a lot to look at,
(1) Continuing students
The fee for a 1-hour weekly session is $550 per 10-week school term with pro-rata adjustment for students enrolled for part of a term.
Payment can be as a lump sum or by instalments (weekly, fortnightly or monthly).
Tuition during school holidays is available at $55 per hour.
The fee for university students attending for the major part of a semester is $55 per hour.
(2) Short term tuition
The fee for students requiring short term tuition (ie not a full term) is $60 per hour.
(3) Payment options
Payment can be made by cash, cheque or bank deposit. Bank account details will be supplied on request.
(4) Cancelled sessions
In all situations where the hourly rate applies the fee is payable in any instance where a booked session is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice. The fee for continuing students is per term and therefore not dependent upon whether the student attends their session each week.
When a student makes a booking they are reserving the session for their exclusive use, thus preventing other students using the time. If the student cannot attend a session for any reason invariably that session remains unused, either because of short notice or the time doesn't suit students on my waiting list. That is the reason the fee is payable for unattended sessions. As part compensation students can be confident that fees do not increase.
(5) Fee stability
Fees remain fixed for the duration of tuition.
I can provide online tutoring to those students who find it difficult to attend in person. I use Skype's screenshare option on a Microsoft Surface computer combined with Drawboard to display and annotate pdf documents . More elaborate calculations can be displayed on a whiteboard or similar - students can see the working of a solution in real time as I write.
Students can use Skype's chat facility to share documents.
While not as efficient as attending in person, students who have been tutored this way have found it quite acceptable, either for a couple of sessions or on a continuing basis over a longer time frame.
I have been tutoring online since 2014, not forced into it as a result of health-related lockdowns.
In 2013 the Royal Statistical Society and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries jointly published 'A world full of data' (http://www.rss.org.uk/uploadedfiles/userfiles/files/A-world-full-of-data.pdf).
This report looked at how well the UK education system is preparing students for a data-rich world. A foreword to the report included the following:
`In a world awash with data, statistical understanding is increasingly important in all areas of society. Statistics is the language of the future data economy. The ability to understand numbers, interpret data and communicate evidence is an essential feature of the modern workplace, and crucial to competitiveness in the global market. In the academic world, almost all subjects are increasingly quantitative. And facility with data and statistics is a vital life skill: every citizen needs to be able to make sense of concepts such as risk and probability on an almost daily basis. Just as literacy in English was the key to success in the 20th century, literacy in statistics will be the key to success for individuals, businesses, governments and countries in the 21st century.` John Pullinger President of the Royal Statistical Society
Similar statements are included in articles available on the website of the Statistical Society of Australia
(http://www.statsci.org/careers.html).
The message is that there is increasing demand for people with quantitative skills. Additionally, society as a whole needs to be more numerate.
Careers that use maths / statistics
The following websites provide information about careers that require the use of maths and/or statistics:
(1) Australian Mathematical Society - Career profiles:
http://www.austms.org.au/Career+profiles
(2) Statistical Society of Australia:
http://www.statsci.org/careers.html
(3) Mathematical Association (UK):
http://www.m-a.org.uk/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=421
(4) Operations Research, also known as Management Science, is widely used in business to optimise the use of resources. Operational Research Society (UK):
It has been my experience that students in Years 7 and 8 can lack the maturity to appreciate the opportunity that tutoring provides. In such cases parents are not obtaining value for money.
Therefore I am cautious when accepting students in those years.
However the students that do have the maturity usually benefit by strengthening their foundational mathematical ability for the remaining school years.
Students with a high level of ability may find that they are not sufficiently challenged by their schoolwork. In such cases I can develop a programme that both extends the coursework and also develops problem-solving skills using material on the borders of the curriculum.
The number of students studying higher-level mathematics for the HSC has continued to decline since the start of this century. In more recent years there has been an increasing tendency to advise students to study Standard Mathematics as opposed to 2-Unit Mathematics in the expectation of achieving a higher ATAR, something I have never done.
