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STEP Prep Thread 2016 (Mark. II)

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Original post by physicsmaths
Just don't get U's they will let in nearly all people who get 2,3 or something similar for maths. I know a few. One got
2,3 in II and III and A*A*AA in Maths FM Physics and english and still got a place. Despite his offer being 2,1 or soemthing.


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My offer is A*A*A and then a 1 in II and a 2 in III. So if I were to predict the grades i get i would say I will get 3 A* and a 3/or lower in II and III.
Original post by King Beast
My offer is A*A*A and then a 1 in II and a 2 in III. So if I were to predict the grades i get i would say I will get 3 A* and a 3/or lower in II and III.



There is a table on whatdotheyknow FOU with imperial maths people with step grades and a level grades. Have a look
Apparently 88 offer holders got 3,3 last year (if I'm reading the tables correctly). Is this most likely due to lack of preparation? If so, that's surprising since you'd expect them to put a lot of effort in to make the offer.
Original post by IrrationalRoot
Apparently 88 offer holders got 3,3 last year (if I'm reading the tables correctly). Is this most likely due to lack of preparation? If so, that's surprising since you'd expect them to put a lot of effort in to make the offer.


For Cam? Yeah, I think it's probably lack of preparation. There are probably lots of people who think STEP is just another exam that doesn't even need as much preparation as A-levels.
Original post by sweeneyrod
For Cam? Yeah, I think it's probably lack of preparation. There are probably lots of people who think STEP is just another exam that doesn't even need as much preparation as A-levels.


You'd think they try a couple of papers though to see how difficult they are;
I mean, it's an offer to study maths at Cambridge so I don't understand why they wouldn't take it seriously.
STEP III 2013 q7 was actually quite a nice question - irritatingly I spent the first 10 minutes messing around with a 2-D circle for the first bit, but after that there is no thought required at all really.
Original post by IrrationalRoot
You'd think they try a couple of papers though to see how difficult they are;
I mean, it's an offer to study maths at Cambridge so I don't understand why they wouldn't take it seriously.


Any interesting qs on topics that u might think are due to come up tomorrow?
Original post by EnglishMuon
Any interesting qs on topics that u might think are due to come up tomorrow?


Complex numbers geometry and vectors normally come up so hoping they do this year as they didn't in 2015!


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Original post by EnglishMuon
Any interesting qs on topics that u might think are due to come up tomorrow?


Unfortunately vectors and geometry are due to come up, and I definitely don't have interesting Qs for those.
I just hope there's at least one DE question and one integration Q. Then I can improvise for another 3/4 Qs :smile:.
Original post by physicsmaths
Complex numbers geometry and vectors normally come up so hoping they do this year as they didn't in 2015!


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Original post by IrrationalRoot
Unfortunately vectors and geometry are due to come up, and I definitely don't have interesting Qs for those.
I just hope there's at least one DE question and one integration Q. Then I can improvise for another 3/4 Qs :smile:.


Haha yea unfortunately. I dont mind complex numbers or vectors so long as its not much more than intersections of lines rotations etc. I hate shape based questions though, especially 3d ones. Does looking at tangents and intersections of curves count as geometry :colondollar:? I wouldnt mind that too much.
Original post by Zacken
Nonsense. You can easily get a 1 in this paper. You've done it before on past mocks. If you can do 1 full question and 4 half-questions, that could be a 1. Or even 6 half-questions works. At the very worst, you can get a high 2. :yes:

Anywho - try and pick out the easiest question first, try and get a full and that'll hopefully boost your confidence. Don't spend too long on questions since not very many marks are allocated to the last bits of the question.


Ahaha that was 1 paper, and it was the easiest one yet :biggrin: But thanks xD A 2 would mean I technically hit 50% of my STEP offer :biggrin: Ah okay yeah I like that strategy, confirm a full 20 marks then see what's next, thanks :biggrin: I usually just attempt Q1, move on etc etc. Thanks!

Original post by IrrationalRoot
Apparently 88 offer holders got 3,3 last year (if I'm reading the tables correctly). Is this most likely due to lack of preparation? If so, that's surprising since you'd expect them to put a lot of effort in to make the offer.


