Year 12 Maths Help Thread

This is the help thread for students who are taking Maths and/or Further Maths to at least AS Level. Feel free to discuss mathematics and post questions which you're stuck on.

If needbe, maybe use past papers from other exam boards too, and perhaps even the harder international papers.

Rules

1. Keep all discussion related to maths, although I do not mind the occasional physics query.
2. Please post your full working- this will enable a helper to detect errors in your method.
3. If you want to help somebody, don't post full solutions. Your help is meant to act as a springboard, not a featherbed. Giving full solutions is unlikely to actually make somebody learn.

Helpers:

A number of people have kindly volunteered to help us. Tag one of them if you are genuinely stuck on a question or if you have a query about maths in general.

Spoiler

Relevant Links:
AQA:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/a-level

Edexcel Past Papers:
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/mathematics-2008.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials

OCR:

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-mathematics-3890-3892-7890-7892/

ExamSolutions:

http://www.examsolutions.net/

PhysicsandMathsTutor SolutionBank:

http://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/a-level-maths/solution-banks-edexcel-heinemann-textbooks/

And for the daring (not for the faint hearted!):
STEP (Cambridge and Warwick offer holders' test):

http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/step/about-step/

MAT (Imperial and Oxford admissions test):

http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/mat/about-mat/

AEA (Advanced Extension Award):

http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/advanced-extension-award-mathematics-2008.html

Mr Barton Maths also has a good collection of AQA papers.

(edited 7 years ago)

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Reply 1

C0balt

I've completed AS level Maths and FM this year, probably As in them.
I will join as a helper here

Edit: Got my results, got 96% across the maths modules. I think I am qualified as a helper now :tongue:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2

Palette

Original post by C0balt

I've completed AS level Maths and FM this year, probably As in them.
I will join as a helper here

Hello C0balt. Do you get on with chlorine?

I'll add you to the list of helpers. Do you know if there is anyone else who'd be willing to help as well?

Reply 3

C0balt

Original post by Palette

Hello C0balt. Do you get on with chlorine?

I'll add you to the list of helpers. Do you know if there is anyone else who'd be willing to help as well?

Yeah chlorine is my best friend :biggrin:

I did AQA btw, it doesn't matter too much with maths but yeah
@Protoxylic

Reply 4

Protoxylic

I'll be quite busy next academic year, but don't hesitate to ask, if I'm around I'll be sure to answer any questions

Reply 5

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

I'll be quite busy next academic year, but don't hesitate to ask, if I'm around I'll be sure to answer any questions

Thanks! Shall I add you to the helpers list?

Reply 6

Protoxylic

Original post by Palette

Thanks! Shall I add you to the helpers list?

Sure

Reply 7

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

Sure

Do you know of anyone else who can help too?

Reply 8

Protoxylic

Original post by Palette

Do you know of anyone else who can help too?

Not really, I know a lot of people, but I don't know whether they would be willing to help. For now, this should be fine, more will come in time

Reply 9

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

Not really, I know a lot of people, but I don't know whether they would be willing to help. For now, this should be fine, more will come in time

How did you find A Level Mathematics, A Level Further Mathematics, and A Level Physics, if I may ask?

Reply 10

Protoxylic

Original post by Palette

How did you find A Level Mathematics, A Level Further Mathematics, and A Level Physics, if I may ask?

I only took exams in A-Level Maths, I self taught Further Maths so I didn't take any formal exams in FM. The modules I can help in are C1-4, M1-3, S1, FP1-4 (mostly OCR + FP4 AQA). They aren't bad, you just have to put your mind to it

Reply 11

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

Which modules did you find the most fun and the most boring?

Reply 12

Protoxylic

Original post by Palette

Which modules did you find the most fun and the most boring?

Boring C1-2, S1, M1. Most interesting probably C3 in normal maths and FP2-4 in Further.

Reply 13

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

Boring C1-2, S1, M1. Most interesting probably C3 in normal maths and FP2-4 in Further.

Was Physics more interesting than maths, in your opinion?

Reply 14

Protoxylic

Original post by Palette

Was Physics more interesting than maths, in your opinion?

Hm, probably? I mean physics is interesting generally, but A-Level doesn't do it justice. They scrapped calculus out of the spec which is just so bad. The concepts are interesting, but the exam style ruins it I think (talking from AQA experience)

Reply 15

kprime2

I just finished maths and further maths A level. Pretty confident I will get A*A* in both. I did Edexcel also. Would love to be a helper :smile:

Reply 16

Patrick2810

For D2 will you ever be asked to "minimise" with simplex tableaux?

thanks

Reply 17

Palette

Original post by Protoxylic

I asked because I am considering taking Physics as a 5th AS Level subject, and my school's board happens to be AQA too. I thought the government is making A Levels and GCSEs harder?