This decline has resulted in expressions of concern among academics and employers who are well aware that the future prosperity of Australia depends upon having a workforce sufficiently skilled to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
Universities have started to address the problem by re-introducing pre-requisites for degrees that include quantitative subjects or giving bonus points to students who study higher-level maths for the HSC.
Hence students choosing subjects for Year 11/12 should seek advice from a number of sources, including universities and potential employers. Above all, do not readily accept the advice to 'do Standard Maths and you'll obtain a higher ATAR'.
It has been my experience that students not in the top class in Year 10 who elect to study 2-Unit Mathematics often find themselves at a disadvantage in Year 11. This is because their algebra skills are not strong. Algebra is the foundation of much of mathematics. Students need to be skilled in solving equations, transposing formulae, factorising expressions, working with algebraic fractions and translating word problems into algebraic statements or equations. Index laws also need to be thoroughly understood. Even though the necessary material is covered in Year 11, it is often completed quicker than some students are comfortable with. Therefore, for these students, Term 4 of Year 10 should be spent immersed in algebra and not treated as a time to do some easy maths.
So if you intend studying higher-level maths in Year 11 and feel your algebra skills are lacking then take the initiative and start to work through appropriate material while you have the time in Term 4.
I am offering training to students in Years 5 - 10 who are interested in entering mathematics competitions. Typical of the type of questions that will be attempted include (obtained from internet resources):
(1) Find a formula that generates the series 3, 6, 9, -6,......
(2) Find the number that (a) is the product of two primes and (b) has 2014 as the sum of its proper divisors
(3) Suppose we have a single line queue consisting of a random number of males and females. Prove that it is always possible, for any queue length, to insert yourself into the queue such that the number of females behind you equals the number of males in front of you.
(4) Consider the number m = x(x+1)^2(x+2)^3(x+3)^4 obtained from any positive integer x. Find the largest positive integer that is always a factor of m for all values of x.
Solutions are given in 'Solutions to competition questions' in Downloads.
The following comments have been freely given at the completion of tutoring.
From Year 12 students:
Thankyou so much for all of your help over the past couple of years. Thanks to your mind-blowing mathematical expertise and teaching abilities I have been able to understand concepts and complete questions I thought I’d never be capable of – without your help I don’t think I would have considered taking Extension 2. You have made maths so much more accessible to me that sometimes I even enjoy it!
Also, thank you so much for your patience during tutoring sessions – you have to be one of the most patient people I have ever met and your willingness to repeatedly explain everything has made a world of difference to my understanding.
Thank you for going above and beyond in every way – all your emails, extra sessions and worked solutions have been so helpful.
You’re the best!
2022
I just wanted to personally thank you for being such an amazing tutor to me throughout all of high school. Because of you, I was able to achieve a high Band 5 in Mathematics Advanced scoring an 86%. I was also able to get a 93.35 ATAR and get into my dream university course. I truly am very appreciative of your guidance and wisdom over these years, and your continual patience with me as the HSC progressed. I know all the tips and tricks you taught me will stay with me throughout university as well.
2021
I would not have done nearly as well without your unwavering commitment to my studies in mathematics. I could not be more grateful for all you did to help me. The two Band 6 results were such a lovely surprise yesterday morning, given the difficulty and unexpectedness of the exams, but because of you I felt well prepared and was able to pull through. So, thank you!
2021
Thankyou for assisting our son, we are very proud of his maths results and his application and determination to achieve at this level. Your mentoring and enthusiasm for maths was a very significant component of his success. I believe when he thinks of Maths, he will always remember your contribution.
2021
I cannot express how grateful I am, and always will be, for your tireless patience, wisdom, knowledge and willingness to share your love of maths with me. I went from not having a firm grasp of, nor confidence with advanced maths and when I began tutoring with you I really began to actually enjoy what I was learning! (yes, really!) You have taught me confidence, resilience and have ultimately changed my perception of the subject - none of this would have been possible without you Richard! Thankyou for always humouring me and being a teacher, leader and a friendly face I always looked forward to seeing! I will miss my sessions.
