gen maths. the DISADVANTAGES (1 Viewer)

[sc116]

thank you all for replying

it's possible to get a good UAI with gen maths isn't it?

 

[piitb]

well all depends on your other subjects and what your definition of good uai.

if come only top 20% then you will get scaled down ALOT.

if you do general you should be looking to come top 5%, 90% raw mark, u will wont get disadvantaged by the scaling.

get anything lower and you will get badly scaled because of the lower level of students in the course and the easiness of the course.

 

[Schoey93]

Re: 回复: Re: gen maths. the DISADVANTAGES

a BIG disadvantage is - NO CALCULUS!!!

Many people would consider this a HUGE advantage. The fact you enjoy calculus indicates your nerdiness.

"Any two units of mathematics" includes General Mathematics. Think about it. General Math = mathematics = two units. End of story. Bye bye.

 

[portiaskye]

i only did general for HSC and i'm doing science at UTS this year, i just have to do a 2U bridging course which is free and runs for two weeks. so don't base your decision on the uni course.

 

[lou071]

im considering dropping to gen maths, but i would like to know of all the disadvantages and advantages if i were to make this decision.

such as, would i be limited in uni course assumed knowledge criteria etc etc...
would one be scaled down A LOT because it's considered an "easy" subject?

it'd be much appreciated if many people would reply

what course do you want to do at uni?
well, many uni courses accept any 2 unit of maths, but there are also a lot of
course which the assumed knowledge is the mathematics.

i would say that the disadvantage of general maths is that it is easy.

 

[Schoey93]

Define "easy". Anyway, General is applied mathematics, whereas Mathematics Advanced and particularly Mathematics Extensions 1 and 2, are pure mathematics. However the only course in which you learn "real math" is Extension 2. Memorising a formula then applying it is not math. Doing that is not creative. It is not an art. It is not fun. Any fool who can follow instructions well can memorise a formula and then apply it. This is, however, a waste of time, extremely easy and not how mathematics should be taught. Passing Mathematics Advanced or Mathematics Extension 1 does not necessarily make you "good at math". All this shows is that you have a good memory and are good at following instructions. While these are obviously good skills to have, they will not adequately prepare you for the study of pure mathematics at university.

Edit: I still believe it is worthwhile doing Mathematics Advanced if you can get good marks - while it may not be real math, if it can help you get a high UAI it is definitely worth it... and it is assumed knowledge for many courses.

 

[lou071]

what i meant easy was that it is not challenging.

 

[Schoey93]

what i meant easy was that it is not challenging.

No, not true. Some people find General Math to be quite a challenge. Remember that Year 11 is a review of Years 9 - 10 Math Stage 5.2 & 5.3. The Year 12 course introduces new concepts if you have not done Stage 5.3, and concepts new to even students of Stage 5.3 math.

Also, remember that General Mathematics has a lot of merit as a practical course that teaches students math that will come in handy in their everyday life (applied mathematics). Also, a student can top Mathematics Advanced and have no understanding of statistics. And a student who does Mathematics Advanced might want to do medicine and have the marks to do it.

From what I have read, there is a shitload of stats in MBBS, so you're stuffed if you haven't learnt it in High School. It's just tedious to have to learn to interpret stats while at uni. And don't say "anyone can do it", cos you know they can't...it's not that easy and it's an important skill to have.

I like to think of general as "life skills" rather than math, and in that regard it has a lot of merit.

 

[erm]

Re: 回复: Re: gen maths. the DISADVANTAGES

Many people would consider this a HUGE advantage. The fact you enjoy calculus indicates your nerdiness.

"Any two units of mathematics" includes General Mathematics. Think about it. General Math = mathematics = two units. End of story. Bye bye.

don't rip on calculus, it is very handy to know

kthnx

 

[erm]

i only did general for HSC and i'm doing science at UTS this year, i just have to do a 2U bridging course which is free and runs for two weeks. so don't base your decision on the uni course.

Well in the HSC you get 2 yrs to get 2unit down-pat...you only get 2 weeks (although they probably exclude a few topics which aren't needed)...needless to say your knowledge of 2unit will be quite superficial (but really, it depends on what science major you wish to pursue)

 

[Bacchus]

No, not true. Some people find General Math to be quite a challenge. Remember that Year 11 is a review of Years 9 - 10 Math Stage 5.2 & 5.3. The Year 12 course introduces new concepts if you have not done Stage 5.3, and concepts new to even students of Stage 5.3 math.

