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OCR MEI C4 - June 13th 2011

Anyone doing it?

How're you all doing in the revision? I'm resitting it, so its a lot easier to revise the second time round, but still quite stressful.

What about the comprehension paper? I'm undecided on how much revision to do for it really - although I have a feeling I probably lost a few marks on it last time. I understood the concepts, but I've never had to put maths into words so I don't think I answered them very well...

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Reply 1
I'm worried about the comprehension and parametric equations the most, maybe trig identities but they can be really simple sometimes :smile:
Reply 2
Hiya, never had any questions on small angle formulae in the past papers, is it on the syllabus? thanks
Reply 3
Original post by Teva
Hiya, never had any questions on small angle formulae, is it on the syllabus? thanks


Oh you mean the approximations of small angles? Nope, thats not on there - can't remember if its just an extra thing they put in the thextbook 'for interest' or if its an old spec or something.

Either way, don't bother with it :biggrin:

Original post by bear54
I'm worried about the comprehension and parametric equations the most, maybe trig identities but they can be really simple sometimes :smile:


Yeah parametric equations questions can be quite nasty :/ And trig identities are always so obvious, but I never see the right one to use! I think I'm getting better at spotting which one to use now though :smile:
Bit worried, I've not done any vectors work at all so I think ill be skipping the vectors questions. I keep making silly errors like sign errors when i'm revising.

Pretty strong on Integration/Binomial/Partial fractions. Parametrics can be awkward if they use like a half double angle or something but for the most part they're ok and its graphic calculator abusable. I also use my graphic calculator to solve a lot of my trig work, does anyone else do this?
Reply 5
Thanks ! I won't bother then... i hope youre right!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 6
hi guys has the angle between 2 planes been taken off the syllabus ?
No
Reply 8
Original post by ben10
hi guys has the angle between 2 planes been taken off the syllabus ?


Not that I know of...

You just work out the angle between the normals of the planes don't you?
Reply 9
Original post by twelve
Not that I know of...

You just work out the angle between the normals of the planes don't you?


Yeah :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
I've not done any vectors work at all so I think ill be skipping the vectors questions.


Isn't there normally a big Section B question on Vectors though?
Reply 11
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
No


my teacher said something about planes had been taken off the ocr mei syllabus
Original post by ben10
my teacher said something about planes had been taken off the ocr mei syllabus


I think you need to do a past paper in that case.
Original post by Junwin
Isn't there normally a big Section B question on Vectors though?


Seems that way, im hoping one doesnt come up though I cant do vectors. Hoping for parametrics/trig.
Reply 14
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
I think you need to do a past paper in that case.


ive dne them all .. was just asking
Reply 15
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
Seems that way, im hoping one doesnt come up though I cant do vectors. Hoping for parametrics/trig.


There will definitely be at least one question involving vectors... Its one of the biggest chapters, and there are about nine questions on each paper? So yeah, I'd try and do a bit of vectors. Maybe just learn equations of a line or something, so that at least you could answer some of it...
Original post by twelve
There will definitely be at least one question involving vectors... Its one of the biggest chapters, and there are about nine questions on each paper? So yeah, I'd try and do a bit of vectors. Maybe just learn equations of a line or something, so that at least you could answer some of it...


Theres just so many new terms, I can do easy questions but fall for mistakes like working out an angle when its like a minus vector you've got to use (giving you an obtuse angle) where I would use the vector in a +ve direction and get a small angle out.
Reply 17
Original post by twelve
There will definitely be at least one question involving vectors... Its one of the biggest chapters, and there are about nine questions on each paper? So yeah, I'd try and do a bit of vectors. Maybe just learn equations of a line or something, so that at least you could answer some of it...


if you had to work out a cartesian equation of a plane you would need d. which is a dot n ..
do we need to know how to derive d = a dot n
cuz we went through a long method on how to derive it .. unsure weaher it was just to gain a clearer understanding.
Reply 18
Original post by ben10
if you had to work out a cartesian equation of a plane you would need d. which is a dot n ..
do we need to know how to derive d = a dot n
cuz we went through a long method on how to derive it .. unsure weaher it was just to gain a clearer understanding.


I've never seen that come up on a paper, most of the question around it just give you a normal vector and ask you to work out the cartesian equation of the plane, or the other way round, I don't think they expect the derivation from you but to gain an understanding I can see why your teacher went into it.
Reply 19
Original post by Zagreus_92
I've never seen that come up on a paper, most of the question around it just give you a normal vector and ask you to work out the cartesian equation of the plane, or the other way round, I don't think they expect the derivation from you but to gain an understanding I can see why your teacher went into it.


But if you want to get the cartesian equation for the plane you need d which is a.n? So I reckon you need to know how to work out d, but it's just the dot product of a position vector of a point on the plane and the normal.

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