Or maybe we're just not smart enough :biggrin:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Mathemagicien
Of course it counts as geometry :tongue:

Do you think its odd that I really love complex numbers, and really hate vectors and anything related to (non-complex) geometry (considering how related these subjects are)?


phew thats good, dont mind banging out a couple of dull intersections if i have to.
But yeah that is a little odd! But then again the only geometry I like is geometry using complex numbers so I sympathise with that :tongue:

I think I like the geometry/vectors question iff I can use it to understand/link to another topic as well, on its own I dont normally see the point.
Original post by Zacken
Don't spend too long on questions since not very many marks are allocated to the last bits of the question.


M8, I just adjusted my exam technique strategy to trying 4 fulls with a few partials. Do you think I should continue with 6 questions, missing last part? I feel like it depends a lot on the question paper, and how confident I would be with the questions. If pure is flooded with geometry/complex numbers/vectors or other types of questions I am not that good at, then I would probably try to get more fulls (20/20) + fulls on mech section.
For the sum of roots, products of roots stuff, does the pattern continue for polynomials above quartics? I.e sum of roots for ax^5 + bx^4 + ... + f = 0 is -b/a etc?
Original post by ComputerMaths97
For the sum of roots, products of roots stuff, does the pattern continue for polynomials above quartics? I.e sum of roots for ax^5 + bx^4 + ... + f = 0 is -b/a etc?


yus
Original post by ComputerMaths97
For the sum of roots, products of roots stuff, does the pattern continue for polynomials above quartics? I.e sum of roots for ax^5 + bx^4 + ... + f = 0 is -b/a etc?


I think the b term and the last term are always the same? Although it would probably be safer to just check with quintic polynomials now if you have the time


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Original post by ComputerMaths97
For the sum of roots, products of roots stuff, does the pattern continue for polynomials above quartics? I.e sum of roots for ax^5 + bx^4 + ... + f = 0 is -b/a etc?


Vietas formulas. Wikepedia


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@physicsmaths, @Zacken, @EnglishMuon, @IrrationalRoot, @Mathemagicien, and all the other lads,

Round 3 incoming. Good luck you all, I hope we all do well, and get that 1/S that we deserve. It's pretty scary when you think of it, that after tomorrow's exam we will have a very good idea whether we will be in Cambridge or not this October.

I will be doing mechanics questions (since I expect the pure section to be flooded with geometry/complex numbers) today and tomorrow morning, trying to warm up and improve as much as I can before the exam. Can anyone recommend me some good mechanics questions, which are pretty standard and are such that the idea behind them might come up tomorrow? :smile:
Original post by Insight314
@physicsmaths, @Zacken, @EnglishMuon, @IrrationalRoot, @Mathemagicien, and all the other lads,

Round 3 incoming. Good luck you all, I hope we all do well, and get that 1/S that we deserve. It's pretty scary when you think of it, that after tomorrow's exam we will have a very good idea whether we will be in Cambridge or not this October.

I will be doing mechanics questions (since I expect the pure section to be flooded with geometry/complex numbers) today and tomorrow morning, trying to warm up and improve as much as I can before the exam. Can anyone recommend me some good mechanics questions, which are pretty standard and are such that the idea behind them might come up tomorrow? :smile:


Inertia n forces


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Original post by Insight314
@physicsmaths, @Zacken, @EnglishMuon, @IrrationalRoot, @Mathemagicien, and all the other lads,

Round 3 incoming. Good luck you all, I hope we all do well, and get that 1/S that we deserve. It's pretty scary when you think of it, that after tomorrow's exam we will have a very good idea whether we will be in Cambridge or not this October.

I will be doing mechanics questions (since I expect the pure section to be flooded with geometry/complex numbers) today and tomorrow morning, trying to warm up and improve as much as I can before the exam. Can anyone recommend me some good mechanics questions, which are pretty standard and are such that the idea behind them might come up tomorrow? :smile:


You should tag krollo since he is the mechanics boy 2k16.


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