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How is maths and further maths at a-level

Currently doing gcse, maths is literally the easiest subject for me, RIDICULOUSLY EASY. I would like to know how it changes at a-level. Is it harder, is it more fun, is the work load alot, especially if you take further maths and normal maths.
Maths itself is great. Core 1 is easy and you'll cruise through it (be wary of inflated grade boundaries though!) core 2 is the first section where you'll be properly tested but it's nothing too difficult and once you get the hang of it, it's pretty fun.

If you do further maths, make sure you have extra lessons because we didnt and i struggled to self learn it and got an A at AS. However, I must say that FP1 was some of the most interesting maths I've ever done, so if you have a passion for maths i recommend it
Original post by shwansalah
Currently doing gcse, maths is literally the easiest subject for me, RIDICULOUSLY EASY. I would like to know how it changes at a-level. Is it harder, is it more fun, is the work load alot, especially if you take further maths and normal maths.


Maths is fun and not too challenging if you work at it. Further though is where you will be challenged. Also those who do amazingly in GCSE don't do as well in further (Personal experience at my college, in no way general) I think it may come from the fact they might not put in the work, however if you do put in the work rewards will come.
Reply 3
It gets slightly harder depending on which modules you take, but tbh it's not that challenging until A2 level with modules like FP3.
It really depends on what kind of mathematician you are because some people find core modules hard and applied easy or vice versa. I find it most of it enjoyable (except the decision modules which are ludicrously boring).
In my opinion, I don't think taking maths and further maths is as hard as taking two completely different a levels as a lot of the modules are linked together so the work load is slightly less.
Original post by Oraeng
It gets slightly harder depending on which modules you take, but tbh it's not that challenging until A2 level with modules like FP3.
It really depends on what kind of mathematician you are because some people find core modules hard and applied easy or vice versa. I find it most of it enjoyable (except the decision modules which are ludicrously boring).
In my opinion, I don't think taking maths and further maths is as hard as taking two completely different a levels as a lot of the modules are linked together so the work load is slightly less.


You mean EDEXCEL or OCR FP3? Because AQA FP3 is relatively straight forward.
Reply 5
Original post by zetamcfc
You mean EDEXCEL or OCR FP3? Because AQA FP3 is relatively straight forward.


Why does it matter?
I do AQA, sorry I might not be the typical TSR braniac but it is the most challenging module I have done out of S1 S2 D1 D2 M1 M2 and FP3 offered by my college.
Original post by Oraeng
(except the decision modules which are ludicrously boring).


I spent most of my decision lessons bemoaning about how decision ISNT MATHS (in my mind)
Original post by Oraeng
Why does it matter?
I do AQA, sorry I might not be the typical TSR braniac but it is the most challenging module I have done out of S1 S2 D1 D2 M1 M2 and FP3 offered by my college.


Ah, sry I thought you would've done FP2 aswell which has so much more content to learn and can be quite tricky :wink: Do you find the Geometry Polar questions the hardest in FP3?
Reply 8
Original post by zetamcfc
Ah, sry I thought you would've done FP2 aswell which has so much more content to learn and can be quite tricky :wink: Do you find the Geometry Polar questions the hardest in FP3?


Fair enough, I think my college avoids FP2 for that reason and FP3 tends to be the most relevant to some degrees with the differential equations etc.Last year only one person got an A on FP3 in my college which is terrifying :frown:

Yeah polar coordinates are the questions that tend to catch me out, but I guess that's what they're there for!
Original post by ChoccyPhilly
I spent most of my decision lessons bemoaning about how decision ISNT MATHS (in my mind)


Decision is maths but the problems in the D1 text are too simple to demonstrate the power of the techniques/algorithms. It is very relevant in networking, business and computing.
Original post by Muttley79
Decision is maths but the problems in the D1 text are too simple to demonstrate the power of the techniques/algorithms. It is very relevant in networking, business and computing.


Oh of course decision is maths and I know it's used in computing everywhere but in the same way some people don't like English language compared to English literature. I've been doing continuous maths all my life, so discrete maths was a bit of a shock and so different to the "maths" I'm used to. Then again, I'm more of a pure mathematician
Original post by ChoccyPhilly
Oh of course decision is maths and I know it's used in computing everywhere but in the same way some people don't like English language compared to English literature. I've been doing continuous maths all my life, so discrete maths was a bit of a shock and so different to the "maths" I'm used to. Then again, I'm more of a pure mathematician


Some of the decision maths at uni that I did is more related to pure ... it's just that you've seen a small snippet of this area.
I agree with Muttley79; I did D1 and some of that is graph theory which is definitely part of pure maths! (That's the only topic on D1 I can remember tbh though)

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