Adv maths of mechanics or pure maths.

currently in 5th year undergoing 6th year course choices interested in studying chemical/petroleum engineering at uni. Going to study adv chemistry and want to study adv maths but not sure which course.

The adv higher maths has 3 different courses applied maths (pure), applied mechanics and applied statistics.

I'm interested in the mechanics course as it looks a little easier and more interesting than the pure maths course. My current maths teacher recommends taking the pure maths course because he said it will be much easier to pick up the mechanics topics in uni.

Opinions?

Reply 1

Ecasx

Original post by NavidHayati

I love the mechanics course. The maths is particularly fun because it all relates to real-life situations, which can be quite satisfying. It also teaches you some extremely useful techniques (e.g. the emphasis on the use of vectors in modelling the motion of particles is extremely beneficial to know, especially when considering relative motions, which aren't covered formally elsewhere). I think it's helped in refining my maths overall in other aspects. However, I mostly see it as a supplement to the core maths subject (with some cool additions). The core subject teaches you many more fundamental mathematics that you should get comfortable with before university. The mechanics course in contrast is much more specific. I'd agree entirely with your teacher that mechanics would be much easier to pick up later.

I think they are about equal in terms of the difficulty of past paper questions, although the mechanics content was much easier to learn.

Reply 2

NavidHayati

Thanks for that, the mechanics course sounds really nice but I'll go with the pure maths.

Reply 3

Asklepios

Original post by NavidHayati

Thanks for that, the mechanics course sounds really nice but I'll go with the pure maths.

Agree with ecasx. Either do pure or pure and mechanics, no point doing just mechanics.

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Reply 4

Uke_Kate

Personally, I'm doing both advanced maths and advanced statistics but it really depends on what you want to do. The pure maths course is more for those wanting to do Mathematics at uni and the Mechanics is more for physics based courses. It really just depends on what you want to do.

Reply 5

WithoutMuchHope

How do all you kids find centres to take mechanics/statistics at? Or do you opt for self study?

Reply 6

Uke_Kate

My school offers all three but I think it just depends where you go

Reply 7

CaitlinDy

The pure advanced maths course is incredible; I initially took it only because it would be useful for physics however I have grown to absolutely love it and cannot wait to continue it at university level.
The pure course is probably better in providing you with a more general knowledge of maths which can later be applied, especially since the topics seem to be in a separate world from Higher - matrices, proofs, binomial theorem, complex number...

Best risky choice I have ever made. (I study 4 AHs, if you'd like to ask anything, feel free).