M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)
Maths exam discussion - share revision tips in preparation for GCSE, A Level and other maths exams and discuss how they went afterwards.
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)Well considering that M4 an M2 were apparently really difficult I would assume they have made them all harder than usual.(Original post by Zhy)
This better not be as hard as M4. Really, I just need one of my mechanics papers to be nice and easy this summer. M2 and M4 did not give me that feeling. Hoping that M3 or M5 will at least. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)Yep thats right and in the hanging questions you'll end up with the equilibrium extension of "e" being equal to "mg" (usually).(Original post by sweetascandy)
But I thought e was the extra extension. so when in equilibrium, are you saying T=(λe)/l and when its pulled extra distance, T=λ(x+e)/l ?
I agree with the latter but isn't the former usually written as T=λx/l ??
Hence if you do F = ma using the extra distance it would be "mg" - T=λ(x+e)/l = ma And the "mg" and λ(x+e)/l would cancel after opening the λ(x+e)/l (I.e how to prove it's doing SHM at a displacement x)
It can be written as T=λx/l but this just means you'll have to call the x in the second part something else. Also if its not hanging then you can just use x to keep it simple (makes no difference).
I have a feeling this year they are trying to distinguish the A*s from the As more, thats why M2 (& M4?) were just silly. M2 was probably the second hardest paper of all time for M2 (after Jan 2010) and it could be argued to be worse as you could lose marks on literally every question whereas Jan 2010 just had two ultra hard questions at the end.(Original post by TheJ0ker)
Well considering that M4 an M2 were apparently really difficult I would assume they have made them all harder than usual.Last edited by dzone25; 09-06-2012 at 14:27. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)This is is exactly what I'm hoping for.(Original post by Zhy)
This better not be as hard as M4. Really, I just need one of my mechanics papers to be nice and easy this summer. M2 and M4 did not give me that feeling. Hoping that M3 or M5 will at least. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)bloody heck u do m2,m3,m4 and m5?! u must b a genius aha(Original post by Zhy)
This better not be as hard as M4. Really, I just need one of my mechanics papers to be nice and easy this summer. M2 and M4 did not give me that feeling. Hoping that M3 or M5 will at least. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)There's hard papers, which I agree are better than a very easy paper, then impossible papers. Did you sit m4 this year? The whole thing was a punishment.(Original post by TheJ0ker)
I prefer harder papers tbh, if you make a stupid mistake you aren't punished as much. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)This. I used to prefer 'harder' papers too. Ones that required a little bit of extra thought. But that paper was just horrible. I didn't hear anyone say that it went well. I think this June's M2 was an example of a 'harder' paper which I would have preferred to sit. But the M4 paper just made me sick. Did anyone in that thread even think they got higher than 55/75?(Original post by Tomcrease)
There's hard papers, which I agree are better than a very easy paper, then impossible papers. Did you sit m4 this year? The whole thing was a punishment.
Are you doing M5 too, by the way? It's so much easier than M4, too bad it's on the same day as FP3... just need to check I can do all the moments of inertia proofs and should be set.
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)I am starting to think it was a bad idea though... I'm sort of taking a gamble because I'm in year 12 so if I mess up I can retake some in year 13. It will be a tough decision to make because I think I can still get 3A*s, but I might be forced to cash in a horrible M4 score... so all I can at the moment is try to get as close as possible to 100 in M3/M5/S3/S4/FP2/FP3 so my E (probably) in M4 will be balanced out by more respectable scores.(Original post by Estelle123)
bloody heck u do m2,m3,m4 and m5?! u must b a genius aha -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)No but I've heard a lot about it, was it really that bad? I know m4 is a hard module anyway.(Original post by Tomcrease)
There's hard papers, which I agree are better than a very easy paper, then impossible papers. Did you sit m4 this year? The whole thing was a punishment. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)No i'm not doing M5 thank god. No one in my college thinks they got above 55 and I haven't heard from anyone else. So I can just hope for low boundaries. You must be doing additional further maths then? I could never do that many maths exams. :/(Original post by Zhy)
This. I used to prefer 'harder' papers too. Ones that required a little bit of extra thought. But that paper was just horrible. I didn't hear anyone say that it went well. I think this June's M2 was an example of a 'harder' paper which I would have preferred to sit. But the M4 paper just made me sick. Did anyone in that thread even think they got higher than 55/75?
