MATH1901 Differential Calculus (Advanced) exam tomorrow (1 Viewer)

[Asker]

I apologise for the double post (posted also on Faculty of Science forum), but somebody who knows might not see it there... So:

The exam information sheet on http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1901/ doesn't contain the front page of the examination (unlike it usually should, they must've forgotten), and I didn't attend the relevant lecture/tutorial where they handed it out, and don't know anybody who has.

So, can somebody please tell me, what percentage of the paper is the multiple choice section worth? Is it 50% of the paper as it is for MATH1001 Differential Calculus (Normal) (MATH1001's information sheet is accessible at http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1001/).

Thanks.

 

[withoutaface]

I apologise for the double post (posted also on Faculty of Science forum), but somebody who knows might not see it there... So:

The exam information sheet on http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1901/ doesn't contain the front page of the examination (unlike it usually should, they must've forgotten), and I didn't attend the relevant lecture/tutorial where they handed it out, and don't know anybody who has.

So, can somebody please tell me, what percentage of the paper is the multiple choice section worth? Is it 50% of the paper as it is for MATH1001 Differential Calculus (Normal) (MATH1001's information sheet is accessible at http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1001/).

Thanks.

Iirc MATH1901 had 20 multiple choice questions and the exam in total was 100ish marks. This was back in 2005 though so it might've changed since then.

EDIT: Last year's paper had 15 multiple choice questions which were worth 25% of the total, with the remainder being extended response. It's probably the same for this year.

 

[Asker]

They have changed things around now... MATH1902/MATH1002 has also had increases in the multiple choice questions section (35% weighting in exam).

As for MATH1901, since MATH1001 has been changed to 50% weighting for multiple choice questions, and it seems that the advanced and normal level exams have the same layout (i.e. section weightings) in all other years, then I assume that it has also been changed for MATH1901.

It'd just be nice to know for sure if I'm right, before the exam tomorrow... Obviously, somebody who got a copy of the official exam information sheet with the front cover for this year would know if it were so...

 

[jb_nc]

LOL WUT

Why'd they change to 50% weighting for m/c?

I remember last years 1001 and 1003 papers were pretty much killers.

Why's your exam on Saturday too? That's p shit.

 

[withoutaface]

Wow, has the maths department really gone that retarded? :S Multiple choice penalises people fairly heavily for arithmetic errors and its only real purpose is to give them less shit to mark. If I have that much multiple choice in the last unit I need to do to get my major done next year Imma fucking spack it.

Try emailing your lecturer...

 

[withoutaface]

LOL WUT

Why'd they change to 50% weighting for m/c?

I remember last years 1001 and 1003 papers were pretty much killers.

Why's your exam on Saturday too? That's p shit.

no homo yr just not very good at maths

 

[jb_nc]

no homo yr just not very good at maths

well yes but even the maths nerds with whom i spoke said it was pretty hard. 1003 moreso. i cant really recall 1001 that much, i think i did question 5 so it couldnt have been.

 

[Asker]

Nah 2007 exams weren't killers, I've had a look at them.

As for increased multiple choice... I dunno, maybe they've just gotten lazier with marking? They want to mark less by hand? Judging by the MATH1902 exam I did on Monday, multiple choice was generally a piece of cake... And they do say that the section is 'comparable to quizzes done in tutorials', which were also rather easy...

 

[withoutaface]

Nah 2007 exams weren't killers, I've had a look at them.

As for increased multiple choice... I dunno, maybe they've just gotten lazier with marking? They want to mark less by hand? Judging by the MATH1902 exam I did on Monday, multiple choice was generally a piece of cake... And they do say that the section is 'comparable to quizzes done in tutorials', which were also rather easy...

Yeah, but the thing is by making it easier there's less to distinguish the smart kids from the dumb kids, and since maths gets bellcurved it's really important to make that distinction because otherwise a difference of fuck all in the exam could be the difference between a credit and an HD.

EDIT: It just occured to me that, I think, the multiple choice is a common section between the exams against which the rest of the marks are moderated (i.e. if the advanced kids slaughter the normal kids in the multiple choice they'll all have their extended response sections scaled up, or vice versa), so it'll probably be the same (i.e. 50%) for both.

 

[Asker]

Yeah, but the thing is by making it easier there's less to distinguish the smart kids from the dumb kids, and since maths gets bellcurved it's really important to make that distinction because otherwise a difference of fuck all in the exam could be the difference between a credit and an HD.

EDIT: It just occured to me that, I think, the multiple choice is a common section between the exams against which the rest of the marks are moderated (i.e. if the advanced kids slaughter the normal kids in the multiple choice they'll all have their extended response sections scaled up, or vice versa), so it'll probably be the same (i.e. 50%) for both.

Probably. But hey, it's out of our control what they do. It's still possible to make multiple choice questions very hard, though, if they wanted to...

Makes sense. I, too think it'll be 50% multiple choice for both. I guess nobody who's doing the exam tomorrow and knows for sure will be lurking around these forums the day before. They're probably studying. I probably should do the same. But hey, if you do happen to know, do post!

 

[withoutaface]

It's a 3cp course, you've got 8 hours or whatever to cram before you need to go to bed, just learn everything.

 

[Templar]

The School of Maths and Stats is under some considerable financial strain, so the increase in multiple choice could be a cost cutting measure.

 

[velox]

They are considering cutting tutorials in first year. So dont fail anything. Also none of my courses have marked assignments anymore. Due to the financial strain Templar mentioned.

 

[Asker]

For what it's worth, the weighting of the section was 35%. There were 20 multiple choice questions.