Also, remember that General Mathematics has a lot of merit as a practical course that teaches students math that will come in handy in their everyday life (applied mathematics). Also, a student can top Mathematics Advanced and have no understanding of statistics. And a student who does Mathematics Advanced might want to do medicine and have the marks to do it.

From what I have read, there is a shitload of stats in MBBS, so you're stuffed if you haven't learnt it in High School. It's just tedious to have to learn to interpret stats while at uni. And don't say "anyone can do it", cos you know they can't...it's not that easy and it's an important skill to have.

I like to think of general as "life skills" rather than math, and in that regard it has a lot of merit.

In a comparative sense, General Mathematics is easy. By "easy" that's what people probably meant.

You haven't experienced General Mathematics yet, may I ask how you sound acquainted with the course?

I see that you look at syllabi and everything but that shouldn't suffice because experience provides something that you cannot just learn from reading/talking/listening.

 

[Schoey93]

I've worked through the Macquarie Study Guide for Preliminary Mathematics General. I've looked on

http://hsc.csu.edu.au/maths


for information about the course structure. I've examined the course structure for all five maths course for Stage 6 (NSW) - I believe the syllabuses for the NSW HSC 2010 courses are no longer available at Home - Board of Studies NSW

I've had a squiz at the National Curriculum Board's mathematics framing paper. Furthermore, I discussed General Mathematics with my Year 9 math teacher. I have also discussed it with my Year 11 girl friend (space intended).


And guess what? After all this I decided high school mathematics wasn't for me. Sure, I'll still read math books, such as "Mathematics for the Curious" and "Mathematics for the Imagination", and investigate uses of math in my everyday life, as well as more abstract uses through attending courses at coaching and community colleges. But HSC mathematics is a bore. It's not fun, it's not creative, it doesn't [generally] teach you to think outside the box. Unless you're equipped to do Extension 2, in my mind, as you encounter mathematics in your everyday life anyway ... unless you live underneath a very geometrically uninteresting rock; what's the point? There is no point (for me).

James

 

[Bacchus]

Hey, James. Were you responding to my post? If that's the case:

I've worked through the Macquarie Study Guide for Preliminary Mathematics General. I've looked on

HSC Online


for information about the course structure. I've examined the course structure for all five maths course for Stage 6 (NSW) - I believe the syllabuses for the NSW HSC 2010 courses are no longer available at Home - Board of Studies NSW

That's nice. However, you won't personally know the extent of the course just by "looking".

I've had a squiz at the National Curriculum Board's mathematics framing paper. Furthermore, I discussed General Mathematics with my Year 9 math teacher. I have also discussed it with my Year 11 girl friend (space intended).

As I said, that does not give you a relevant knowledge because that's not according to your own abilitty and standards. Think about it, your girlfriend may not be good at General Mathematics (hypothetically). If that's the case, you would perceive the course to be hard because you were talking with the people who found the course difficult. It's more likely that you will get biased answers.

And guess what? After all this I decided high school mathematics wasn't for me. Sure, I'll still read math books, such as "Mathematics for the Curious" and "Mathematics for the Imagination", and investigate uses of math in my everyday life, as well as more abstract uses through attending courses at coaching and community colleges. But HSC mathematics is a bore. It's not fun, it's not creative, it doesn't [generally] teach you to think outside the box. Unless you're equipped to do Extension 2, in my mind, as you encounter mathematics in your everyday life anyway ... unless you live underneath a very geometrically uninteresting rock; what's the point? There is no point (for me).

Hm...I am not sure how this is relevant to my post. I didn't question why you are doing General Mathematics or Mathematics or whatever. I was just saying that you may not fully understand the course. BUT if this comment was not directed at me, I apologise.

 

[georgefren]

uh, general maths is shit easy if your good at maths.

who are you kidding?

 

[binary star]

Biggest disadvantage: scaling. Also, the topics arent particularly interesting either.

