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D1 - most difficult questions?

(Edit: I'm doing Edexcel)

I learned D1 last summer, but haven't looked at it at all since then. The exam is next Friday (8 days), but STEP I/II are in the same week and I'd like to revise for them more. So I'm not going to have as much time to revise D1. As a result I'd like to focus my revision on the areas which are hardest. So my question are:


Which parts of each topic are the most difficult?

What special cases can come up with each topic - even if not often - which a lot of people are likely to forget? (like double IBP in pure modules)


I know that even if I do four or five past papers I'm likely to miss some things out, as I've discovered with other modules this year. I just want to make sure there's nothing I miss. :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)

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which syllabus are you doing for D1 ?

:holmes:
Reply 2
Original post by the bear
which syllabus are you doing for D1 ?

:holmes:


I was just coming back to edit that in hoping nobody had noticed, sorry! I'm doing Edexcel.
Original post by TLDM
I was just coming back to edit that in hoping nobody had noticed, sorry! I'm doing Edexcel.


some people find dummies hard to understand when drawing activity networks.
Reply 4
Original post by the bear
some people find dummies hard to understand when drawing activity networks.


Ohh, that's a good one, thanks. I'd forgotten about those, I know I had difficulty with them when learning about them. I'd rep you if I could but I've done that too recently to do it again.

Any more you can think of?
Original post by TLDM
Ohh, that's a good one, thanks. I'd forgotten about those, I know I had difficulty with them when learning about them. I'd rep you if I could but I've done that too recently to do it again.

Any more you can think of?


Simplex used to be in the D1 but it was removed :yay:
Reply 6
Original post by the bear
Simplex used to be in the D1 but it was removed :yay:


But I'm doing D2 as well. :frown:
Original post by TLDM
But I'm doing D2 as well. :frown:



simplex.png
The maximum number of iterations on a binary search is log2(n), I think you also have to know maximum iteration on a bubble sort which is something like 1/2 n(n+1)
Reply 9
Original post by BinaryJava
The maximum number of iterations on a binary search is log2(n), I think you also have to know maximum iteration on a bubble sort which is something like 1/2 n(n+1)


That makes sense, though wouldn't they be Binary:
log2(n)\lceil log_2 (n) \rceil
and Bubble:
n(n1)2\dfrac{n(n-1)}{2}

First one because the log function sometimes doesn't give integer values and the second one is just an adjustment of the triangle number formula you gave.

Do we need to know the same thing for quick sort too?
Original post by TLDM
That makes sense, though wouldn't they be Binary:
log2(n)\lceil log_2 (n) \rceil
and Bubble:
n(n1)2\dfrac{n(n-1)}{2}

First one because the log function sometimes doesn't give integer values and the second one is just an adjustment of the triangle number formula you gave.

Do we need to know the same thing for quick sort too?


Not sure about quick sort, I presume the same as binary search since it splits the list in two every time
Original post by TLDM
...


Yourself or someone doing Edexcel D1 might like to have a look at this thread, as the OP is struggling there.
Reply 12
Original post by ghostwalker
Yourself or someone doing Edexcel D1 might like to have a look at this thread, as the OP is struggling there.


I saw that thread but thought I was doing something wrong. My method was:

The gradient obviously has to be between -2 (the line AB) and -4 (the line CD), so 14<k<12\frac{1}{4} < k < \frac{1}{2}.

I thought I must be doing something wrong if that's a 6 marker in one line, but it's the same answer BinaryJava got...
Original post by TLDM
I saw that thread but thought I was doing something wrong. My method was:

The gradient obviously has to be between -2 (the line AB) and -4 (the line CD), so 14<k<12\frac{1}{4} < k < \frac{1}{2}.

I thought I must be doing something wrong if that's a 6 marker in one line, but it's the same answer BinaryJava got...


Mark scheme used a different, algebraic, approach - see below:
Edit: Different to what I was thinking.

Untitled.jpg
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by ghostwalker
Mark scheme used a different, algebraic, approach - see below:
Edit: Different to what I was thinking.

Untitled.jpg


Uhh, wow. That's a really complicated method. Will you lose marks for using a graphical approach, like the one I did, in the exam?
Original post by TLDM
Uhh, wow. That's a really complicated method. Will you lose marks for using a graphical approach, like the one I did, in the exam?


I'd be guessing; possibly someone like Mr M may be able to advise.
Reply 16
Original post by ghostwalker
I'd be guessing; possibly someone like Mr M may be able to advise.


Who's Mr M?
Original post by TLDM
Who's Mr M?


:shock: Truely, I am shocked you've not heard of Mr M.

He's not posted as much recently on the maths forum, but seems to be in the know on the ins and outs of exams, particularly mathematics.

Profile page
Reply 18
Original post by ghostwalker
:shock: Truely, I am shocked you've not heard of Mr M.

He's not posted as much recently on the maths forum, but seems to be in the know on the ins and outs of exams, particularly mathematics.

Profile page


Haha, I don't go on TSR often, so there are lots of well-known people here who I'll never have heard of. I'll PM him.
I found June 2015 IAL tricky since if you don't read the question carefully lots of things go wrong

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