Maths or Geography? Physics without Mathematics?

Hey, I have made my choices as the 3 sciences and maths, however I dont do ad maths and have no real burning passion for maths. I picked it because it is undeniably useful in almost all fields of work, however although I can do maths and get a thrill working through a long sum to arrive at a correct answer, I cant escape the fact that I do not enjoy maths and find it to be a pain in the hole when you have a double period of it after lunch.. I have thought there is no point me going into school depressed everyday having to pummel through maths (plus since i didnt do ad maths its and extra 2 hours per week)

so i am currently thinking of switching to geography. Geography is one of my favourite subjects and always has been, I do not have any career in mind involving geography, but I am thinking of dropping maths for it purely for enjoyment to allow me to get up each morning looking forward to school, instead of dreading the endless complicated problems to solve. I am planning on doing physics, is it a death sentence without maths?

What i am asking you, is those who do the respective courses please provide insight, i am borderline lazy, which is why im starting to dispatch from maths, plus as a user of some class b, im wondering if it would even be worth considering continuing with the heavy mental proccessing required for A level maths.

I am currently on about 8 A's and 2 B's, with one of the B's in maths. Exam board is AQA btw

Cheers :smile:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

TVIO

12

A physics degree from most unis, especially the better ones will be VERY maths heavy. So you're ruling yourself out entirely from the top. Honestly, with a B at GCSE for maths something like 80% of people get Us at AS maths, it's a huge leap. How hard are you working for that B? If it's quite a lot to a lot, then don't bother with A level, it'd probably kill you. There are some exceptions, but very few.

Reply 2

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

Original post by TVIO

A physics degree from most unis, especially the better ones will be VERY maths heavy. So you're ruling yourself out entirely from the top. Honestly, with a B at GCSE for maths something like 80% of people get Us at AS maths, it's a huge leap. How hard are you working for that B? If it's quite a lot to a lot, then don't bother with A level, it'd probably kill you. There are some exceptions, but very few.

I could obtain the A, its not that im not good at maths, its just one of our teachers that we see the most each week isn't clear in explaining, and the class average for a test he set us on stuff he hadn't taught us came out at like 40%

I can understand the maths, I just don't want to wreck my brain and hopes this early, i could pick up higher level maths later in life.. and mabye go for the set of subjects now that i enjoy each of, which would make school a lot more tolerable and enjoyable.

Cheers for the advice :smile:

Reply 3

TVIO

12

Original post by JohnnyGonzo69

I could obtain the A, its not that im not good at maths, its just one of our teachers that we see the most each week isn't clear in explaining, and the class average for a test he set us on stuff he hadn't taught us came out at like 40%

I can understand the maths, I just don't want to wreck my brain and hopes this early, i could pick up higher level maths later in life.. and mabye go for the set of subjects now that i enjoy each of, which would make school a lot more tolerable and enjoyable.

Cheers for the advice :smile:

Do you have the same teacher for a level? I hate dissuading people from more maths, as it's amazing.

Reply 4

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

Original post by TVIO

Do you have the same teacher for a level? I hate dissuading people from more maths, as it's amazing.

I dont know but i wouldnt even want to risk it tbh, could make my life hell for next 2 years

Reply 5

Vidsify

5

I got a B at GCSE Maths and I do A-Level Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science. It is tough, but so is any A-Level, if you put the right amount of work in you can do it. Also with maths you have to like Algebra because C1 and C2 is mainly that. However, maths is a building block subject a lot of it you would have done in GCSE like Trigonometry, Sine and Cosine rules but you are using them in a different way. Yes it can be more difficult but like I said you are building off what you have learnt in GCSE and before. After you got your physics degree do you know what you want to do?

Reply 6

Jooooshy

17

Original post by JohnnyGonzo69

I dont know but i wouldnt even want to risk it tbh, could make my life hell for next 2 years

It's only 2 years..

Reply 7

crayolaguy

7

just take maths, if you want to do physics that's basically maths anyway. You're not that good at maths? Get good... Bad teacher? Teach yourself...

Reply 8

Manitude

20

For A Levels physics without maths is fine.

At university the vast majority of physics departments require you to take maths at A Level.

I did physics, maths and geography at A Level and studied physics at university

Reply 9

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

i understand the importance of maths and thats why i initially chose it, I have made the impression im bad at maths.. im not, always been A/B student for the subject, i can do the problem solving, its just your missing that its NOT my favourite subject by a mile, yet if i chose it, it would be the subject i was in most, due to not doing additional maths gcse at a level its an extra 100 minutes per week

I would rather snatch up a physics a level and then if i do end up wanting to go anywhere with physics i can pick up maths later in life, i feel atm i want to be happy going into school which would make it easier and allow me to work my best with things i enjoy. Maths has so many advantages agreed, but does anyone see where im coming from?

Reply 10

ckfeister

19

Do A-Level maths get like D or above, then do A-Level Physics and get whatever you can get...

Do the foundation year if needed, main universities require.. DC or CD in A-Level Physics and Maths.

Reply 11

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

More ucas points or whatever if i get an A in geo than a B or C in a level maths..

Reply 12

ckfeister

19

This is the harsh way to say but..

Maths + Physics in DC or CD = foundation year + physics degree then master if you want.
Maths + Physics in A*A or AA* = physics degree then master if you want.
Geo + Physics = You can't enter Physics degree and will have to do Maths else where.

Matsh and Physics or no physics degree.

Reply 13

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

I like biology and chemistry, i like astronomy, nothing says i may not want to go into biology related career

Reply 14

ckfeister

19

For Biology is the same..

DC or CD in Chemistry and Maths (A-Level) (foundation year + degree)
or.. A*A or AA* in Chemistry and Maths (A-Level) (without foundation year and get degree)

Reply 15

VannR

21

If you want to study physics at university, you must do at least A-Level Mathematics - there are no two ways about this. If it's too much for you, drop by Biology since it is the least relevant to physics. I'm sorry, but there is no way to avoid the maths requirements of a physics degree.

Reply 16

username1290271

1

I take both maths and geography and I HATE geography and love maths

Geography I find so much more difficult and fiddly and just mind numbingly dull

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Reply 17

loperdoper

15

As posters above have said, Physics is somewhat of a dead end without Maths. You're welcome to take Physics at A-level, and if you're somewhat competent at Maths already then you should be okay for at least AS (I can't comment on A2), but you can't take Physics on after it.

If you'd rather do Geography, then do Geography.

Reply 18

JohnnyGonzo69

OP

Original post by erloean

I take both maths and geography and I HATE geography and love maths

Geography I find so much more difficult and fiddly and just mind numbingly dull

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What exam board do you do geography on and what topics do you cover, each school chooses different topics from a choice of several... on aqa anyway, rivers and management seems like a lot of balls all the erosion features etc.. that is my least fav geo topic for gcse

Reply 19

username1290271

1

Original post by JohnnyGonzo69

What exam board do you do geography on and what topics do you cover, each school chooses different topics from a choice of several... on aqa anyway, rivers and management seems like a lot of balls all the erosion features etc.. that is my least fav geo topic for gcse

I'm on AQA we do rivers and flood management, cold environments, health issues and population - the human side is actually quite interesting I just don't have a teacher so teach myself but the physical is just boring, it's not that difficult but I would much rather do something more interesting and have to work more

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Maths or Geography? Physics without Mathematics?

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