STEP II 2012 discussion thread

I'm surprised q12 wasn't more popular... I think it's possible even with only GCSE knowledge statistics (except perhaps "A given B" algebra, which is S1). Having the whole question be a "show that" is also quite nice. Question 13 and 11 are both easy also...

The STEP papers seem to be making the applied questions much easier I think... Which seems harsh on anyone who looks to do pure anyway, well done to all of you who sat the exam


Based on the grade boundaries from previous years (this paper overall was standard) - yes I think so. But you'll need to be getting 18+/20 average on those 5 questions. Didn't you try any other question? Like part i of something?

you have got 20 warning points....you aint banned :/

Hmm, I tried, but I ran out of time. I walked into this paper with my confidence totally shot after STEP I actually. That was a disaster. My fault, really. I think I panicked. And so, I tried most of all to be careful here, and I actually did like the paper. It was great. Should've sped up a little. :/ Anyway, thanks for responding.

Let $p(x)=\frac{1}{2}x^2$. Then $2pp(x)+3p(x)^2-4p(x)$ will have $x^2$ terms in it. Likewise with $p(x)=-x^2$

I'm above the tyrannical law.
That's why I'm studying it.

How was STEP?

Bah, because of the -4p(x) term. And this is why you should sense check your answer before you say the question is too easy

They are making applied slightly easier I think in order to encourage more applied preparation since statistics in particular is very unpopular.

Don't worry, I know how it feels...3/8 of my full solutions have small algebraic slips in them which means I have no hope of a 120 at all (Not that I had any hope of getting one to begin with )

There's always step III

Thanks made my day 20/20 (a gift as long as you got your head around the first part)

I think they're trying to prevent people being pure demons as it makes them unbalanced (like me). You can't be an applied demon as there are onyl 5 applied qs. They're trying to force people to do a mix of questions (even I did an applied question, whereas in every previous STEP II I've done timed I've only turned to applied after completing the pure)

But surely pure ability is pivotal to do well in the Cambridge Maths Tripos? And STEP is meant to be all about selecting students for the course... You'd think they'd be encouraging pure if anything I suppose being able to do both is what is truly unbalanced though

You've missed the solutions with the constant term is 0, so I got four solutions:

$p(x)=\frac{1}{2}x^2+\frac{1}{2}$, $p(x)=\frac{1}{2}x^2$, $p(x)=-x^2$ and $p(x)=-x^2+2$.

See the below for why there aren't four solutions

Don't like the question, it's rather easy. It was purely a test of determination with algebraic manipulation, but STEP has had much worse algebra than this

tbh I'd argue that cambridge maths is far more famous for it's applied stuff than it's pure.

They are making applied slightly easier I think in order to encourage more applied preparation since statistics in particular is very unpopular.

But then step pure really is applied anyway


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the funny thing is that I ALWAYS attempt a stats question in STEP II. Looking at examiner reports seeing not many people attempt them bewilders me since some are straight forward/not much harder than S2.

STEP III is different though, they better not do it for that. My mechanics knowledge goes up to M3, and stats up to S2 so i rely heavily on pure on STEP III