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What type of Maths is in Physics Year 11 and 12? (1 Viewer)

MzRobinHood97

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Well, Im in year 10. We're finishing in less than a few days, and Im starting ahead. I need to know exactly what Maths is in Physics (e.g. algebra or whatever).. Thanks! Please include everything!


Btw.. I also do 2 Unit mathematics(advanced)
 
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mysterymarkplz

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Math just read the chapters for books like cambride, math in focus, etc, in year 11 youll cover differentiation, coordinate geometry, perms and combs, 3-D trig, idk it depends on whether you're doing 2u math or 3u math, 3u assumes you know most of your 2u stuff if not all, correct me if i'm wrong.
for physics, the syllabus is designed so general math peeps can do it as well, the hardest i've ever encountered was just quadratic formula for projectiles and cube rooting for keplars law lol, you just need to know your basic algebra, nothing too hard.
 

ChillTime

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HSC Physics is not very mathematical, it's really been dumbed down, it's the ideas that students have trouble wrapping their head around. On of my tuition students was doing well in general maths, and said the maths in physics was not too bad. If you're doing 2 unit maths or higher, you will have no troubles with the maths side of physics.

* Trigonometry - Cos, Sin, Tan in stuff like vectors and projectile motion. Simple applications.
* Linear equations - simple applications
* Quadratic equations - very basic
* Change the subject, e.g. F = G(m1)(m2)/r^2 ; make r the subject to solve for radius
* Simultaneous equations - solve by substitution
* Logarithms - you need to apply them in formulae, you don't need to know how logarithms work although it would help.
 

gwilymprice

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The maths is basic for physics, but a good understanding of mathematical thinking and processes used, can help a lot, Particularly in more complex projectile motion
 

Squar3root

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Math just read the chapters for books like cambride, math in focus, etc, in year 11 youll cover differentiation, coordinate geometry, perms and combs, 3-D trig, idk it depends on whether you're doing 2u math or 3u math, 3u assumes you know most of your 2u stuff if not all, correct me if i'm wrong.
for physics, the syllabus is designed so general math peeps can do it as well, the hardest i've ever encountered was just quadratic formula for projectiles and cube rooting for keplars law lol, you just need to know your basic algebra, nothing too hard.
yeah pretty much this. most of the time people slip up on silly mistake. I was a 4U student and couldn't solve a linear equation in projectile question lol
 

panda15

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Physics is designed so that someone not taking HSC maths is able to take the course, however they would be at a serious disadvantage. The maths you encounter is very basic (Right angled trig, basic algebra) which imo defeats the purpose of physics, but still. If you have a grasp of these concepts, then you should be right with physics calculations.
 

tashe

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HSC Physics is not very mathematical, it's really been dumbed down, it's the ideas that students have trouble wrapping their head around. On of my tuition students was doing well in general maths, and said the maths in physics was not too bad. If you're doing 2 unit maths or higher, you will have no troubles with the maths side of physics.

* Trigonometry - Cos, Sin, Tan in stuff like vectors and projectile motion. Simple applications.
* Linear equations - simple applications
* Quadratic equations - very basic
* Change the subject, e.g. F = G(m1)(m2)/r^2 ; make r the subject to solve for radius
* Simultaneous equations - solve by substitution
* Logarithms - you need to apply them in formulae, you don't need to know how logarithms work although it would help.
This guy is spot on. Doing high school physics with a 2 unit mathematics background is more than enough. Even with just preliminary 2 unit mathematics, you can breeze through the 'mathematics' with ease.

I placed mathematics in quotation marks because I really mean, mathematics mathematics (communitychannel reference). I think students tend to have problem with physics mathematics because they are unsure of:

1. which formula to use; e.g. projectile motion
2. what values from the question is subbed into which pronumeral of the equation; e.g. time dilation, mass dilation and length contraction. Be sure to know which is t0 and tv.

rather than mathematical theory.

Don't worry if you don't understand my examples for now. I should have given examples from the preliminary physics course but I don't really remember them.



Sorry, just want to mention that you should probably thank strawberrye. I have no idea how she could remember the content from year 11. If she looked back into her book, she really went out of her way to help you.
 
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anomalousdecay

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Maths in Physics has been dumbed down so that General Maths students can still do Physics and get a band 6.
 

rumbleroar

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Well, Im in year 10. We're finishing in less than a few days, and Im starting ahead. I need to know exactly what Maths is in Physics (e.g. algebra or whatever).. Thanks! Please include everything!


Btw.. I also do 2 Unit mathematics(advanced)
3 unit ideally helps with physics. 2 unit is ok too, but I think ext 1 just takes it further.
But tbh, maths in physics is a joke lol you will be fine because the usually give out formula sheets. Understand how formulas are derived and what they are used for.


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anomalousdecay

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3 unit ideally helps with physics. 2 unit is ok too, but I think ext 1 just takes it further.
I actually found that Physics helped me with ext.1 projectile motions.

Other than that, it was all basic algebra manipulations (General Maths student can do it).

The whole point is to not discriminate between different level maths students.

Also, I wish that we could do Physics Extension and Chemistry Extension (Like how it was back in the 90's or something).
 

hawkrider

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I actually found that Physics helped me with ext.1 projectile motions.

Other than that, it was all basic algebra manipulations (General Maths student can do it).

The whole point is to not discriminate between different level maths students.

Also, I wish that we could do Physics Extension and Chemistry Extension (Like how it was back in the 90's or something).
That's what this year's 2 unit exam did - discriminating the 2U and 3U students.


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iEatOysters

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The girl who's topping Physics at our school doesn't do maths at all. But then she accelerates the 3U course at home so idk.
 

rumbleroar

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The girl who's topping Physics at our school doesn't do maths at all. But then she accelerates the 3U course at home so idk.
Woah how is she doing accel 3U at home and no math at school o_O
 

rumbleroar

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I actually found that Physics helped me with ext.1 projectile motions.

Other than that, it was all basic algebra manipulations (General Maths student can do it).

The whole point is to not discriminate between different level maths students.

Also, I wish that we could do Physics Extension and Chemistry Extension (Like how it was back in the 90's or something).
I did a bit of phys year 12 and had learnt projectile in 3U before projectile in year 12 :p I think it depends which one you learn first, because as long as you're able to visualise it, that helps so much!
 

iEatOysters

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Woah how is she doing accel 3U at home and no math at school o_O
She dropped maths because she isn't topping it and doesn't want it to count towards her ATAR, but she's learnt the 3U course at home to supplement her understanding of physics... But I can kind of understand why she's doing this. She's receiving 10+ awards at speech day and consistently receives medals and high distinctions for chem, phys & bio. She's crazy...
 

anomalousdecay

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That's what this year's 2 unit exam did - discriminating the 2U and 3U students.
I did 4U because I would say this:

3U is my strongest subject and I want it to be worth 2 units, no 1 unit. Also, 4U was ok in the end.

I did a bit of phys year 12 and had learnt projectile in 3U before projectile in year 12 :p I think it depends which one you learn first, because as long as you're able to visualise it, that helps so much!
I did Physics first. Projectile motion in Ext.1 was the last thing we did for Ext.1.
 

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