How do I start extension 2 (1 Viewer)

WeiWeiMan

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Upon completing the beautifully elegant and disgusting paper I have told myself I would start extension 2. My first task for extension 2 is gonna be complex numbers. If anyone could give me pointers on which textbook/ resources are best for starting out/learning and then resources with harder questions that would be very much appreciated. Also for after task 1, what are good resources generally?
 

SMARTYPANTS_SINGH

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Complex tends to be the longest topic of ext 2, I am not using any textbook rn as my tutoring is giving me heaps of questions. But to start out go on YouTube and search Mcgrathmatics. He has made a playlist of all the Extension 2 topics and shows how to do pretty standard questions that you'll encounter everywhere. So I would suggest you check that out. But as for a textbook, as I said I don't use one atp, but if I were to, I would use the carrotsticks textbook to consolidate my knowledge, and then go to either Cambridge or math in focus for the harder questions.
 

SMARTYPANTS_SINGH

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But also you are in year 9 so why tf are you putting yourself in unnecessary strife
 

WeiWeiMan

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Complex tends to be the longest topic of ext 2, I am not using any textbook rn as my tutoring is giving me heaps of questions. But to start out go on YouTube and search Mcgrathmatics. He has made a playlist of all the Extension 2 topics and shows how to do pretty standard questions that you'll encounter everywhere. So I would suggest you check that out. But as for a textbook, as I said I don't use one atp, but if I were to, I would use the carrotsticks textbook to consolidate my knowledge, and then go to either Cambridge or math in focus for the harder questions.
Maths in Focus for harder questions?
Never heard about that given it’s extension 1 version but ig they’re by different authors
As for the carrot sticks textbook, is that mastering maths or smth else
Also is everything in complex under the complex heading or is it also mixed into mechanics/ proofs/ vectors
 

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Wtf i didn’t know it was possible to sit the hsc for math adv and ex1 in y9 i thought u could only accelerate math by a year
 

WeiWeiMan

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Wtf i didn’t know it was possible to sit the hsc for math adv and ex1 in y9 i thought u could only accelerate math by a year
It’s not exactly a normal program but there’s been quite a few accelerated year 9’s for 3u and 2u. I’m pretty sure you can accelerate as much as you want but 1 year is the normal amount. There’s others my age in my school doing the same program (not gonna dox myself but it’s not selective)
 

SMARTYPANTS_SINGH

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Maths in Focus for harder questions?
Never heard about that given it’s extension 1 version but ig they’re by different authors
As for the carrot sticks textbook, is that mastering maths or smth else
Also is everything in complex under the complex heading or is it also mixed into mechanics/ proofs/ vectors
Yep, the carrotsticks one is by MANSW. And no, not everything is under the complex heading. I'm pretty sure you'll have to look for applications of de moivre's theorem separately and around that should be other applications of complex numbers.
 

WeiWeiMan

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Yep, the carrotsticks one is by MANSW. And no, not everything is under the complex heading. I'm pretty sure you'll have to look for applications of de moivre's theorem separately and around that should be other applications of complex numbers.
Ah
How would you rank the topics in terms of difficulty in extension 2
Also, are the topics just:
Integrals
Mechanics
Complex
Vectors
Proofs
?
 

SMARTYPANTS_SINGH

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Yep, the carrotsticks one is by MANSW. And no, not everything is under the complex heading. I'm pretty sure you'll have to look for applications of de moivre's theorem separately and around that should be other applications of complex numbers.
this is for the YouTube channel btw. Vectors uses complex but Mcgrathmatics kind of integrates them so that shouldn't be an issue for you
 

SMARTYPANTS_SINGH

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Ah
How would you rank the topics in terms of difficulty in extension 2
Also, are the topics just:
Integrals
Mechanics
Complex
Vectors
Proofs
?
look without cursing, Proofs is the most mind-bending out of all of them (I've done proofs, I've been told that its the worst topic). It's not that the others aren't difficult, but you need to think differently for proofs, it's almost like perms and combs but worse. I haven't done the others so I wouldn't be the best person to ask about the rest of them.
 

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Ah
How would you rank the topics in terms of difficulty in extension 2
Also, are the topics just:
Integrals
Mechanics
Complex
Vectors
Proofs
?
Integration is easily on the bottom. Proofs next up in line. then, vectors, mech, complex (imo)

realistically, it really depends. For e.g. q16 for x2 this yr that shook 99.95% of 4uers was a complex number question that involved quite a bit of intuition, strong foundations on the unit circle (using argand diagram), etc. And I think the yr before was also a complex number qn aswell, hence, why I think its likely the hardest or the most neglected topic in 4U.
 

WeiWeiMan

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Integration is easily on the bottom. Proofs next up in line. then, vectors, mech, complex (imo)

realistically, it really depends. For e.g. q16 for x2 this yr that shook 99.95% of 4uers was a complex number question that involved quite a bit of intuition, strong foundations on the unit circle (using argand diagram), etc. And I think the yr before was also a complex number qn aswell.
The guy above just said proofs was the hardest and now you’re saying it’s second easiest? Is this just subjective or is one opinion based on assessable difficulty in the hsc while the other is based on the potential difficulty?
 

SadCeliac

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Upon completing the beautifully elegant and disgusting paper I have told myself I would start extension 2. My first task for extension 2 is gonna be complex numbers. If anyone could give me pointers on which textbook/ resources are best for starting out/learning and then resources with harder questions that would be very much appreciated. Also for after task 1, what are good resources generally?
You can have a look at Steve Howards free online textbook, our class used his book primarily to learn the course (alongside Cambridge) but have a look - it's quite good
 

SadCeliac

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The guy above just said proofs was the hardest and now you’re saying it’s second easiest? Is this just subjective or is one opinion based on assessable difficulty in the hsc while the other is based on the potential difficulty?
It's all subjective
Ngl imo integration is decently easy, but that's because I consider myself good at it (of course I messed up in the HSC though lol)
 

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I like the Cambridge two part treatment of complex numbers, but just be clear with what your school will assess - because roots of unity and trig solutions of polynomials is often tested in a later assessment or trials.

Furthermore, topics such as proofs (and in the past "Harder 3U") favours students who have had experience with competition maths such as the UNSW 4 hours competition and the AIMO via invitation through AMC results and school recommendations...make sure to participate in all of those.
 

HazzRat

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I'm currently using Cambridge and I find it alright. Did you guys do any past papers before 2020 (the syllabus change)? I'm trying to figure out how many papers I have to my disposal.
 

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