how to study for maths (1 Viewer)

[andybandy]

in year 12, is i dont know how to study for maths, like what should i do? what should i know etc etc
Edit: should mention im doing 2unit and 3 unit maths
help

 

[Drongoski]

How can that be? If you are still achieving 95+ currently in maths, you must be doing something right - if not perfect. Are you looking for 99? What Maths are you doing?

 

[andybandy]

im doing advanced and extension 1, was planning to do extension 2, but i was to late to apply,
i know, but im looking for 99+ haha, i always get 98, or 96 or 97, never that 100. it bugs me so much -.-

 

[Lieutenant_21]

Extension maths can be surprisingly difficult for some people, mostly narrow minded people who follow everything there teacher tells them (don't hate me, I'm just saying).
Average students would do homework from primary till year 10 and when they get good marks they think they are geniuses and that they are talented at maths not realising that what they are studying is simply the very basics, that stuff is like below the basics. Then year 12 comes and their psyche gets pounded with extension 1 and 2 maths (which are a basic calculus + algebra course compared to the real shit).
What you have to do is:
1) Learn and understand the content by quickly going over the theory from a RELIABLE textbook, then do the entire exercise. In Terry Lee's textbooks, the entire exercise is relatively difficult (unlike Cambridge which gradually gets harder) so do ALL the questions. The way you should do the questions is by NOT looking at the solutions. What the fuck is the point of doing the exercise if you look at the solutions? Do the questions, keep trying until you get an answer then look at the solutions and NOTE down where you went wrong and understand how to do the question and hence formulate a structured way of thinking or a structured approach to solving the question. In the beginning just concentrate on improving your accuracy, not speed. Speed will be improved overtime as you practice more and more questions.
2) Now that you are done with learning the content start doing PAST PAPERS. Do not attempt questions that fall under topics you have not done yet, that is a waste of time. Do the questions in the past papers in the same way you do questions from the textbook "The way you should do the questions is by NOT looking at the solutions. What the fuck is the point of doing the exercise if you look at the solutions? Do the questions, keep trying until you get an answer then look at the solutions and NOTE down where you went wrong and understand how to do the question and hence formulate a structured way of thinking or a structured approach to solving the question. In the beginning just concentrate on improving your accuracy, not speed. Speed will be improved overtime as you practice more and more questions."
Anyone disagrees with me please feel free to comment, like, share and subscribe.

 

[andybandy]

^ exactly the answer i was looking for, so do you recommend any text books etc?
by the way thanks for that, sounds like a great way

 

[andybandy]

thankyou heaps!! your helping alot. i appreciate it and i'll go get the textbook tomorrow,
would do the question, but havent done the topic

 

[Lieutenant_21]

thankyou heaps!! your helping alot. i appreciate it and i'll go get the textbook tomorrow,
would do the question, but havent done the topic

Don't worry about school, I am like light years ahead of school and I attend a very competitive school.
Shitty schools will use the worst textbook in the world, Maths in Focus. Why would they use it? Because it is simple but maths extension is not meant to be simple.

 

[andybandy]

you are right.. maths in focus, thought my school did give us fitzpatrik as well, so i guess thats pretty good

 

[deswa1]

im exceptionally well at maths, always been a 95+ student since primary,
the big problem im having in year 12, is i dont know how to study for maths, like what should i do? what should i know etc etc
Edit: should mention im doing 2unit and 3 unit maths
help

This is a problem. I'm going to come out and say it because others are thinking it. If you are so exceptional at maths, why aren't you doing 4U? See to me, I think a bit of the problem is that you think you're better than you are and you are less willing to take advice because of it. So you're teachers etc. might say something but you feel you know better

I don't see why you needed to open your post with your 95+ marks since primary. Like everyone on BOS is happy to help but the way you posted that, it sounds really arrogant etc. and people are less inclined to help because of that.

 

[andybandy]

because i didnt even know their was a 4 unit till a few weeks ago, i really want to do it, but the teachers wont let me, because apparently its to late..
i know it comes off as that :/ shouldnt have said it

 

[Lieutenant_21]

This is a problem. I'm going to come out and say it because others are thinking it. If you are so exceptional at maths, why aren't you doing 4U? See to me, I think a bit of the problem is that you think you're better than you are and you are less willing to take advice because of it. So you're teachers etc. might say something but you feel you know better

I don't see why you needed to open your post with your 95+ marks since primary. Like everyone on BOS is happy to help but the way you posted that, it sounds really arrogant etc. and people are less inclined to help because of that.

Yeah, I am starting to experience a similar thing.
The people at my school who don't do 4U maths but do 3U struggle with it a lot. It is like the 4U people learn much more advanced stuff that the 3U content becomes the basics to them, it is like even though 4U is difficult they adapt to the difficulty and develop their skills. For example: in 4U we learn conics and in 3U we learn a similar topic called parametric equtions (it is a prelim topic but can be asked in the HSC). People who have done conics will find locus very simple, people who haven't done it will find locus hard.
I wonder what happens if a 4U student learns first year uni haha but 4U isn't worth spending that much time on especially if you are aiming for 99.95, doing well in all subjects is essential for getting 99.95.

 

[jenslekman]

Yeah, I am starting to experience a similar thing.
The people at my school who don't do 4U maths but do 3U struggle with it a lot. It is like the 4U people learn much more advanced stuff that the 3U content becomes the basics to them, it is like even though 4U is difficult they adapt to the difficulty and develop their skills. For example: in 4U we learn conics and in 3U we learn a similar topic called parametric equtions (it is a prelim topic but can be asked in the HSC). People who have done conics will find locus very simple, people who haven't done it will find locus hard.
I wonder what happens if a 4U student learns first year uni haha but 4U isn't worth spending that much time on especially if you are aiming for 99.95, doing well in all subjects is essential for getting 99.95.

