Maths Extension 2 Thoughts and Feelings (1 Viewer)

[Allan Mekisic]

I have a slightly different view about the extension 2 exam to others. I am a mature age self tuition student who sat extension 2 last year and this year for fun because I enjoy maths. I found both exams difficult for different reasons. I was much better prepared this year but I agree this years exam was more difficult. The main difference between the two exams is question 14. Last year, question 14 was a gift. This year, it was long , extremely difficult and poorly rewarded. Only 2 marks for the induction question (b) part (iv). This question was far too long and I’m not sure the vectors question is within the scope of the syllabus. Question 15 was also very long and poorly rewarded. I spent a long time drawing a force diagram and eventually was able to resolve the vertical and horizontal components and solve part (i). Could not do part (ii). In retrospect, I think question 16 part (c) and (d) were relatively straight forward however most of us by this stage were exhausted and my brain was like mush. In hindsight, I would like to have done question 16 first.

 

[rickonda]

I have a slightly different view about the extension 2 exam to others. I am a mature age self tuition student who sat extension 2 last year and this year for fun because I enjoy maths. I found both exams difficult for different reasons. I was much better prepared this year but I agree this years exam was more difficult. The main difference between the two exams is question 14. Last year, question 14 was a gift. This year, it was long , extremely difficult and poorly rewarded. Only 2 marks for the induction question (b) part (iv). This question was far too long and I’m not sure the vectors question is within the scope of the syllabus. Question 15 was also very long and poorly rewarded. I spent a long time drawing a force diagram and eventually was able to resolve the vertical and horizontal components and solve part (i). Could not do part (ii). In retrospect, I think question 16 part (c) and (d) were relatively straight forward however most of us by this stage were exhausted and my brain was like mush. In hindsight, I would like to have done question 16 first.

It was interesting to see linear independence tested in Q14a

 

[notme123]

I’m not sure the vectors question is within the scope of the syllabus.

If you're talking about 14a, all of it was in scope including the linear independence part, but it provided a little taste of the abstract world of uni linear algebra.

The current 4u syllabus IMO has too much physics and mechanics in it and not enough of that abstract maths. If they were ever to reform the syllabus the top priorities I suggest are (extreme and uniformed opinion incoming):
1. Truth tables in proofs. I did this in my discrete maths uni course in a topic called 'Logic' and proof tables was actually really neat to learn since they're so relevant and really helpfil. I guess logic proofs could also be added since they use all the concepts like contrapositive and converse already.
2. Delete SHM and some other mechanics. They're not maths idk why they're here. Physics should take these topics. Ik IB phys has them, why not HSC Phys. In phys these concepts can get the proper depth they deserve, using concepts like work, which isn't covered in maths.
3. Add Further Work on Functions. In uni, many students struggle with concepts like the formal definition of limits, continuity, and differentiability, and doing this in 4u would've been helpful.
4. Expand 3d vectors. Cross-product should get added too. And if they really wanted to be demanding sure linear independence is welcome.
If anyone thinks this is too much to ask (which it kinda is) all these things I mentioned are taught within the span of 3-4 weeks in uni. They're really not that deep.

The point of the new syllabus in 2020 was to get rid of that obsolete archaic high school math (e.g. conics and volumes) and introduce more relevant content that will be expanded in the future should people choose maths in tertiary study. I don't know why they half-assed it with this new syllabus.

EDIT: AND another thing. Get rid of one-to-one, many-to-one etc all those function types from advanced. this will never be used again ever again. instead just use injective, surjective, bijective (along side formal definitions of functions like f: R->R). much easier for everyone.

 

[Life'sHard]

3. Add Further Work on Functions. In uni, many students struggle with concepts like the formal definition of limits, continuity, and differentiability, and doing this in 4u would've been helpful.

I second this. Limits, continuity, and differentiability are quite interesting and intuitive topics if learnt correctly and by far way better topics than mechanics.

 

[idkkdi]

I second this. Limits, continuity, and differentiability are quite interesting and intuitive topics if learnt correctly and by far way better topics than mechanics.

that shit is boring as.

ok tbf, epsilon delta's pretty neat. otherwise mech much more fun topic

 

[notme123]

bro what are you on. that shit is boring as.

ok tbf, epsilon delta's pretty neat. otherwise mech much more fun topic

ik they're boring as shit but imagine learning them properly and structured like in high school. I'm sure nesa can spice them up.

its just i don't want people learning this stuff in uni when lecturers start overusing the word 'trivial' for not so straight forward things

 

[idkkdi]

ik they're boring as shit but imagine learning them properly and structured like in high school. I'm sure nesa can spice them up.

then ur lowkey learning nothing in t1 uni tho lol.

 

[notme123]

then ur lowkey learning nothing in t1 uni tho lol.

true. there's still all those limit things like lohpitals, squeeze, and theorems like minmax, mean value, intermediate value. all these should stay in uni.

 

[Life'sHard]

that shit is boring as.

ok tbf, epsilon delta's pretty neat. otherwise mech much more fun topic

Nah mech is so repetitive though.

 

[Siwel]

they could just add matrices into the syllabus

 

[gunnerfan99]

I would like to congratulate everyone who sat the exam. Looks very hard. I reckon e4 cut off will be 65-67 percent.

- 2019 grad

 

[clbaker]

I had remembered it incorrectly. According to the paper you had to find ALL solutions to that triplet of conditions.

It's much simpler to view it as roots of a cubic

 

[Allan Mekisic]

It's much simpler to view it as roots of a cubic

 

[Allan Mekisic]

This is the simplest solution to Q 16 d

 

[Mgup19]

What would a raw mark of 88/100 scale to?

 

[Life'sHard]

What would a raw mark of 88/100 scale to?

95-97

 

[Paradoxica]

It's much simpler to view it as roots of a cubic

I'm not sure you have enough information to do a cubic polynomial bash...

but at the very least, it's straightforward to prove all three numbers have modulus 1.

 

[s97127]

can someone please tell me if dr du or kurt was helpful in preparing for u3 and u4 math exams this year?

 

[Life'sHard]

can someone please tell me if dr du or kurt was helpful in preparing for u3 and u4 math exams this year?

I’ve heard many good things about dr Du especially if you’re in his a1 class.

 

[Akshara Patil]

What would a raw mark of 67-72 scale to?