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What's the hardest 3U topic? (1 Viewer)

Carrotsticks

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My 4U tutoring class teacher says that mechanics / Harder 3U (referring back to Carrotstick's comment on Harder 2U) is the hardest o-o What's with all this 'harder' stuff?
As the name suggests, 'harder' applications of topics in 2U.

For example in the 2002 Extension 1 HSC, they asked a question which required the construction of an Upper and a Lower bound rectangle, then using them to bound the integral of 1/x between n and n+1. The next part essentially got you to prove that lim as n -> infinity of (1+1/n)^n approaches e using the Squeeze Law. However, they just got you to establish the bounds, not actually take the limit. But this was not really fully done in the HSC until the 2009 Extension 2 Question 7 (b) and (c), but for 1/e instead of e.

The question uses nothing except the ability to integrate y=1/x and the ability to do a bit of algebra manipulation... all of which are taught in 2U extensively. It uses no concepts from the Extension 1 course and hence, goes under 'Harder 2U'.

Here is the Extension 1 2002 HSC version:



Here is the Extension 2 2009 HSC version:



Even so, the Extension 2 (Question 8, can you believe it!?) version did not even require anything from the Extension 1 or 2 course, only 2U skills.
 

eat_well

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Parametrics so far. It's so difficult and I still struggle with it :(.
 

Skeptyks

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To be honest carrotsticks, I have no idea how to answer it.
Actually maybe I should attempt it before giving up...
 
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Annihilist

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I did matrices ages ago in Victoria. Idk if we ever do them in NSW

I find that the hardest 3U topic is the one I do no work on. So parametrics and probability are up there at the moment.

I used to hate induction and binomial theorem, but they aren't that hard once you actually put effort into figuring out how they work.
 

funnytomato

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in highschool, whenever I got a system of linear equations with 3 variables, I just did basic operations randomly and HOPE I'd end up with the right answer
 

Skeptyks

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There aren't really any hard topics so far in 3U - just did a 3U test, havn't done harder inverse trig and motion. Just in exams graphing and induction could potentially take up a lot of time unless your really on top of being able to manipulate the algebra. Also geometry -.-
 

4025808

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i reckon the hardest topic for me would be binomial probability; I never really understand why answers are set out like that :S

Permutations and combinations come in second though.
 

barbernator

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i reckon the hardest topic for me would be binomial probability; I never really understand why answers are set out like that :S

Permutations and combinations come in second though.
binomial probability are dead set the easiest marks out there, but, all to their own
 

barbernator

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Even so, the Extension 2 (Question 8, can you believe it!?) version did not even require anything from the Extension 1 or 2 course, only 2U skills.
This question is extremely simple for Q8 4u. just apply an integral inbetween the inequality of 2 rectangles, and then use algebra to prove
 

Carrotsticks

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This question is extremely simple for Q8 4u. just apply an integral inbetween the inequality of 2 rectangles, and then use algebra to prove
Exactly, which was why I said "Question 8, can you believe it!?"
 

barbernator

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Exactly, which was why I said "Question 8, can you believe it!?"
ohh I interpretted that as can you believe that they would create a question 8 without 3 or 4u principles but yeh I get u. Damn if only that came up this year
 
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Siddy123

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Inequalities is definetely the hardest. Most of the state lose there marks in extension 1 in questions such as solve: 1/x-2 > 3
if i can get my head around these phD University level mathematics, im pretty much set.
Also, wtf is cos? is it an abbreviation of "because", cos i aint tanning it;) ahaha c what i did there young fellas?
 

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