 

[kaz1]

I've worked through the Macquarie Study Guide for Preliminary Mathematics General. I've looked on

HSC Online


for information about the course structure. I've examined the course structure for all five maths course for Stage 6 (NSW) - I believe the syllabuses for the NSW HSC 2010 courses are no longer available at Home - Board of Studies NSW

I've had a squiz at the National Curriculum Board's mathematics framing paper. Furthermore, I discussed General Mathematics with my Year 9 math teacher. I have also discussed it with my Year 11 girl friend (space intended).


And guess what? After all this I decided high school mathematics wasn't for me. Sure, I'll still read math books, such as "Mathematics for the Curious" and "Mathematics for the Imagination", and investigate uses of math in my everyday life, as well as more abstract uses through attending courses at coaching and community colleges. But HSC mathematics is a bore. It's not fun, it's not creative, it doesn't [generally] teach you to think outside the box. Unless you're equipped to do Extension 2, in my mind, as you encounter mathematics in your everyday life anyway ... unless you live underneath a very geometrically uninteresting rock; what's the point? There is no point (for me).

James

I found that you have to think outside the box quite a bit in Extension 1.

 

[Schoey93]

Hey, James. Were you responding to my post? If that's the case:




That's nice. However, you won't personally know the extent of the course just by "looking".



As I said, that does not give you a relevant knowledge because that's not according to your own ability and standards. Think about it, your girlfriend may not be good at General Mathematics (hypothetically). If that's the case, you would perceive the course to be hard because you were talking with the people who found the course difficult. It's more likely that you will get biased answers.



Hm...I am not sure how this is relevant to my post. I didn't question why you are doing General Mathematics or Mathematics or whatever. I was just saying that you may not fully understand the course. BUT if this comment was not directed at me, I apologise.

The last comment wasn't directed at you, yet there is still no need to apologise. My girlfriend isn't "good at math". More acurately, she isn't interested in math. Perhaps if she had an interest in the subject, and the subject had more real-world applications or creativity involved, she would like it. But it doesn't. Porsche likes practical courses - Food Technology and Legal Studies (to a point).

I do admit that if we want to make a generalisation [and generalisations are never good] General Mathematics is quite easy and simple. However, the comment I made was that it is perceived by some, not all, students - as difficult. Not to mention it is a different kind of mathematics - applied mathematics. The other Stage 6 mathematics move away from the applied math concept and focus more on pure math, calculus for example.

Also, I think working through a study guide gives an adequate indication of how difficult the course is for me. Also, I believe that Macquarie study guides are quite comprehensive?

I think this thread should be "Gen. maths. The ADVANTAGES". I have had enough of people criticising what is really a stimulating, applied mathematics course which is useful in everyday life. The HSC course is particularly stimulating, useful and interesting.

James

 

[Schoey93]

I found that you have to think outside the box quite a bit in Extension 1.

Hm, okay. Namu said it's just memorisation of formulas and knowing their applications ("How to Succeed in HSC Mathematics" thread). I'll believe you though.

 

[Bacchus]

^I am that Namu. However, that guide was specifically for Mathematics. Mathematics Extension 1 is little bit different which requires you to think little bit outside the box - but still not enough.

I do admit that if we want to make a generalisation [and generalisations are never good] General Mathematics is quite easy and simple. However, the comment I made was that it is perceived by some, not all, students - as difficult. Not to mention it is a different kind of mathematics - applied mathematics. The other Stage 6 mathematics move away from the applied math concept and focus more on pure math, calculus for example.

I guess it depends on individuals. For some, it can be difficult and for others it can be easy. It's all about comparativity.

Also, I think working through a study guide gives an adequate indication of how difficult the course is for me. Also, I believe that Macquarie study guides are quite comprehensive?

Oh yes. Looking over it can be helpful but I was just suggesting that first-hand experiecne can be more useful.

I think this threa should be "Gen. maths. The ADVANTAGES". I have had enough of people criticising what is really a stimulating, applied mathematics course which is useful in everyday life. The HSC course is particularly stimulating, useful and interesting.

Yes, it's a pity. I agree, General Mathematics is very useful and if you are not too concerned about doing Mathematics Extension 1 or 2, I recommend anyone to do it because you can learn some skills that may prove useful. However, HSC increasingly became a game where you have to be quite strategic in terms of scaling, subjects and etc. That's why many people turned their backs on General Mathematics.

 

[JollyJohn]

Why would you even bother doing gen maths? If you'd consider ANY maths, your consideration should start at 2unit level then work your way up