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Physics A level without Maths?

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Reply 40
Original post by sweeneyrod
Nope, that's a myth. Quote: " I never failed in mathematics… Before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral calculus".


But general relativity is super duper difficult. And it required geometry, which Einstein wasn't good at
Reply 41
Original post by Kyx
Said so in the BBC documentary :tongue:


I've just read that he excelled at mathematics. Don't think that physics degree will only require up to A level standard. A level standard is nothing. A level further maths is not a high standard when you're talking about a physics degree. You have to remember that physics is very mathematical and is nothing like at school.
I don't know any of this from personal experience, just what I've heard.
Reply 42
Original post by Kyx
But general relativity is super duper difficult. And it required geometry, which Einstein wasn't good at


He came up with the theory so he would have to understand it.
Reply 43
Original post by B_9710
He came up with the theory so he would have to understand it.


The theory, but needed help with the equations
Reply 44
Original post by B_9710
I've just read that he excelled at mathematics. Don't think that physics degree will only require up to A level standard. A level standard is nothing. A level further maths is not a high standard when you're talking about a physics degree. You have to remember that physics is very mathematical and is nothing like at school.
I don't know any of this from personal experience, just what I've heard.


The physics degree may require some advanced calculus...
Original post by Kyx
But general relativity is super duper difficult.

Your point is?
Original post by Kyx
And it required geometry, which Einstein wasn't good at


"wasn't good at" by what standard? He proved Pythagoras' theorem at the age of 12. While he wasn't literally the best mathematician in the world, and he wasn't interested in pure mathematics, he was an amazing applied mathematician. If you think he was a bad mathematician in the sense that he would have struggled with A-level Maths, you are completely wrong.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 46
Original post by Kyx
The physics degree may require some advanced calculus...


Definitely. Not A level calculus. Real multivariable calculus.
Original post by Kyx
The theory, but needed help with the equations


No, that's complete rubbish. He was racing with Hilbert (arguably one of the greatest mathematicians ever) to discover the GR field equations, and he got there first.
Reply 48
Original post by sweeneyrod
Your point is?


"wasn't good at" by what standard? He proved Pythagoras' theorem at the age of 12. While he wasn't literally the best mathematician in the world, and he wasn't interested in pure mathematics, he was an amazing applied mathematician. If you think he was a bad mathematician in the sense that he would have struggled with A-level Maths, you are completely wrong.


He was wrong about quantum physics :tongue:
Reply 49
Original post by B_9710
Definitely. Not A level calculus. Real multivariable calculus.



BTW, do you know why there is resistance with no current here?

http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/Q&A/KS5/electricity/characteristic/charlampQ1.html
Original post by Kyx
He was wrong about quantum physics :tongue:


True. Maybe we should say he was bad at physics, and you don't need to be good at physics to do it at A-level, after all, Einstein was bad at it.
Reply 51
Original post by sweeneyrod
True. Maybe we should say he was bad at physics, and you don't need to be good at physics to do it at A-level, after all, Einstein was bad at it.


But I am good at it, so I am better than Einstein :tongue:
Original post by Kyx
DMU and Swansea


What are the conditions of your offer
Reply 53
Original post by Kyx
im doing a physics degree in September without a-level maths. I already know quite a lot about the degree, and what is involved. you don't need maths to do physics: Einstein was rubbish at maths!


http://gizmodo.com/5884050/einstein-actually-had-excellent-grades

Einstein was not a bad student, it is just that he never got on with the teachers. The image in the article is his end of year grades (out of 6). In all the maths ones (including geometry, which you mentioned) and in physics, he got the highest possible grades.
Reply 54
Original post by cleggj88
What are the conditions of your offer


For Swansea: 3 distinctions and a C
For DMU: 280 UCAS points

:wink:
Reply 55
I do Physics and am in year 12, great subject!

There is one guy in my class who doesn't do maths and he frequently gets the bottom marks in the class, I'm not saying that he is bad at physics because he doesn't do maths, but it certainly helps.

In AS, there really isn't that much maths you will have to cope with, I think deriving the ideal gas laws and Kinetic theory are probably the two most complex, but with a little thought and what is really GCSE maths knowledge it is fine.

Don't let this put you off, physics is a great subject that if you enjoy at GCSE, you should certainly do at A-Level, but if you end up really enjoying it at A-Level and feel like continuing to Degree level, you won't be able to without maths.
Original post by slothlife
Hi there,
I want to do Biology, chemistry, geography and physics at A level but people are saying how I'm going to struggle with physics :/ I'm currently in year 11, I'm good at maths but find it so boring, and I don't want to do a subject at a level that will just kill me. On the other hand i find physics really enjoyable! Has anyone done physics without/ with maths? How did you find it? I'm planning to take it to AS and then drop it.


A friend of mine takes this combo! I think she's finding physics okay
but I'm mega sorry to put a damper on anything but Phyisics is DEATH at AS. I don't know about the full A level but I too used to love love love GCSE physics (i take three sciences and maths) and tbh I prefer maths now, which is something I never thought I'd say.

It's definitely doable though, most schools offer a "maths for physics" sorta thing where you get extra help in maths parts outside of lessons. best of luck! a tip for a levels in general would be to look at the kinda unis you want to go to before sixth form begins, then put up their grade requirements and perhaps even a poster of the uni in clear view. This is mega useful for motivation xo :smile:
Original post by slothlife
Hi there,
I want to do Biology, chemistry, geography and physics at A level but people are saying how I'm going to struggle with physics :/ I'm currently in year 11, I'm good at maths but find it so boring, and I don't want to do a subject at a level that will just kill me. On the other hand i find physics really enjoyable! Has anyone done physics without/ with maths? How did you find it? I'm planning to take it to AS and then drop it.


Hey,

I'm currently doing A2 physics (+ chemistry and biology) without any maths beyond GCSE and it's honestly fine! I got As in them last year for AS and I'm predicted to get A*s in them this year :s-smilie:

There are some A level maths concepts that you'll have to learn - like using logs, e, natural logs, standard deviation and error bars (the last two are mainly for biology). There are also some GCSE maths topics that you'll need to brush up on, like trigonometry, rearranging the equation, exponentials and the shapes of graphs like y=x, y=x^2 etc. The way that exam questions test you on them is far simpler than how they would in maths from what i've seen in my friends' maths homework!

Your teachers will catch you up on anything you need to know, thats what they're there for! I'm one of 2 people in my physics class who doesn't take maths, and the only one in chemistry. Despite that, I got the highest marks in the class for both :colondollar:

You'll be fine, take whatever subjects you'd be happy to study :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by slothlife
Hi there,
I want to do Biology, chemistry, geography and physics at A level but people are saying how I'm going to struggle with physics :/ I'm currently in year 11, I'm good at maths but find it so boring, and I don't want to do a subject at a level that will just kill me. On the other hand i find physics really enjoyable! Has anyone done physics without/ with maths? How did you find it? I'm planning to take it to AS and then drop it.

Someone I know does Physics without maths, you must be good with maths then to do physics without it
Reply 59
Original post by Laurasaur
Hey,

I'm currently doing A2 physics (+ chemistry and biology) without any maths beyond GCSE and it's honestly fine! I got As in them last year for AS and I'm predicted to get A*s in them this year :s-smilie:

Thank you! Gives me more confidence to take the subject:h:

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