Why do people think Mathematics Extension 2 is so hard? (2 Viewers)

PhysicsGirl

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1. There's a difference between saying anybody can do it and saying that it is easy. There's a reason why not that many people take extension 2 mathematics, its because its difficult. Yes its difficulty is overrated, but by no means is it 'easy'. If it was so easy, people would be getting 100% all the time, but that just doesn't happen.
2. Yes that's what you start off with, but there's much more too it. Hell, most people start off with curve sketching which barely has algebra.
The beauty about Mathematics is that it is not like other subjects. You have to be accurate, not like in HSIE subjects or English where you can just write any sentence that makes sense and relates to the topic and blabber about it. With Maths, you can only have one answer. No, 4U is not "easy", but it is not "hard" either. Actually, I don't believe there is anything "hard" or "easy." If you can't understand something, you won't get it.
 

Drongoski

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When I said I was "average", I didn't mean it in that way. Perhaps I shouldn't have said that. True, if you're an "okay-ish" at Maths, 2U would be far more suitable to you or 3U. But there's no reason an average person in Maths can't learn the course. I mean, common, you are sitting there for a whole year; how can you not learn anything? That's why I suggest anyone remotely good at Maths should go for the course. It is very rewarding and the scaling is enormous, and no I am not in favour of people trying out 4U just for the scaling, it will be a complete waste of your time. You would much rather spend your time studying for something that you like.
Dangerous suggestion. How do you define "average"? Some really average student reading this may decide to go for 4U to their ultimate detriment.

Since over 60% taking HSC maths do only Gen Maths, are we not to conclude those doing 2U Advanced are above average? Are they all good enough for 4U?
 
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Hermes1

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Look for ppl who r gud at maths, 4 unit is not hard. but could u imagine someone who is not that gud having the brains to go through a long conics question or finding the expression in a volumes by cross-sections question or a crazy mechanics question.
 

PhysicsGirl

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Anyone who can get 80+ in 2U or anyone who can get 60/70+ in 3U, or a little less than that would also be fine. It just depends on how willing you are. There is no reason to be scared of 4U. It's stupid; especially if you haven't even done the course. You are basically just scared of all these numbers. Makes no sense to me.
 

PhysicsGirl

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Look, everyone has their opinions about the course which is fine, I'm just telling you what I think and believe.
 

khfreakau

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I think that was a terrible question. Because some students who were doing extracurricular maths in maths clubs etc had seen that question before and knew how to do it and therefore it was unfair on other students who had not seen that question before. Apparently it was written by someone at USyd.

Also, apparently the 1989 paper had quite a few errors.
Noone in the state got full marks for that question...

Hoping for 99+ :)
Not exactly sure if srs.... you're telling me you're hoping for 99+.... good joke...
To get 99+ in 4u maths means that you're either a 99.95 person who'll get one of the highest aggregates in the state, or you're just a person who spends all their time doing maths instead of anything else. Not judging, but i have my doubts about the former =/
 
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PhysicsGirl

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It's called setting goals and working hard towards them. Yes, I will be dissapointed with anything less than 99+.
 

d_squad94

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you are such a douche, should have just named the thread, 'I am really good at maths, everyone read this so you can learn about how good I am at maths.'
 

khfreakau

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It's called setting goals and working hard towards them. Yes, I will be dissapointed with anything less than 99+.
Be sure to let us know what you get for MX2 in December. I'm expecting you to beat every single person on this forum if that's the case.
 

Shadowdude

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I think that was a terrible question. Because some students who were doing extracurricular maths in maths clubs etc had seen that question before and knew how to do it and therefore it was unfair on other students who had not seen that question before. Apparently it was written by someone at USyd.

Also, apparently the 1989 paper had quite a few errors.
So what if they've seen the question before? That's the BOS' fault and a great amount of luck on the part of the students who saw it.
 

ClockworkSoldier

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I would struggle in Ex 2, even though I'm two/three years out of Highschool.

I never had a mathematical mind, never understood even the most basic mathematical concepts and struggle to this day to add up a simple equation
(basic +/x/-).

It's not that I didn't try, it's that it never clicked. I was always at the bottom of the bottom maths class throughout my entire schooling. There is no comprehensible reason as two why I'm just that terrible at maths... I just am.

This is why some would find it hard. Maybe not to my extreme, but to some extent.
 
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Drongoski

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you are such a douche, should have just named the thread, 'I am really good at maths, everyone read this so you can learn about how good I am at maths.'
Those really great at maths usually do not boast about their abilities.
 

Hermes1

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It's called setting goals and working hard towards them. Yes, I will be dissapointed with anything less than 99+.
lol. then why did u even make this thread. now everything you said sounds like u were showing off.
 

PhysicsGirl

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I am not boasting about my abilities in Maths. Someone said that it would be interesting to see what I got for 4U for my HSC, and I said I hoped for 99+. It's what I am working towards.
 

Hermes1

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I am not boasting about my abilities in Maths. Someone said that it would be interesting to see what I got for 4U for my HSC, and I said I hoped for 99+. It's what I am working towards.
how u goin presently, u must go to a selective skool and be coming first obviously.
 

Hermes1

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i just saw in ur profile u graduate next year. so ur aim makes more sense now. what i wuld do if i was u is concentrate mainly on maths this year. so that u can hav all algebraic techniques worked out. also try and work on ur speed by doing heaps of PPs.
99+ is goin to be a lot of work but u hav the time since u r graduating next year.
 

michaeljennings

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youre in yr 11 and you find maths ext 2 easy? Are you sure its maths extension 2 that youre doing??
 

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