Are you doing M5 too, by the way? It's so much easier than M4, too bad it's on the same day as FP3... just need to check I can do all the moments of inertia proofs and should be set.
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)To be honest I think you could go M5 without M4 quite easily... it might have been better to do that one instead of M4. It's more interesting too in my opinion because it's got a lot of new content!(Original post by Tomcrease)
No i'm not doing M5 thank god. No one in my college thinks they got above 55 and I haven't heard from anyone else. So I can just hope for low boundaries. You must be doing additional further maths then? I could never do that many maths exams. :/
Yeah, I hope the boundaries are really low, I would like an E at least
Yes I'm doing additional further maths, hoping to get the 18 modules out of the way so I can chill a bit in Year 13 and prepare for STEP/uni/have sexy times/etc... the only bad thing about it is too many exams and also having to do modules you find tedious, e.g. D2. -
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)You'll have done all 18 modules by the end of year 12?(Original post by Zhy)
To be honest I think you could go M5 without M4 quite easily... it might have been better to do that one instead of M4. It's more interesting too in my opinion because it's got a lot of new content!
Yeah, I hope the boundaries are really low, I would like an E at least
Yes I'm doing additional further maths, hoping to get the 18 modules out of the way so I can chill a bit in Year 13 and prepare for STEP/uni/have sexy times/etc... the only bad thing about it is too many exams and also having to do modules you find tedious, e.g. D2.
Are you going for A*A*A* then? That's crazy can I just say. You applying for Cambridge then? At least you have time for resits!
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)I am... doubt I'm going to get that though. Pretty sure I can get 2 A*s at least, the 3rd will be really tough though... it may come down to a difference of 1 UMS! It is a bit crazy, there are people applying who have done much better than me though and probably have 100 UMS in every module. I can't really compete with that so I can just try applying and hope I can get an interview at least.(Original post by Tomcrease)
You'll have done all 18 modules by the end of year 12?
Are you going for A*A*A* then? That's crazy can I just say. You applying for Cambridge then? At least you have time for resits!
I really don't want to resit though... but might have to with M4.
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)I can guarantee you will get an interview, and I think most likely an offer. :P I got an interview + rejection with no where near your grades! I'm sure with the A*A* you can get unconditional from most unis(Original post by Zhy)
I am... doubt I'm going to get that though. Pretty sure I can get 2 A*s at least, the 3rd will be really tough though... it may come down to a difference of 1 UMS! It is a bit crazy, there are people applying who have done much better than me though and probably have 100 UMS in every module. I can't really compete with that so I can just try applying and hope I can get an interview at least.
I really don't want to resit though... but might have to with M4.
and with a year on STEP you will be fine for that. So lucky! What school do you go to which lets you do this?
-
Re: M3 Pre-Exam thread (edexcel)Not going to reveal, just a sixth form in London that has unfortunately had crappy results for the past 20 years. I think only like 4 people here have got A*s at A-level since it was introduced. They were willing to pay for me to enter them, luckily! (If they didn't there is no way I'd even be able to pay for that many modules to sit.)(Original post by Tomcrease)
I can guarantee you will get an interview, and I think most likely an offer. :P I got an interview + rejection with no where near your grades! I'm sure with the A*A* you can get unconditional from most unis
and with a year on STEP you will be fine for that. So lucky! What school do you go to which lets you do this?
Sorry to hear about your rejection, but I'm just worried that my PS looks like total crap compared to other people's. Going to have to do some volunteering this summer...
I hope so! Unconditionals would really relieve the pressure. I did take this into account so I entered the AEA too since I saw that Warwick gave offers which asked for a Distinction in the AEA, so if I meet that then I hope I could get an unconditional. But we'll see, who knows, I could still end up getting something like AEE...
And I really hope I can just get the As in physics + chemistry otherwise I'll look like an idiot.

Are you going for A*A*A* then? That's crazy can I just say. You applying for Cambridge then? At least you have time for resits!
and with a year on STEP you will be fine for that. So lucky! What school do you go to which lets you do this?