2021
I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you have given me over the past few years. Although possibly not as effective as face-to-face sessions, you were still well equipped with teaching through Skype and your teaching has made a world of difference to me. Your patience to teach me has made you one of the best teachers I've had throughout my schooling years and I just wanted to say thank you so much for your guidance especially throughout my HSC year.
2020
Thankyou so much for all your help over the past two and a half years, with your guidance I've felt as though one hurdle that is maths has not been nearly as daunting. Over the past year I've found a new 'love' for maths which was greatly due to your influence and ability to help me understand each topic and question. For the first ever time I am actually excited to sit a maths exam and I'm looking forward to the challenges it has to offer!
2019
I have recently finished my first degree and will be graduating from The Australian National University. I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you gave me, in mathematics, during my high school years - you're one of the best teachers I've ever had, and you remain in my thoughts after these many years! Being taught by you was such a great experience - some of the formulas and techniques you showed me still came in handy during some of my difficult finance/statistics exams! The love and passion you had for learning has been a true inspiration for me and will stay with me for a lifetime.
Previous student Yr 12 in 2014
Thankyou for all that you have done for me these past couple of years. I am not sure how I would have gone through this HSC journey without you. You have always made me feel I could understand things eventually. Thankyou for persevering and for always believing in me, even when I didn't.
2018
Thank you for all your help with our daughter's maths. She has certainly enjoyed having you as her tutor and your assistance has been invaluable.
2018
You helped me build my confidence in maths. I know so many students are lucky to have your patient help and I am grateful that I was one of them.
2017
I honestly cannot thank you enough for all the help you have given me over the past two years. When I first started with you I was at the bottom of my cohort and now I have finished in second place. You have not only been a teacher but also a mentor and a friend and for that I cannot thank you enough.
2017
Thankyou so much for all your help and patience over the past 2 years. I will be forever grateful for your assistance - I don't know where I would be without you. I genuinely admire you for putting up with me!
2017
Your tuition to date has been invaluable and my daughter has often said how well you "explain things", so thank you.
2017
Our son has received a letter of commendation from school for consistently doing his best in class and making a positive contribution. His work, and interest in the subject, have improved enormously since commencing tutoring with you. We very much appreciate your efforts.
2017
I was surprised to get an E4 grade in extension maths. Thank you so much for all of your help throughout the year - I'm sure I couldn't have achieved those results without you!!
2016
My daughter comes away from you more confident than she has been at school. It is good she is listening to you and she has also said you are very smart, that makes such a difference to young people coming through the system.
2016
Thankyou so much for both extending me in the junior years and then through the HSC. I really appreciate all the hours you have spent helping me - I could not have done it without you.
2016
Our son's time with you has given him the confidence he needed to tackle the HSC knowing he was as prepared as he could be. We'll no doubt speak again when our daughter enters the senior years of high school.
2016
Thank you very much for ensuring the amazing difference in her attitude and understanding of Maths in Year 12. I cannot believe how much of an impact your working with her has made!
2015
Thankyou for tutoring me so well for the HSC. I know I wouldn't have achieved my mathematics mark without you. You're the best!
2014
Richard is an excellent teacher and I truly appreciate all the help he has given me. He is very passionate about teaching mathematics and is a great source of knowledge. Whenever I had difficulty understanding a question or concept, he was able to explain it to me both clearly and concisely. With his support, I have become a more capable maths student and have been able to achieve top marks. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs help in maths! In the words of John Steinbeck, "I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
2014
I have struggled with maths for a very long time but I can't believe after such a short time you could give me the confidence I have now. It is a truly priceless gift and I can't thank you enough.
2014
We owe you a large debt of gratitude for helping our children so well over the years. Thankyou very, very much.
2013
Thankyou so much for the support over the last two years. I really appreciate it and admire your ability to put up with me after I have been at school all day.
