Mathematics 3/4 (1 Viewer)

[Wohzazz]

I'm not sure I'm posting in the right forum but anyways, i was wondering whether there was any way to improve my maths
Should I do a lot of exercises but i never stop making 'stupid mistakes' in exams
It really annoys me that I forgot stuff under pressure and end up with a mediocre mark
My 4U maths test is coming up and i really want to do good- my first one!
Any suggestions?

 

[LiLLy_H]

I'm in grade ten at them moment but I know exactly how you feel. I guess advising you to go over your work after you have completed the exam is a bad idea since you probaby won't have much time left. Basically making mistakes is good as it helps you to remmeber it next time (hopefully), but basically just do a lot of exercises and try not to rush through questions in exams thinking that you won't have enough time left.

 

[ae]

what topic you doing?

for complex numbers, use terry lee's book.
for graphs, use cambridge or patel.
do diagnostic test in cambridge. they are relatively easy.

make sure you do through the examples given in the book and try to do them before attempting the question. although doing a lot of exercise is good, choosing which exercises to do is also important. doing too easy or too hard exercises wont help you in the exam.

past papers is also useful.

 

[kimmeh]

i did the 4 unit course last year, and i'm re doing it again this year

your teacher should give you a smaple of last year's past paper for that topic. ie, if its complex, they should give u last years' complex text to see what standards theyre looking for.

they dont expect too much of a high standard but are basically testing that you have understood the basics (for complex that is) . i just did my test yesterday and they were very generous in marks. 2 marks for finding arguemnt and 2 marks for modulus.

silly mistakes can only be avoided by constant revision and practice. what you will find by the middle of next year, that 4u takes up ALOT of time. mainly because each person interprets their own way of '4 u thinking'. when my friends ask me how i do this, i cant explain it because i do it my way to understand.

since it is your first asesment, no is expceting you to go flash ! especially for 4 unit because of all the new concepts being thrown at you. just remeber that you are a birght student who obviuosly has the capabilities to attempt 4 unit maths. 3/4 of the population will never be able to do it have faith in urself and do your best
cheers

 

[abdooooo!!!]

Originally posted by kimmeh
i just did my test yesterday and they were very generous in marks. 2 marks for finding arguemnt and 2 marks for modulus.

hahaha... thats pretty cool

how did you get to repeat so early, when you haven't even got your hsc results back yet?

 

[kimmeh]

well, theoretically, i can repeta whenever i want. because i know i'm definitely repeating, i need to start class asap .. mianly i started early because i didnt want to look like an idiot in the first asesment.. i kinda didnt attend maths for about 5 weeks to catch up with my other subs, but i still havent caught up

i know i havent got my HSC results back, but its better to be safe than sorry

 

[Wohzazz]

kimmeh- Are there any disadvantages for repeating
I mean if I don't get the UAI i want, i may consider that an option

 

[iambored]

i never stopped making silly mistakes
but to minimise them - write as much working as possible. don't skip steps, or do them in your head. use your calculator at all times, think the question and steps through properly

 

[kimmeh]

Originally posted by Wohzazz
kimmeh- Are there any disadvantages for repeating
I mean if I don't get the UAI i want, i may consider that an option

well, i accelerated . so i did 4 unit maths a year early. i'm in the class of 2004, so i'm technically in yr 12 now thus in yr 11 i did 4 unit maths for my HSC. umm well really, if we didnt do well as we wanted, then we could re do it in yr 12.
you are not at a disadvantage. i beleive you are at an advantage of doing well if you are going to repeat !

Your HSC is accumulated over 5 years and whatevere year you site the hsc for, then ur scaling is align and compared to the year you sit it in. so when it come down to the final UAI, there wouldnt be a problem.

usually people are disadvataged because normal HSC candidates are alot older, and within that one year, we couldve developed further skill that work in paralell with other subs. like physics. alot of concepts in phyiscs is the exact stuff you do in 3 unit maths (projectiles) and for 4 unit, u take circular motion and stuff in. only because we accelerated in maths, and other people in the school did physics/3 uni maths combo, they jnew what they were doing, which placed us at a disadvtage a bit.

another disavantage of repeating is that you get really bored.. i alreddy am sick of it but i know i have to do ext 2 maths again.. i dont mind it.. just the ext 1 bit.. *fingers crossed* .. please gimme distinction course

Wohzazz: what year are you in? year 11 i assume? ie. clas of 2004..?

