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How hard is C4 maths edexcel in comparision to C3 edexcel?

How hard is C4 maths edexcel in comparision to C3 edexcel?

In terms of content difficulty, length of each topic, number of topics, etc.

Also, what book did you learn from for C4 (especially those who self studied and likely to get A/A*/have gotten an A/A*)

I used a heinneman book for C3 but not sure whether it's also good for C4?

Thank you

Also, how long did it take u to cover all of C4 (especially if you self studied)

Please only answer if you have done the Edexcel exam board one.

Thank you :smile:

Will give positive rep to helpful answers :smile:

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Reply 1

anshul95

Well, it depends on how good you are for C3. This is because a lot of the stuff (especially for integration) relies on C3 knowledge backwards. Integration and vectors might seem a little tricky at first, but once you do a lot of questions they become very easy as well. Coming from someone who virtually self studied C4, it isn't such a huge jump as you'd imagine.

Reply 2

nicatre

C2-C3 is a bit of a jump, C3-C4 is just a continuation.

Heinemann books are great, I self studied with them.

Reply 3

paper-wings

Original post by Princestia

Will give positive rep to helpful answers :smile:

I think you may have to give a bit more time for C4, and stuff like integration can seem difficult at first, but practice makes perfect! I got an A* and I used the heinneman book, it was very helpful. It took me around 3 months to learn, but I did it in college.

Overall, I dont think it is much harder than C3, but you may have to give it more time, as, personally, I think the concepts take longer to sink in.

Good luck!

Reply 4

F1Addict

Jump from C3 to C4 is a bit like the jump from C1 to C2 - not much of a jump at all. If you're good at C3 you should be good at C4.

Reply 5

chembob

I recommend the 'Alpha Workbooks' C4 revision book when it comes to exams

Reply 6

541850

Honestly don't worry about C1/C2/M1/S1. I didn't know anything about them untill I started past papers. Then it is sooooo easy. With C3/C4 though it could be a little different. Just learn as much as you can in class/from the book and then apply it to the past papers. The past paper questions are never as hard as the book tbh.

Reply 7

s2004060

I think they are just similar in terms of difficulty =]
I use the CGP revision guide as I am not a UK student.
All you need is reading the guide a few hours the night before and do 2 pastpapers. Then you will be fine =P

Reply 8

Ultimate1

Doing Solomon papers makes C4 anpiece of piss.

Reply 9

TwilightKnight

The Heinmann book and past papers are all you need for C4.

C4 is dependent on you understanding the Trig and Differentiation questions in C3 quite well. It feels like more of a continuation of C3 than C2 did from C1.

The Vector chapter will feel completely different to anything else you've done at A Level, and is usually the chapter people find the hardest. The only advice I have is to make Vectors your bitch. Do every question you can find, draw diagrams if you're having trouble picturing something, etc. Don't just struggle with them.

Once you understand Vectors, they become the easiest part of C4 - the questions never really deviate and in the exam they essentially become free marks. There's also something very neat and appealing about how they turn graphs into algebra that I learned to love.

Everything apart from Integration and Vectors is a doddle. Partial Fractions are the easiest 10 marks you will ever earn on an exam paper when using them for Bionomial/ Integration.

It's definitely a step up, but it's a linear continuation of what you did at C3, and it was my favourite of the Core chapters.

Reply 10

chembob

Original post by Ultimate1

Doing Solomon papers makes C4 anpiece of piss.

So true

Reply 11

Princestia

Thank you, everyone for the posts so far :smile:

Reply 12

Slowbro93

Well not that much harder, it's basically the calculus of C3

Reply 13

LadySmythe

Its not too bad. Sometimes it feels like a drag but tbh it was the most interesting imo, especially as you had to bring C1, C2 and C3 knowledge into it as well.

The trig and integration was great fun! As was the vectors :h:

so just keep doing what you've done so far for previous modules and I'm sure you'll be fine!

Reply 14

Princestia

Thank you for both of your replies so far :smile:

Reply 15

Princestia

If anyone has any more useful contributions, please do post them :smile:

Reply 16

Arsey

The most important Chapter is Integration, almost half the paper can be Integration. I don't think C4 is that much more difficult in terms of content but the exam is usually more challenging. Jan 11 is an exception to that rule mind.

Reply 17

Princestia

Original post by Arsey

Thank you very much for your post. In what ways can the exam be more challenging?

Thank you

Reply 18

Arsey

All the past C1, C2, papers etc are written such that they assess understanding of their specification. Sometimes there are easy C1 papers, sometimes they are harder.

The majority of C4 papers tend towards the difficult side of what could be asked.

In many ways it is also the culmination of the previous Core modules, so many elements of the previous Core modules are expected knowledge in C4.

Reply 19

TwilightKnight

Original post by Arsey

In fairness, that's true of most A Levels - Biology and Chemistry are about 20% synoptic in the final exam.

It's more true (... that totally makes sense) of Maths though. The scary thing about Maths is that you can't really afford to let anything 'fall' out of your brain from any of the modules going forward. In reality, anything you've learnt from that module or before can come up in some form. In Maths, it might be a 2 mark gateway question to an 8 mark question where it will be "Using your result from a) or otherwise, show that:...".

In a way, that's also a strength of Maths. By the end of it I would say that the knowledge you've gained is longer lasting compared to other A Levels because you refresh constantly. It can be a bit daunting though if you're doing all of the Maths modules. I found myself forgetting simple stuff when it came to sitting M1/M2 by the time I had finished M3. All I can say is, practice, practice, practice.