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I've always wanted to do a physics degree but..

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Reply 20

mucgoo

Original post by EmmaJane_

Maths doesn't come easily to me, it takes an awful lot of work to get a decent grade. Guess I won't do a physics degree.

I doubt you'd enjoy it if you where working your ass of just to get your head around the maths which would be most of the course.

Reply 21

Simplicity

Original post by EmmaJane_

Maths doesn't come easily to me, it takes an awful lot of work to get a decent grade. Guess I won't do a physics degree.

When do you have your exams?

As if it's after 29th I could probably help you with some of the material. But, to be honest I got A in Further Maths and Maths doesn't come easy to me. I think your attitude is the main problem.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 22

Simplicity

Original post by mucgoo

I doubt you'd enjoy it if you where working your ass of just to get your head around the maths which would be most of the course.

The maths isn't that hard.

Reply 23

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by EmmaJane_

Is doing physics with a foundation year so I don't have to do maths A-level a good idea? Or is dropping maths a stupid idea?

Dropping maths is a stupid idea.

The bests Physisists all tend to hate maths, if that's any consolation.

They did have to study it though.

Reply 24

Venomilys

Original post by EmmaJane_

Well thanks for the advice, but seriously you and the other people on this thread could be a bit nicer about it! I just wanted advice.

Original post by EmmaJane_

Why did you need to be harsh though?

I do think you are being attacked unjustly, it is important to study something you know you will enjoy, screw the "learn to put up with it, times will come when you will have to study something you don't like" argument. Whislt true, it should be avoided as much as possible! you have an oppurtunity to avoid it, so take the oppurtunity.

Since maths isn't to your liking I would seriously advise you against doing a physics degree. Reconsider!

Reply 25

EmmaJane_

Original post by Ilyas

Exactly, I completely agree. As cliché as it is, you only live once, and I don't want to waste my life doing stuff I hate. I guess I'll think about it.

Reply 26

Benniboi1

I agree, AS Maths can be boring, but C3 and C4 are a lot more interesting. Either way, not much at A-level can be described as fun as it's all just about remembering facts.

Reply 27

Bulbasaur

Original post by Simplicity

Stats is actually really fundamental in understanding Quantum Mechanics.

I don't want to study physics (though I am studying it at AS) but I'd be intrigued to know how this actually works? :confused:

Original post by EmmaJane_

Exactly, I completely agree. As cliché as it is, you only live once, and I don't want to waste my life doing stuff I hate. I guess I'll think about it.

YOLO

. In all seriousness, I would just put up with it for a year, who knows, you might start to love it. If you really hate it you can always drop it. As others have said, if you can't tolerate maths then you will hate a physics degree.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 28

EmmaJane_

Original post by Benniboi1

I agree, AS Maths can be boring, but C3 and C4 are a lot more interesting. Either way, not much at A-level can be described as fun as it's all just about remembering facts.

I think physics is fun! I'll find some C3 and C4 text books and have a look through them.

Reply 29

username839699

Original post by EmmaJane_

Maths doesn't come easily to me, it takes an awful lot of work to get a decent grade. Guess I won't do a physics degree.

What about math do you find boring? What in C1-C2 "does not come easily" to you?

As with the poster above, I agree that things get more interesting in C3-C4. At the university level, physics is taught with calculus (more than what you do in the mechanics modules - you will use the 3-D vectors you learned in A-Level), differential equations and linear algebra. That's the basic math tools you'll need.

If you'd like to get a feel of what it's like, to see if it's going to be interesting or if you'll enjoy it, try to look into the text "Introduction to Mechanics" by Kleppner and Kolenkow. Or the mechanics text by A.P French. I haven't used them but I've heard that they're good.

Reply 30

564767

Original post by EmmaJane_

I'm doing OCR MEI maths and think it's ridiculously boring!

Dont blame you one bit, MEI is dreadful.

Reply 31

EmmaJane_

Original post by Lilium

I find most maths boring, but I'm alright at calculus and algebra etc. I'll look at those books, thanks!

Reply 32

EmmaJane_

It's absolutely disgusting!
My head of maths says he's gonna change exam boards in a few years because he hates MEI.

Reply 33

564767

Original post by EmmaJane_

It's absolutely disgusting!
My head of maths says he's gonna change exam boards in a few years because he hates MEI.

oh right, ready for C2?

Reply 34

Clare~Bear

When I went to uni open days for marine biology they said the foundation courses were aimed at people who'd done irrelevant a-levels who in year 12/13 suddenly realised that they wanted to do marine biology. The first year of the course brings them up to scratch teaching them equivilent a-level stuff. The lecturers said that it wasn't aimed at people who'd failed/ done quite badly in a-level sciences. I imagine it's similar for most courses, so i'm not sure they'd like you - especially if you've already done AS maths exams cos you'll have to declare them to UCAS, so unis will see that you did start maths, and wonder why you gave it up.

Physics involves a LOT of maths form what I've heard. Infact my old form tutor had a physics degree and taught a-level physics. BUT because his course involved soo much maths, he was actually qualified to teach A-level maths!

You'll need a-level maths and there's no way of avoiding it. Many people who want to do physics even do further maths!

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 35

Simplicity

Original post by EmmaJane_

I find most maths boring, but I'm alright at calculus and algebra etc. I'll look at those books, thanks!

Do you hate calculus?

As C1/C2 is boring because it's stupid. But, C3/C4 does get better. You are likely to find you are better at C3/C4, then you are at C1/C2.

Like I found C2 the hardest and was my lowest grade, but then C3/C4 was my best.

Reply 36

kingkongjaffa

Original post by OMGWTFBBQ

Dropping maths is a stupid idea.

The bests Physisists all tend to hate maths, if that's any consolation.

They did have to study it though.

It's inconceivable how wrong you are

"the best physicist hate maths"

You do realise every great physicist of the last 1000 years was also a mathematician.

Newton, Feynman, Hawking,Einstein....and countless others.

Reply 37

Simplicity

Original post by Clare~Bear

You'll need a-level maths and there's no way of avoiding it. Many people who want to do physics even do further maths!

To be fair, you don't need Further Maths. Also, there is a cause and effect here. Some people who are good at Physics are also good at Maths.

Reply 38

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by kingkongjaffa

Einstein famously "hated" maths....

Reply 39

Simplicity

Original post by kingkongjaffa

In defence of his statement.

There are probably a lot of people on this forum who are better at Maths, than Feynman. Feynman hated Maths and couldn't be bothered to learn Topology. Like he was describing it as pointless in one of his books.

Einstein said something similar.