STEP Prep Thread 2015

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Reply 600

username1162972

the imperial prospectus states all applicants must sit the mat or step papers.

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Reply 601

ThatPerson

Original post by jjpneed1

I sent off my UCAS application on the 30th, was I supposed to have an email about filling out the SAQ? Deadline is fairly soon

And does anyone have a source saying I don't need to sit the MAT for Imperial if I'm sitting all three STEP papers

From what I understand, if you apply before the MAT registration deadline, you must sit the MAT. However, if you apply after, and therefore you cannot sit the MAT, Imperial will consider giving you an offer on the basis of STEP.

As you're applying to Cambridge, and therefore before the 15th October, you'll fall into the former category.

In any case, I'd recommend that you email Imperial to get information directly from them.

Reply 602

DomStaff

Original post by jjpneed1

Plus preparing for the MAT won't hinder you at all in the long run. It's a different type of maths. Perhaps it will help with interview prep?

Reply 603

username1162972

Original post by jjpneed1

and step is much easier then step.

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Reply 604

Xenorebrem

Original post by physicsmaths

and step is much easier then step.

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Interesting :holmes:

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Reply 605

username1162972

damit i was meant to say mat is much easier then step

Reply 606

Xenorebrem

Original post by physicsmaths

damit i was meant to say mat is much easier then step

Yeah I know, just messing with you. :biggrin:

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Reply 607

jjpneed1

Fair enough, may as well sit it I guess, questions aren't hard compared to STEP but I expect the pressure will change my view of that in the exam

Reply 608

username1162972

guys. Im starting siklos's booklets(thought id save it till now)which one should i do first?

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Reply 609

tiny hobbit

Original post by physicsmaths

guys. Im starting siklos's booklets(thought id save it till now)which one should i do first?

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The "core" one, since it is aimed at STEP I and II.

Reply 610

username1162972

Original post by tiny hobbit

The "core" one, since it is aimed at STEP I and II.

Thanks alot

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Reply 611

Godel_Mark

How well does STEP performance correlate with university mathematics performance (at top unis like Oxbridge and Imperial)?

Reply 612

ThatPerson

Original post by Godel_Mark

How well does STEP performance correlate with university mathematics performance (at top unis like Oxbridge and Imperial)?

There is quite a high correlation between performance in STEP II, III and performance in the Cambridge IA tripos. See here.

Reply 613

Many-Faced God

Original post by arkanm

Another one, inspired by a problem I solved recently.

Consider a circle has center O and radius one. Cut off the chord AB on the circumference of the circle and let

\angle AOB=\theta

. By considering triangle AOB and the arc AB, show that

\frac{\theta}{2}>\sin \frac{\theta}{2}

, and deduce

x>\sin x

where x is a real number.

i) Consider regular hexagon ABCDEF which is inscribed in a circle radius one and centered at O. By summing the area of triangle OAB and the five other similar triangles in ABCDEF, show that the area of ABCDEF can be written as

3\sin \frac{\pi}{3}

, and hence show that

\sqrt{2+\sqrt{3}}=2\cos \frac{\pi}{12}

.

ii) Prove that

\pi>96\sqrt{2-\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{3}}}}}}

x>sin(x) for all real numbers?
Thats not true.

Reply 614

msmith2512

For strictly positive reals if you want to be 100% accurate. 😊

Reply 615

Godel_Mark

Why are A Level Maths syllabuses set the way they are, if they don't prepare you for university level mathematics - at most Russell Group universities?

Reply 616

username1162972

Original post by Godel_Mark

Why are A Level Maths syllabuses set the way they are, if they don't prepare you for university level mathematics - at most Russell Group universities?

Because they are all idiots. The syllabuses are way too easy nowadays. Its so they get more entries hence more money!!! then every once in awhile they mess up an exam hence all these people will resit!!!

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Reply 617

davros

Original post by Godel_Mark

Why are A Level Maths syllabuses set the way they are, if they don't prepare you for university level mathematics - at most Russell Group universities?

Not entirely sure what you're asking but note that:

Historically, Maths A level has to prepare both students intending to do Maths degrees AND students intending to do degrees where Maths is a "supporting element" of the course e.g. sciences, engineering, economics.

More recently, governments have become obsessed with demonstrating that their educational policies are "successful" and one of their key measures of this is how many people pass exams (in various subjects). So as far as the Government is concerned it's better to have 80,000 people studying A level Maths who don't know what they're doing than 50,000 people studying a tougher A level Maths and getting a decent foundation in Maths!

Reply 618

Godel_Mark

I need help for Siklos 'Advanced Problems in mathematics' Question 23:

For part(i), he says the answer is

1/(2^{n}-1)

but shouldn't it be

1/(\binom {2^{n}}{2})

\binom {2^{n}}{2}

is the number of ways of picking

2

element subset from a set of

2^{n}

elements, and only one of these subsets will be

\left\{P_{1}, P_{2}\right\}

where

P_{1}

and

P_{2}

are the two players.

Also note that he says 'Two players are drawn at random', therefore I'm assuming that the players are drawn at the same time, not sequentially.

Reply 619

DFranklin

Original post by Godel_Mark

I need help for Siklos 'Advanced Problems in mathematics' Question 23:

For part(i), he says the answer is

1/(2^{n}-1)

but shouldn't it be

1/(\binom {2^{n}}{2})

\binom {2^{n}}{2}

is the number of ways of picking

2

element subset from a set of

2^{n}

elements, and only one of these subsets will be

\left\{P_{1}, P_{2}\right\}

No. Your solution gives the probability that two players meet in a particular match in the first round. But there are actually 2^(n-1) matches in the first round.