2012
Thanks so much for all the help…part of the reason I could stay in Extension
2012
Maths has never been one of my best subjects but now it's alright thanks to you…the concepts are much easier to understand in class….thanks for your patience even when I lose the plot.
2011
Thankyou for all your years of help. You are the best maths teacher ever! Thankyou for putting up with my not understanding and not getting frustrated.
2011
Thankyou so much for all your help over the past few years - it really has made a huge difference and I am so very grateful.
2011
I have very much enjoyed this year and really feel it has made a difference, especially to my confidence.
2009
Thankyou so much for helping me with maths over the past few years. With your help I have significantly improved.
2009
Thankyou so much for your help with maths this past four years. I'm very proud of my achievements and the improvements I made with you, thanks for making it possible.
2008
(Student) came to you completely lacking in confidence in his mathematical ability and having no strategies with which he could help himself. In the months he was with you, you completely managed to turn that around.
2003
Thankyou for being an inspirational tutor….thankyou for helping me to achieve these results.
2002
From university students:
Thankyou for your constant patience. I know that you taught me this course and not the videos and slides and not the professor so thank you for that. I have a far better understanding of the concepts because of the way you explained them and I even feel somewhat positive about some of the future courses. Many thanks for your very good teaching.
Discrete Mathematics 2021
I complete Uni online and in my second semester, I was enrolled in Business Statistics. After the first lecture I was feeling very overwhelmed, I knew I was in trouble and there was no way I would pass the subject without some help. I found Richard online and we started tutoring sessions the next week. Richard was great and helped me so much throughout the session. He went through everything I didn't understand (which was a lot) in detail and helped me work through it. After our tutoring sessions, I was always left feeling more confident with the course work. I ended up passing the course and I really don't think I would if I didn't have Richard's help.
Sheree, Business Statistics, 2020
I obtained 56.5/60 for the final exam and an HD overall. Thank you - I wouldn't have got to that without your help!
Scientific Statistics, 2017
Everything you have taught me finally all made sense, I was able to problem solve in my head without calculating on paper. Thank you for educating me on calculations and teaching me maths, I am very grateful that I had you as my tutor otherwise I think I wouldn't have gotten this far in my calculations and thank you for supporting me through all the maths sessions and preparing me for all my calculation exams.
Nursing, UOW College, 2016
I'm currently studying an engineering statistics course at University. I have searched over the internet for a tutor that could make sense of statistics for an assignment I was attempting. I was unable to find any tutor that could understand the complexity of the subject until I contacted Richard who managed to make me understand a subject after two hours of his time (well worth the money) that I had not been able to previously comprehend. He also took time out of his personal weekend to check over and help me complete the assignment before its Monday due date. Could not have been happier. I highly recommend Richard for his ability to communicate Math even at the highest levels and with little to no preparation.
Second Year Engineering, 2016
I was struggling in my statistics course but thanks to your help I finished with a distinction! You helped me immensely.
Sophie, Environmental and Social Research, Bachelor of Science, ANU, 2015
I can't thank you enough for your kindness, support, encouragement and patience! You are a life saver!
Alice, Bachelor of Education, University of Sydney, 2015
Just wanted to say a massive thank you for all your effort and work with me. I got through my exams so I am very happy.
Second Year Maths (Complex Analysis, Differential Equations), 2014
Not only is he a mathematical academic, Richard is also a very patient and understanding tutor whose calm approach in explaining mathematical concepts to those anxious students who struggle within this field of study helps create a more comfortable learning atmosphere.
First Year Statistics, 2012
Richard was a fantastic tutor……he provided material beyond what was expected by the lecturer but that was also truly helpful….made the class interesting….helped me to achieve a great result…..dedicated tutor goes beyond the basic requirements of tutoring and encourages his students to achieve outstanding results.
