Removal of Conics from Syllabus (2 Viewers)

[bored of sc]

requires very good algebraic skills.

Epp!

 

[-tal-]

Discrete Mathematics and Statistics (which involves probability) are two different fields of mathematics. I don't know where you got your information from, but most people find Discrete Maths rather easy, similar thing for Statistics at least in first year university unless you never did maths in the HSC.

My 4u teacher. he failed it 4 times.

 

[Trebla]

My 4u teacher. he failed it 4 times.

LOL!!!

 

[Harkaraj]

I also heard of these changes, but I thought they were being implemented for the 2009 HSC.
Conics is pretty awesome and statistics in year 10 seemed really boring, but it does seem to have more relevance to some later studies. But for HSC purposes seems like 4U will get more boring...

 

[Trebla]

Unfortunately, many people think they can get a general idea of what Statistics is like based on junior school. Let me tell you now, university statistics is NOTHING like the boring junior statistics.

Here's a taste of first year uni statistics:
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex5.pdf
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex6.pdf
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex7.pdf

Obviously, most of it is foreign to a lot of you. But some familiar aspects to note are probability and INTEGRATION. This stuff is much more interesting than the stuff currently taught at school. If some of these topics move into the HSC course if they're not there already, that would be great. It would also make first year statistics much easier (like the calculus parts did), particularly since it is compulsory in some courses.

 

[kaz1]

Unfortunately, many people think they can get a general idea of what Statistics is like based on junior school. Let me tell you now, university statistics is NOTHING like the boring junior statistics.

Here's a taste of first year uni statistics:
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex5.pdf
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex6.pdf
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/1905ex7.pdf

Obviously, most of it is foreign to a lot of you. But some familiar aspects to note are probability and INTEGRATION. This stuff is much more interesting than the stuff currently taught at school. If some of these topics move into the HSC course if they're not there already, that would be great.

It looks like harder probability to me. Doesn't really seem like statistics with no mode, mean, standard deviation and all that stuff.

 

[Trebla]

It looks like harder probability to me. Doesn't really seem like statistics with no mode, mean, standard deviation and all that stuff.

Exactly my point. There's more to statistics than just "mode, mean, standard deviation". Probability is a huge component of statistics, as is integration.

I forgot to mention that a powerful tool in statistics is inference, which is basically translating a bunch of numbers into information you can interpret and make a conclusion about. This does involve your mean and standard deviation, but it's mixed with probability concepts and models.

From: http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/JM/MATH1905/r/tute08/tute09.pdf
E.g. Q2 of the problem sheet: "On the basis of the twelve pairs of weights and the sign test would you conclude that there is strong evidence that the scales measure differently on average?"

This is basically using statistics to prove a claim or disprove a claim.

 

[cyl123]

First year Discrete maths in UNSW topics are:
- Set theory, functions and sequences
- Modular arithmetic (basically divisibility crap and eucliden algorithm) and relations (equivalence and partial)
- Logic and Proofs (AWESOMELY FUN TOPIC eg. p implies q is true when p is false in all cases)
- Counting techniques (Permutations and combinations, NOT STATISTICAL) and recursive techniques
- Graph theory

Discrete maths is NOTHING like statistics as it involves more abstract (BUT not difficult) theory which requires an unassuming mind (which is probably why some ppl may find it difficult), while statistics is just applying techniques learnt to do more practical problems as Trebla mentioned.

 

[gurmies]

^ god dammit, I can't wait to do uni maths..