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Do I need Maths for A-Level Chemsitry?

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Original post by katya_z
I did Chemistry to A2 and got an A, and I dropped maths at GCSE! Personally I found that the maths needed wasn't hard at all, there was no need to take A level to cope :smile: (btw I was on AQA)


Which year did you take your exams? Was it recently?


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Original post by Ze Witcher
All the maths in AS Chemistry is alright, apart from Titration oh god! A2 Chemistry is for more maths based and although it is a fair bit of rearranging, it isn't to the standard of GCSE; a lot harder in fact

Obviously a level is waaayyyy harder than GCSEs but I NEVER struggled with titration at GCSEs so how hard does that topic get. I've just enrolled at my sixth form and chose chemistry I was in no way advised to not take it despite getting a B ( I desperately want to do it though) and as for bio which I got a C they just put me down for 1 term of extra classes to help with a level bio Do you think I'll ever be able to survive Alevel chemistry with a B at gcse? I'm not taking (hate it so much) but did get an A GCSEs -Any chance is survival???
I'm prepared to work really hard
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by alow
There is not a thing in chemistry that require maths of a higher standard than GCSE. You'll be fine.


And I'm hoping that even if there is, it'll be something I can easily learn anyway? Hopefully


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Reply 163
Original post by TomSuffolk
And I'm hoping that even if there is, it'll be something I can easily learn anyway? Hopefully


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There isn't. Period.
Original post by Starlight2000
Obviously a level is waaayyyy harder than GCSEs but I NEVER struggled with titration at GCSEs so how hard does that topic get. I've just enrolled at my sixth form and chose chemistry I was in no way advised to not take it despite getting a B ( I desperately want to do it though) and as for bio which I got a C they just put me down for 1 term of extra classes to help with a level bio Do you think I'll ever be able to survive Alevel chemistry with a B at gcse? I'm not taking (hate it so much) but did get an A GCSEs -Any chance is survival???
I'm prepared to work really hard


To be honest it doesn't really matter what you get at GCSE. A lot of our work ethic changes at sixth form because we realise that University is only a few years away, meaning we work harder. I've only done AS at the moment but didn't do Further additional chem at GCSE. I heard its similar in some aspects but thats only at the start. The easy part in Chem is remembering the info, the relatively hard bit is understanding it. If you listen to your teacher and throughly understand everything in Chemistry then it becomes easy.
Original post by Ze Witcher
To be honest it doesn't really matter what you get at GCSE. A lot of our work ethic changes at sixth form because we realise that University is only a few years away, meaning we work harder. I've only done AS at the moment but didn't do Further additional chem at GCSE. I heard its similar in some aspects but thats only at the start. The easy part in Chem is remembering the info, the relatively hard bit is understanding it. If you listen to your teacher and throughly understand everything in Chemistry then it becomes easy.

Thanks
Original post by Callum323
Honestly those questions aren't too bad. Logarithms are easy, you just haven't been taught how to use them yet.

Maths in chemistry gets quite difficult at A2, and having daily practice with maths is useful for it. If you work hard enough you'll do just fine, though.


what are you doing currently? GCSE? A-level? At Uni?
Original post by Ze Witcher
To be honest it doesn't really matter what you get at GCSE. A lot of our work ethic changes at sixth form because we realise that University is only a few years away, meaning we work harder. I've only done AS at the moment but didn't do Further additional chem at GCSE. I heard its similar in some aspects but thats only at the start. The easy part in Chem is remembering the info, the relatively hard bit is understanding it. If you listen to your teacher and throughly understand everything in Chemistry then it becomes easy.


Quite unrelated, but how much work per week is normal for A-Levels? I'm not worried about the work at all, it's just people have told me various different things?

I've heard 4 hours per subject independent study, I've also heard 20 hours per week. I've heard people saying way more than this, like 30hours+

What seems about right?


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Original post by TomSuffolk
Quite unrelated, but how much work per week is normal for A-Levels? I'm not worried about the work at all, it's just people have told me various different things?

I've heard 4 hours per subject independent study, I've also heard 20 hours per week. I've heard people saying way more than this, like 30hours+

What seems about right?


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I mainly only did any homework given and then went over any topics I struggled as well as writing up all my notes again after lesson and managed to get 3As and a B in my AS results.

So basically, more work than GCSEs but not so much that you don't have any time to yourself.
Reply 169
Original post by TomSuffolk
Quite unrelated, but how much work per week is normal for A-Levels? I'm not worried about the work at all, it's just people have told me various different things?

I've heard 4 hours per subject independent study, I've also heard 20 hours per week. I've heard people saying way more than this, like 30hours+

What seems about right?


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Treat it like a full time job (including hours in lessons).
Original post by alow
Treat it like a full time job (including hours in lessons).


So almost like a 9-5 everyday?


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Reply 171
Original post by TomSuffolk
So almost like a 9-5 everyday?


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Yeah, somewhere between 35-40 hours a week including lessons is a good place to be.
Do further maths if you are able
Original post by TomSuffolk
Which year did you take your exams? Was it recently?


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I took them this year, just got my results :biggrin:
Original post by katya_z
I took them this year, just got my results :biggrin:


Well done :biggrin:
Original post by alow
Yeah, somewhere between 35-40 hours a week including lessons is a good place to be.


That doesn't sound TOO bad


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Reply 176
Original post by TomSuffolk
That doesn't sound TOO bad


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It's not. Just work a decent amount consistently and you wont have to work crazy hours close to exams.
I still don't know what to do, people are telling me different things :s-smilie:
Reply 178
Original post by TomSuffolk
I still don't know what to do, people are telling me different things :s-smilie:


The main thing is to chill out.

Do all the work you're set, read the textbook, and do past papers in preparation for exams.

If you do that, you'll be fine.
Original post by alow
The main thing is to chill out.

Do all the work you're set, read the textbook, and do past papers in preparation for exams.

If you do that, you'll be fine.


I know, but it's just the whole maths thing. I really want to do medicine so I need AAA at the end. Just worried that halfway through I'll realise that I've made a fatal error by not taking maths and do badly in chemistry.

Maybe I'm just worrying about nothing


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