 

[Wohzazz]

Um one more thing, if you repeated do you actually go to the class again? I mean actually go every single 4U maths class and learn the course again? If so yes that is BORING

Yeah Year 11 - Hard year coming up

 

[abdooooo!!!]

Originally posted by kimmeh
well, theoretically, i can repeta whenever i want. because i know i'm definitely repeating, i need to start class asap .. mianly i started early because i didnt want to look like an idiot in the first asesment.. i kinda didnt attend maths for about 5 weeks to catch up with my other subs, but i still havent caught up

i know i havent got my HSC results back, but its better to be safe than sorry

...somehow i don't get your logics. because if you repeated at the start of next year you wouldn't even have to do the first assessment.

why do you want to start early? you've already started a year early with this acceleration thingy... and you still want to get ahead by repeating early

 

[kimmeh]

Originally posted by Wohzazz
Um one more thing, if you repeated do you actually go to the class again? I mean actually go every single 4U maths class and learn the course again?

it depends on your school, usually, if your school offere acceleration, then they have to be prepared for a certain number of students to repeat and thus have to make room in normal non-accelerant classes to cater for them
yeah you have to attend class.. its compulsory.. just like attending school.. me not turning up to class gives me a non-seriuos attempt of the course.. just like any other subject. yes it is boring, but i chose to repeat so i have to stay with my decision.

Originally posted by abdooooo!!!
...somehow i don't get your logics. because if you repeated at the start of next year you wouldn't even have to do the first assessment.

why do you want to start early? you've already started a year early with this acceleration thingy... and you still want to get ahead by repeating early

well as i said above, i have to start class otherwise i get ns attempt.

assesments change every year. and i am ranked against those that do the subject that year. also, i moved to a different school so i HAVE to do the assesments and attend class, other wise they think i'm like a rebel.. well assesments are scheduled in the last 3 weeks of school.. and 4 unit happens to be one of them..
start early? to freshen me up? to get me into the habit of studying and not lazying about.. i'm not sure about my mark yet, so in the meantime till i get my mark, i'll go to class do whatevere. and what i want, i will continue, what i dont want, i will leave

 

[arielbelle]

don't know about anyone else but i kind of think that the problem is partially due to lack of study time. if i did no other subject apart from 3/4 unit maths, then i'd ace these tests. so i guess, with the limited time you have, start study early. when you learn new stuff, understand them first time around. drilling is helpful. i guess optimum exam performance comes marginally, a number of factors contribute. just eat well, sleep well, and feel well on the day. that's help for maximising your chances of scoring well.

 

[dezzy]

meh- go to general! its a lot more beneficial in the long run... less stress and u still learn the basics that will halp u out in life...thats my theory n e ways

 

[Supra]

yeh but for courses like actuarial studies the recommended knowledge is 4u and prerequisite is band 6 3u so general wont help u much ther...

 

[Angstyprincess]

Well...im not very good at it..but a tutor really helps.
For my first 4 u exam (on complex nos) we got the ArnoldandArnold as our core text and fitzpatrick as a supplementry...go through ALL complex qs from past papers cuz they usually use them..but then again that might just be my lazy ass school...
I also agree with kimmeh..youll be fine if you know the basics but 3 u is a whole other ball game (an easier one at that)

ooh..btw...anyone know what mark you should be getting that would scale you up..i know it depends on the candititure and all that but rough estimates?

 

[Rahul]

since you are attmepting 3u and 4u maths, its probably safe to assume that you have talent in maths. but that will only go as far as you are willing to push it. in other words, you have to do a lot of work and practice. unfortunately, thats the only way.

 

[Psycho Bunnie]

Just like to say that time is a major componet in 4u
u have to be well organised juggling all your subjects
dont just study on 4unit coz its time consuming, your other subjects count too

For example english, you must concentrate on that considering its the one and only compulsory unit in the HSC.
Practise does make perfect but a note to take account is that dont be stubborn and think you know the answer if the answer seems easy, these can lead you to silly mistakes too
Arrogance is really annoying


Like Kimmeh said:
This is the problem with repeating a whole course, its soooooo boring you probably wont litsen and end up doing shit once again
Do questions but don't bore yourself out with them
Pastpapers are really helpful too

Dont worry, as long as you motivate yourself, u'll do fine
4unit = commitment

 

[sven0023]

this may sound dumb, but when you do 4u maths, another way to get a better result is to do maths beyond the 4u course...if you are planning to do a maths related course at uni it will supplement that anyway ie actuarys..but it will also make 4u alot easier...i mean think of how much easier 3u has become since you started 4u..

 

[fatmuscle]

to be good at maths

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE