Mathematics dilemma... (1 Viewer)

Uncle

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
3,265
Location
Retirement Village of Alaska
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Hey, people who are doing badly in mathematics won't be much good at University. Your choices at University will be very limited. That's not even talking about the fact that you virtually need math for everything nowadays. Even Biologists now need hard math as the science is moving into molecular level! Social science requires computing and math as well.

Why do some people do so badly in mathematics? I belive that any one who is not naturally good at mathematics should be able to be reasonable at it if the training is right and enough effort is made. The reason you are lousy at HSC math is because you are lousy at primary school math. Students who are lousy at HSC math won't be able to deal with difficult math problems for grade 5-6. Yes, even if you drop back to grade 6 and try hard stuff for grade 6 you will also fail.

The solution is simple but it takes time. The only way is to go back and learn lower grades. In many cases I would go as far as suggesting that year 11 students go back to grade 1 and work rapidly forward. Spend an average of 1 week on each grade from 1-4, then 4 weeks on grade 5-7, 8 weeks on grade 8-9, ... This depends on individual ability. Students who do this will start to discover all sorts of gaps in learning that they did not cover when they were young. Only by filling these gaps then restructure one's understanding of mathematical senses (number sense, fraction sense, ratio sense, geometrical sense, algebraic sense ...) in a solid manner one would be able to move forward. What they generally do when they have lost the basics is to rote-learn. And that's terrible. They will forget almost everything 12 months after graduation!

I studied mathematics at University level and I still learnt a lot by going back to grade 1-6 to see how the teachings have changed over the years. I still learn new things and new ways to solve problems!
This person speaks the truth.
I admire this post.
 

Jaylee42003

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
427
Location
I'm in north sydney bitch
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
I have been doing rather terribly in mathematics this year (around the 40s-60s range).

So would you reccomend me to drop down to general maths? I know that it doesnt scale very well, and the other subjects i take dont have very high scaling either...

I take Modern History, Ancient, Economics, English Advanced and Multimedia(plan on dropping next year).

Or would it be better to drop maths off altogether, as maths is the only subject thats dragging me down.
Either work your ass off and improve your marks in 2 unit maths, or drop down to general and make sure you come first. Keep maths!!!, whatever you do; statistics alone is important at uni.
 

Aquawhite

Retiring
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
4,946
Location
Gold Coast
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2013
Hey, people who are doing badly in mathematics won't be much good at University. Your choices at University will be very limited. That's not even talking about the fact that you virtually need math for everything nowadays. Even Biologists now need hard math as the science is moving into molecular level! Social science requires computing and math as well.

Why do some people do so badly in mathematics? I belive that any one who is not naturally good at mathematics should be able to be reasonable at it if the training is right and enough effort is made. The reason you are lousy at HSC math is because you are lousy at primary school math. Students who are lousy at HSC math won't be able to deal with difficult math problems for grade 5-6. Yes, even if you drop back to grade 6 and try hard stuff for grade 6 you will also fail.

The solution is simple but it takes time. The only way is to go back and learn lower grades. In many cases I would go as far as suggesting that year 11 students go back to grade 1 and work rapidly forward. Spend an average of 1 week on each grade from 1-4, then 4 weeks on grade 5-7, 8 weeks on grade 8-9, ... This depends on individual ability. Students who do this will start to discover all sorts of gaps in learning that they did not cover when they were young. Only by filling these gaps then restructure one's understanding of mathematical senses (number sense, fraction sense, ratio sense, geometrical sense, algebraic sense ...) in a solid manner one would be able to move forward. What they generally do when they have lost the basics is to rote-learn. And that's terrible. They will forget almost everything 12 months after graduation!

I studied mathematics at University level and I still learnt a lot by going back to grade 1-6 to see how the teachings have changed over the years. I still learn new things and new ways to solve problems!
Haha, I love this post! XD... :rofl2:

It's quite true though.
 

ninetypercent

ninety ninety ninety
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
2,148
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
Why do some people do so badly in mathematics? I belive that any one who is not naturally good at mathematics should be able to be reasonable at it if the training is right and enough effort is made. The reason you are lousy at HSC math is because you are lousy at primary school math. Students who are lousy at HSC math won't be able to deal with difficult math problems for grade 5-6. Yes, even if you drop back to grade 6 and try hard stuff for grade 6 you will also fail.
agreed.

What is so hard about Maths? Is it the formulas that people can't memorise/understand or what?

Some girl in my Extension Maths class forgot how to factorise algebraic expressions. To me that is pathetic. How can you learn something and forget it like that?

Maths builds on foundation. Without the foundation, you can't do the harder questions. It is important to practice and understand in Maths.
My class is full of noobs who forget how to differentiate a simple parabolic curve like y=x^2 after learning it the day before!

This must be because people are rote learning Maths, rather than actually understanding the meaning behind what they are doing.
 

Arceupins

Banned
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
398
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
I have been doing rather terribly in mathematics this year (around the 40s-60s range).

So would you reccomend me to drop down to general maths? I know that it doesnt scale very well, and the other subjects i take dont have very high scaling either...

I take Modern History, Ancient, Economics, English Advanced and Multimedia(plan on dropping next year).

Or would it be better to drop maths off altogether, as maths is the only subject thats dragging me down.
I dropped Mathematics Extension, then dropped Mathematics for General.

Best two decisions I've ever made. For the first time I feel like I can focus my study energy somewhere else, rather than in maths :O !
 

LeagueofLegends

New Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
3
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Stop playing Maple and do some hw imo
LOL ye if u play Maple stop cos its for 12 year old kids
Play League of Legends best new game out
No srsly. I recommend u shud ask any elite or 4u maths students that you kno about how the got to their situation.
eg Gavin: oi berwyn y so pro
Berwyn: i dunno go to kumon manz
 

M@ster P

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
619
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
agreed.

What is so hard about Maths? Is it the formulas that people can't memorise/understand or what?

Some girl in my Extension Maths class forgot how to factorise algebraic expressions. To me that is pathetic. How can you learn something and forget it like that?

Maths builds on foundation. Without the foundation, you can't do the harder questions. It is important to practice and understand in Maths.
My class is full of noobs who forget how to differentiate a simple parabolic curve like y=x^2 after learning it the day before!

This must be because people are rote learning Maths, rather than actually understanding the meaning behind what they are doing.
+1 understanding is the key to success
 

SMP213

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
53
Location
My Study Room :)
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
my bestie is in the same situation...
would u rather be getting low marks in mathematics, or drop and get high marks!!

think about it!
u mite say ur gonna get better later, but it mite not happen, u got a chance to drop!!
but then again, its up to u, if ur ok with the marks then...
newai, good luck with it :)
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top