Lol pretty sure plenty of 4unitersmlearn first yr uni maths and I know a few people who only did 3u maths and achieved 48+

 

[Lieutenant_21]

Lol pretty sure plenty of 4unitersmlearn first yr uni maths and I know a few people who only did 3u maths and achieved 48+

Yeah, you are right. some people accelerate 3U and do very well in it lol I was just talking about my very unreliable personal experience + opinion haha

 

[clintmyster]

Yeah, I am starting to experience a similar thing.
The people at my school who don't do 4U maths but do 3U struggle with it a lot. It is like the 4U people learn much more advanced stuff that the 3U content becomes the basics to them, it is like even though 4U is difficult they adapt to the difficulty and develop their skills. For example: in 4U we learn conics and in 3U we learn a similar topic called parametric equtions (it is a prelim topic but can be asked in the HSC). People who have done conics will find locus very simple, people who haven't done it will find locus hard.
I wonder what happens if a 4U student learns first year uni haha but 4U isn't worth spending that much time on especially if you are aiming for 99.95, doing well in all subjects is essential for getting 99.95.

Yeah in our day it was like 4U is really like a 3U course whilst 3U literally feels like 1U and for 2U when we had to occasionally sit the exams in case we dropped out, we would not even open a book the night before, just walk in, finishing the exam in half the allocated time and walk out of the exam haha. Good times.

 

[RishBonjour]

just what others said, if you are exceptionally good, you should know by now how to study. Just read your textbook + do some questions + ask your teachers if you are unsure (only if they can explain properly) + do PLENTY of past papers to increase speed and accuracy. That should do it for a decent mark in 3u.

 

[timeslowsdown]

Studying for maths can be broken down into 2 parts:
1. THE THEORY: I know this sounds obvious but trust me many people do not spend time on this part but it's essential for doing well in 3U. This involves trying to grasp and study new ideas, ways of solving questions, formulae. This takes the form of really revising new concepts in school by rereading and/or rewriting derivation and making concise notes on these to make sure your understanding is comprehensive. Understanding of the theory will differentiate high band 6 students from low band 6 students. Because when you come to the last question and its ridiculously hard, past papers may not help you. It will be your understanding of the basics.
2. PRACTICE: After you understand absolutely everything pertaining to a topic, start doing HEAPS of practice papers. That's all there is to it. This will build confidence and inadvertently teach you specific ways to approach questions. I also recommend doing harder textbook questions as well, because this ensures that you know how to tackle all question types (in case the past papers you've done haven't covered these).

 

[Verify]

Extension maths can be surprisingly difficult for some people, mostly narrow minded people who follow everything there teacher tells them (don't hate me, I'm just saying).
Average students would do homework from primary till year 10 and when they get good marks they think they are geniuses and that they are talented at maths not realising that what they are studying is simply the very basics, that stuff is like below the basics. Then year 12 comes and their psyche gets pounded with extension 1 and 2 maths (which are a basic calculus + algebra course compared to the real shit).
What you have to do is:
1) Learn and understand the content by quickly going over the theory from a RELIABLE textbook, then do the entire exercise. In Terry Lee's textbooks, the entire exercise is relatively difficult (unlike Cambridge which gradually gets harder) so do ALL the questions. The way you should do the questions is by NOT looking at the solutions. What the fuck is the point of doing the exercise if you look at the solutions? Do the questions, keep trying until you get an answer then look at the solutions and NOTE down where you went wrong and understand how to do the question and hence formulate a structured way of thinking or a structured approach to solving the question. In the beginning just concentrate on improving your accuracy, not speed. Speed will be improved overtime as you practice more and more questions.
2) Now that you are done with learning the content start doing PAST PAPERS. Do not attempt questions that fall under topics you have not done yet, that is a waste of time. Do the questions in the past papers in the same way you do questions from the textbook "The way you should do the questions is by NOT looking at the solutions. What the fuck is the point of doing the exercise if you look at the solutions? Do the questions, keep trying until you get an answer then look at the solutions and NOTE down where you went wrong and understand how to do the question and hence formulate a structured way of thinking or a structured approach to solving the question. In the beginning just concentrate on improving your accuracy, not speed. Speed will be improved overtime as you practice more and more questions."
Anyone disagrees with me please feel free to comment, like, share and subscribe.

Although I'm not really one to say much in a 3/4U thread, I still want to say that it is so important that people use reliable textbooks that actually teach you why formulas come to be etc. so that you understand what you're doing and where you're coming from. My tutor a couple months back used Maths in Focus and it is so, so bad. I would cringe every time I saw that textbook in his hand. Good thing I'm quitting soon.

 

[RealiseNothing]

I wonder what happens if a 4U student learns first year uni haha

First year uni wouldn't really be of any use to a 4U student, the only part would be Introductory Calculus, but most of that is done in 4U anyway. You'd be better off doing real/complex analysis from a 2nd year textbook as it gives you a very rigorous approach to complex numbers. The same can be done with polynomials to an extent, but not as much.

 

[studyhappy]

you can do exceptionally well in 2U and 3U and from your track record it sounds like you will understand the content. the key is doing as many practice papers as possible throughout the year to see every possible question your school and the BOS can give you. people that get 99+ in 2u or 48+ in 3U are always the ones constantly doing past papers.

 

[Capt Rifle]

P.a.s.t . P.a.p.e.r.s