First Year Statistics, 2009
Richard solved problems in a variety of ways to benefit the students who assisted from particular methods….his teaching was well structured and supportive to the educational needs of the class…kept the explanations straightforward….very dedicated, motivating, respectful and organised tutor….contributed to my HD final mark.
First Year Maths subject, 2009
Goes through subject material slowly and thoroughly…more than what was required. Always helpful and answers questions in an understandable way….additional material very helpful….shows different ways to calculate. Always well prepared….very knowledgeable. Explained questions very clearly. Goes beyond the standard set by subject co-ordinator.
Various students, First Year Statistics, 2011
Very clear….very thorough and made the subject enjoyable. Explains maths in a simplistic way that I understand. I learn more from him than I do in lectures. He knows the content and was a great help to all the students.
Various students, First Year Maths subject, 2011
Clarity of presentation….staying on topic. Very well prepared, on time and thorough in addressing all content….patient with students…..has good sense of humour. Interaction with class on subject matter is excellent.
Various students First Year Maths subject, 2010
The following details all my academic qualifications
University of Wollongong
The research looked at an area of spatial statistics.
The thesis is available at "Wavelet-based resampling techniques" by Richard D. Kenderdine (uow.edu.au)
Macquarie University
Multivariate Analysis, Statistical Theory, Statistical Design, Epidemiological Methods, Time Series, Survival Analysis, Generalized Linear Models, Project
Graduated with 5 High Distinctions and 2 Distinctions, numerical grades in the range (81, 97) with average 88.7.
Awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Commendation for academic excellence in postgraduate coursework in 2005. Awarded a Merit Certificate for Outstanding Academic Performance in 2004.
Charles Sturt University
Operations Research, Calculus 3, Linear Programming, Complex Analysis, Optimization Techniques, Decision Analysis, Mathematical Programming, Topics in Calculus,
Graduated with High Distinctions in all subjects.
Awarded the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence in 1995 and 1996.
TAFE(NSW)
Surveying 1, Surveying 2, Survey Computations 1, Survey Computations 2, Survey Science, History of Surveying, Land Utilization, Data Presentation, Elements of Mapping, Engineering 1, Land Title Surveys, Survey Camp 1, Survey Camp 2.
Awarded TAFE medal for highest mark in course.
Passed the following subjects:
Compound Interest (20 candidates passed out of 127 entrants), Probability (18 passed / 64 entrants), Life Contingencies (34 passed / 95 entrants), Statistics (19 passed / 77 entrants), Economics (13 passed / 62 entrants), Mortality and Other Actuarial Statistics (33 passed / 80 entrants), Superannuation (15 passed / 42 entrants)
Australian National University
Pure Maths A03, Pure Maths A04, Applied Maths 1, Chemistry A02, Physics A01, Pure Maths B03, Pure Maths B04, Applied Maths 2, Computer Science B01, Computer Science B02, Pure Maths C02, Pure Maths C03, Pure Maths C04. Pure Maths C09, Applied Maths 3
Prior to commencing self-employment as tutor I was employed as an Actuarial Officer with the Australian Government Actuary followed by Survey Technician with Consulting Surveyors.
I have also been a sessional tutor at the University of Wollongong, mainly with Statistics.
This plot shows the cumulative rainfall at Mittagong in March 2022 (purple), 1890, 1894 and 1956.. Refer to 'Mittagong rainfall report' in Downloads.
Distribution of letters in 'Pride and Prejudice' compared with standard. Refer to 'Frequency of letters' in Downloads.
Distribution of Bands for Mathematics (Advanced) and Standard 2 in the 2019 HSC. Refer to 'Percent Distribution ATAR' in Downloads.
Fixed points of the logistic recurrence x(n+1)=k x(n) (1-x(n)). Refer to 'Attractors. bifurcations and chaos' in Downloads.
Solution curve for the differential equation y' = 1 - x/y with y(1)=2. Refer to 'DEqn simple and complex' in Downloads.
Example of a rose curve. Refer to 'Curves' in Downloads.
Kenderdine Maths Tutoring
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