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STEP Prep Thread 2016 (Mark. II)

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Original post by gasfxekl
I haven't done any mocks how deeply in trouble am I


Everyone is different.

My son did his first mock exam around this time last year. I wanted him to do more, but he ended up doing fine.

Trust yourself, and do what you think is best for you personally to prepare. :smile:

And remember, "Don't Panic!" :smile:
Original post by gsckmom
Everyone is different.

My son did his first mock exam around this time last year. I wanted him to do more, but he ended up doing fine.

Trust yourself, and do what you think is best for you personally to prepare. :smile:

And remember, "Don't Panic!" :smile:


Indeed, don't panic guys, STEP is fun however hard it is meant to be.
Original post by physicsmaths
Indeed, don't panic guys, STEP is fun however hard it is meant to be.


I want to hear an inspirational speech from you next week.


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Original post by physicsmaths
Indeed, don't panic guys, STEP is fun however hard it is meant to be.


Btw, I am gonna start practicing complex number, vectors and mechanics questions from tomorrow. I think there is a spreadsheet of questions by topic in the OP so gonna pick out the questions from there. What do you think of this, or is it better to go through 90s papers? I asked you before but you blanked me again so not cool.


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Original post by gsckmom
Everyone is different.

My son did his first mock exam around this time last year. I wanted him to do more, but he ended up doing fine.

Trust yourself, and do what you think is best for you personally to prepare. :smile:

And remember, "Don't Panic!" :smile:


How is your son doing? Is he ready for uni life? :smile:


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Original post by Insight314
Btw, I am gonna start practicing complex number, vectors and mechanics questions from tomorrow. I think there is a spreadsheet of questions by topic in the OP so gonna pick out the questions from there. What do you think of this, or is it better to go through 90s papers? I asked you before but you blanked me again so not cool.


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i can't reply all the time I do miss occasional comments since i have some physics ******** to do since the exam is in two weeks lol.
I would do complex numbers vectors and mech since they are from recent papers and much much more useful tbh. the older papers are just abit too easy tbh and not worth it if you havent exhausted the current resources in newer papers.
Original post by physicsmaths
i can't reply all the time I do miss occasional comments since i have some physics ******** to do since the exam is in two weeks lol.
I would do complex numbers vectors and mech since they are from recent papers and much much more useful tbh. the older papers are just abit too easy tbh and not worth it if you havent exhausted the current resources in newer papers.


I agree with you, I also feel like they are much easier. It normally takes me 30-35 minutes to do one III question whereas in earlier years it is like in less than 20 minutes. For example, today on III 1998 Question 2 took me like 15 minutes, very surprised that it is even easier than STEP I. Also, first part of Question 9 is literally Edexcel Mechanics 5. I did a past paper today and got the exact same thing asked which is to find moment inertia about the axis of a circular cone from base to apex, and then you just had to use perpendicular axes theorem to do the second part. Last part is also A-level, just usual L=Iθ¨L = I \ddot{\theta} and substituting like you do with simple pendulums

But yeah, gonna practice those topics I am weak on so I can make sure I get that 1/S in II/III since I am missing a lot on mech/vectors/complex numbers. I am fine with doing 6 questions, but it is just that out of those 6 questions the only full solutions are on differential equations, integrals, series, trig and all other topics which are in my comfortable zone, and usually that equates to only maximum 3/4 questions.

Sorry for bothering you so much. :biggrin:
Original post by Geraer100
STEP II, Q5, 2007, last part,

why the final answer g(t)=sin(arcsin(t)+npi/6) does not give the correct value of g^2(t) which is t?:smile:


Can you explain that a little more? Why should g^2(t)=t?
Original post by Insight314
Btw, I am gonna start practicing complex number, vectors and mechanics questions from tomorrow. I think there is a spreadsheet of questions by topic in the OP so gonna pick out the questions from there. What do you think of this, or is it better to go through 90s papers? I asked you before but you blanked me again so not cool.


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Sorry for asking, but can I ask where can I find the spreadsheet of questions by topic ( I don't know what is OP):smile:
Original post by Geraer100
Sorry for asking, but can I ask where can I find the spreadsheet of questions by topic ( I don't know what is OP):smile:


http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3478331&page=62&p=60821723#post60821723

OP is original post i.e the first post of a thread.
Original post by EricPiphany
Can you explain that a little more? Why should g^2(t)=t?


