4 unit not like opther maths? (1 Viewer)

[ronaldinho]

is 4 unit similar to 3 unit... 3 unit is pretty much memorising the formulas and doing alot of questions and doing past papers..... if u do the same for 4 unit cna u get marks.. heard that u need to be quite good at maths.. and think outside the box.. abstract thinking... is dis true?

 

[ianc]

Yeah, some of the extension 2 is still like extension 1 in that you basically learn the formula and run it off, but most of it you need to think about what you're doing and there can be some pretty insane questions.

If you're finding extension 1 easy, then you will definitely enjoy extension 2.

 

[pLuvia]

There are topics that are different in 3unit maths, such as Complex Numbers, but 4 unit is pretty much an extension to the topics of 3 unit maths, such as Mechanics is an extension to Calculus, Conics is an extension to parametrics, and Harder 3u, as the name suggests.
4 unit does require you to spend a little bit more time on questions and appreciate the power of maths

 

[housemouse]

is 4 unit similar to 3 unit... 3 unit is pretty much memorising the formulas and doing alot of questions and doing past papers..... if u do the same for 4 unit cna u get marks.. heard that u need to be quite good at maths.. and think outside the box.. abstract thinking... is dis true?

3 unit maths is more than just memorising formulas

EDIT: Also with 4 unit maths, dont expect to ace your exams.

 

[Raginsheep]

To do ok in 4u, its good enough to just do lots of practice papers and questions providing you have a hint of mathematical ability.

To do great, you probably need a bit more ability.

 

[A l]

Mathematics Extension 2 has more weighting on Component B of the syllabus than Mathematics Extension 1. In other words, you will encounter more unfamiliar questions which focus on something that has not been learnt at school and you will be expected to apply your current skills and knowledge of mathematics to answer these questions. Therefore, rote learning (i.e. memorising) would not be effective by any means for this course. Logical thinking is also a necessity for the course because this may help you solve harder problems using the most efficient method.
A few relatively easy examples to preview the challenging nature of the Extension 2 course: (feel free to answer them if you can)
- Prove that if a series is geometric then the logarithms of the terms form an arithmetic series.
- The equations 9x² - 16y² = 0 and 9x² + 16y² = 0 are types of conics called degenerate conics. Describe them.
- The sum of three numbers is 8, the sum of their squares is 20 and the sum of their cubes is 42. Find the sum of their fourth powers.
- Find the value of √(1√(1√(1......

Harder examples include proving that pi is irrational (HSC 2003) and finding a sum to infinity for 'e'. Obviously, there is no way you can memorise your way through such questions....

 

[Affinity]

To do well in 4U, you would need to acquire some intuition on the material. It's sometimes said that one has to appreciate the material.. I think in practice that is to try to see the importance of a definition/concept, and precisely where it is invoked.

 

[alcalder]

Unlike in 3U maths where you can see where the answer may lie, 4U is "suck it and see", ie try something that you think may work and see where it leads. In this respect it does require some intuition and a very comprehensive working knowledge of the formulae and concepts from 2U and 3U maths.

4U also introduces much harder topics that are completely unrelated to anything in 3U (complex numbers, mechanics and conics - although conics is an extension in some respects of parabolas). There are many extensions of 3U topics and a question in 4U may incorporate many concepts in one, utilising graph drawing, integration, algebraic manipulation (a lot of that) and so on.

4U is a very rewarding course if you have the ability and tenacity to stick with it and fully understand the concepts. Most importantly, do not get put off by what may (at first) seem like a very difficult question. Start it and see where it leads. You may find it easier than you think.