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Sick of mathematics (mathematician)

I am currently self teaching myself A-Level maths and further maths AS and A2 and I am sick of it. You see, I find the content quite interesting, but because I have no guidance, I am doing every single problem in the book and it's all getting too repetitive and boring as hell. To all the mathematicians out there, is it true that those repetitive questions are actually important? Is it like my previous teacher says "mathematics is like becoming a runner. You have to do the boring runs around the field before you can run the marathon". Could I not just learn the theory very well and the proofs and everything, then just do past papers and that's it? or do I have to do every problem that is in the book?

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Reply 1
You certainly don't have to do every problem...in my experience with Edexcel most of the early exercises are too easy to bother with, if you are doing Edexcel too then the mixed exercises and review exercises (although there are lots of these and it's not necessary to do every single one) are more useful, but in any case if you feel you have grasped a technique and that you are not learning anything at all in doing a question, that question is probably not that useful to you in most cases


Original post by oShahpo
I am currently self teaching myself A-Level maths and further maths AS and A2 and I am sick of it. You see, I find the content quite interesting, but because I have no guidance, I am doing every single problem in the book and it's all getting too repetitive and boring as hell. To all the mathematicians out there, is it true that those repetitive questions are actually important? Is it like my previous teacher says "mathematics is like becoming a runner. You have to do the boring runs around the field before you can run the marathon". Could I not just learn the theory very well and the proofs and everything, then just do past papers and that's it? or do I have to do every problem that is in the book?
Reply 2
Original post by oShahpo
I am currently self teaching myself A-Level maths and further maths AS and A2 and I am sick of it. You see, I find the content quite interesting, but because I have no guidance, I am doing every single problem in the book and it's all getting too repetitive and boring as hell. To all the mathematicians out there, is it true that those repetitive questions are actually important? Is it like my previous teacher says "mathematics is like becoming a runner. You have to do the boring runs around the field before you can run the marathon". Could I not just learn the theory very well and the proofs and everything, then just do past papers and that's it? or do I have to do every problem that is in the book?


your avatar is very disturbing
Reply 3
The album it's of is even more disturbing.
Original post by TeeEm
your avatar is very disturbing
Original post by oShahpo
Could I not just learn the theory very well and the proofs and everything, then just do past papers and that's it? or do I have to do every problem that is in the book?


You don't have to do all of the questions in the book, but the more you do the better you will get. Your suggestion of learning the theory "very well", then just doing past papers is potentially dangerous, IMHO, as you only find out how well you know the theory when you start solving problems. The gap between theory and practice in maths can be huge. OTOH, if you find that you can handle past papers without trouble, then you've probably done enough.
Original post by TeeEm
your avatar is very disturbing


He must be a fan of early seventies prog rock - that's even more disturbing. He might be wearing a flower on his head even as I write.
My teacher even admits that Edexcel can sometimes be tedious in its exercises. C1 I think we missed out more questions than we actually did LOL
Original post by atsruser
He must be a fan of early seventies prog rock - that's even more disturbing. He might be wearing a flower on his head even as I write.



"The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams.
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams."

aaaah, that takes me back...
Original post by oShahpo
I am currently self teaching myself A-Level maths and further maths AS and A2 and I am sick of it. You see, I find the content quite interesting, but because I have no guidance, I am doing every single problem in the book and it's all getting too repetitive and boring as hell. To all the mathematicians out there, is it true that those repetitive questions are actually important? Is it like my previous teacher says "mathematics is like becoming a runner. You have to do the boring runs around the field before you can run the marathon". Could I not just learn the theory very well and the proofs and everything, then just do past papers and that's it? or do I have to do every problem that is in the book?


I'm one of those who has to do every question in the chapter. (Not a terribly fast learner) And I'm glad I do because sometimes I get lulled into just following the method of the last few questions and then all of a sudden a curve ball appears which makes me think "Do I really know what I'm doing". But that's me. You sound a much more confident maths doer so IMO you must do what feels right for you, Don't be bored.
Original post by Gregorius
"The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams.
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams."

aaaah, that takes me back...


That's all well and good, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we really want to hear about is "Gregorius: the punk years" (or failing that, pictures of your New Romantic phase will do just fine)
Original post by atsruser
That's all well and good, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we really want to hear about is "Gregorius: the Belgian punk years"


[video="youtube;v98HEQvtpgo"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v98HEQvtpgo[/video]

that plane for me :pierre:
Original post by atsruser
That's all well and good, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we really want to hear about is "Gregorius: the punk years" (or failing that, pictures of your New Romantic phase will do just fine)


Nah, I was always counter-cultural: this bunch were the best.

Original post by the bear

that plane for me :pierre:

Hmm. Gregorius is M. Bertrand? I guess it's possible - I mean, they both speak dodgy French. And you never see them posting at the same time, do you ...
Reply 13
Original post by Gregorius
"The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams.
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams."

aaaah, that takes me back...


I profess my love to you human!
Reply 14
Original post by atsruser
You don't have to do all of the questions in the book, but the more you do the better you will get. Your suggestion of learning the theory "very well", then just doing past papers is potentially dangerous, IMHO, as you only find out how well you know the theory when you start solving problems. The gap between theory and practice in maths can be huge. OTOH, if you find that you can handle past papers without trouble, then you've probably done enough.


That's actually a really good idea. I will do a set of exercises, then do a past paper. If I don't get an A*, I will go back to the book and do even more, then do another past paper, rinse and repeat.
Reply 15
Original post by atsruser
He must be a fan of early seventies prog rock - that's even more disturbing. He might be wearing a flower on his head even as I write.


On one hand, I am a big fan of the seventies prog scene, on the other, I am a death metal brutalist. So while I do have a flower on my head, I also have a neck tattoo of an old man being mauled by bear aliens.
Reply 16
Original post by Gregorius
Nah, I was always counter-cultural: this bunch were the best.



OMG that's one lovely album.
Original post by atsruser
Hmm. Gregorius is M. Bertrand? I guess it's possible - I mean, they both speak dodgy French. And you never see them posting at the same time, do you ...


PRSOM!
Original post by maggiehodgson
I'm one of those who has to do every question in the chapter. (Not a terribly fast learner) And I'm glad I do because sometimes I get lulled into just following the method of the last few questions and then all of a sudden a curve ball appears which makes me think "Do I really know what I'm doing". But that's me. You sound a much more confident maths doer so IMO you must do what feels right for you, Don't be bored.


Bleddy hell


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by physicsmaths


I know. Sad isn't it. BUT different strokes for different folks.

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