Yes, sorry for the lack of details. Basically, if you substitute g(t) into g(t) again which is g^2(t) you get t. And therefore this has a period of 2, so if n odd then it is equal to g(t) and if n is even, then g(t)=t. But in the end results, which is g(t)=sin(arcsint+npi/6) if you plug in n=2, you get a different answer.:smile:
Original post by Insight314


Thanks for that, is it just for STEP I, or there is also for STEP II?
Original post by Geraer100
Thanks for that, is it just for STEP I, or there is also for STEP II?


I think cogito posted one of you scroll down on that thread. Not 100% sure though.


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Original post by Insight314
I think cogito posted one of you scroll down on that thread. Not 100% sure though.


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Yeah thanks! actually there are one for step ii and step iii. :biggrin:
Original post by Geraer100
Yes, sorry for the lack of details. Basically, if you substitute g(t) into g(t) again which is g^2(t) you get t. And therefore this has a period of 2, so if n odd then it is equal to g(t) and if n is even, then g(t)=t. But in the end results, which is g(t)=sin(arcsint+npi/6) if you plug in n=2, you get a different answer.:smile:


OK, the function doesn't really have this periodicity straight away, only for certain values of t. If you try it with small t, t will grow according to g(t)=sin(arcsint+npi/6) and then it falls into a pattern of period 2.

This is because g(sin(x)) = cos(pi/6)sin(x) + sin(pi/6) |cos(x)| (note the absolute value sign) which is equal to sin(x +/- pi/6) depending on whether cos(x) is more or less than zero.

It's quite a subtle question, I think they would have given most of the mark for a rough attempt.
Original post by EricPiphany
OK, the function doesn't really have this periodicity straight away, only for certain values of t. If you try it with small t, t will grow according to g(t)=sin(arcsint+npi/6) and then it falls into a pattern of period 2.

This is because g(sin(x)) = cos(pi/6)sin(x) + sin(pi/6) |cos(x)| (note the absolute value sign) which is equal to sin(x +/- pi/6) depending on whether cos(x) is more or less than zero.

It's quite a subtle question, I think they would have given most of the mark for a rough attempt.


So you mean that because cosx is in modulus sign, needs to be positive, we don't consider some values of x?

Yes, the last part is really confusing. But thanks!:smile:
Original post by Geraer100
So you mean that because cosx is in modulus sign, needs to be positive, we don't consider some values of x?

Yes, the last part is really confusing. But thanks!:smile:


We have g(sin(x)) = cos(pi/6)sin(x) + sin(pi/6) |cos(x)|.
It's natural to think of x as an angle, the angle increases by pi/6 every time you stick it through g again but only as long as the angle stays less than pi/2. as soon as x is greater than pi/2, g subtracts pi/6 from the angle, then you start to get this oscillation.

I remember doing that question in the library, I seriously started hyperventelating and pulling my hair out.
lovely question.
Original post by EricPiphany
We have g(sin(x)) = cos(pi/6)sin(x) + sin(pi/6) |cos(x)|.
It's natural to think of x as an angle, the angle increases by pi/6 every time you stick it through g again but only as long as the angle stays less than pi/2. as soon as x is greater than pi/2, g subtracts pi/6 from the angle, then you start to get this oscillation.

I remember doing that question in the library, I seriously started hyperventelating and pulling my hair out.
lovely question.


Okay, thanks

Hahaha it is a lovely question, but only the first parts:biggrin:
Yeah, the last part is a bit confusing, although it can be done without understanding the theory behind it.
Original post by Geraer100
Okay, thanks

Hahaha it is a lovely question, but only the first parts:biggrin:
Yeah, the last part is a bit confusing, although it can be done without understanding the theory behind it.


Well what they asked for essentially is quite difficult. they ask for an expression for gn(t) for any n, but that depends on the value of t also. i don't think they meant to ask that though.
Original post by EricPiphany
Well what they asked for essentially is quite difficult. they ask for an expression for gn(t) for any n, but that depends on the value of t also. i don't think they meant to ask that though.


Yeah, that was actually mentioned in the exam reports!:smile:

Pd: one thing about TSR, do you know why sometimes TSR just stopped you posting a message or replying?
It just happened to an account that I had.
(edited 7 years ago)

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