MST 124- Any advice please!

Hi Guys

I've started working my way through MST124 which I'll need if I go through with my plan to do the Nat Sci Physics degree later this year. The trouble is I'm finding it more challenging than I expected.Obviously its crucial that I nail the maths in order to get anywhere with a physics degree.

I didn't expect it to be easy as I never took my maths GCSE's, but I thought I'd get further before having trouble.

I'm currently only up to Activity 13 in Algebra and already it seems to be taking me longer and longer to complete the activity without many re try's.

Can anyone give any advise at all?

Thanks
Dave

I don't know exactly what is included, nor do I study with the OU. However, my understanding is that those early modules cover mostly A level topics. That said, have you tried watching videos that explain how to do certain things on youtube/examsolutions etc. to see if that helps?

Do you have a background in maths? Do you think its a case of the more one learns the better they get at learning?

It is all very different for different people but the more maths you do the better you get at it and the more you study the better you should study if you are paying attention to what works best for you.

If you haven't done much maths before it sounds like you are doing really well. A lot of algebra is learned by doing questions and finding out which mistakes you make repeatedly and trying to fix them. Messing up those questions and getting things wrong are totally part of the best way to learn algebra as long as it doesn't get you down.

if you never did maths GCSE then my (admittedly unhelpful at this stage) advice is that, if you didn't, you should have started with MU123

otherwise, my advice is to work steadily at your own pace - ideally at least some time every day so you don't forget what you are building on - but whatever you do don't get behind

The first thing that most people at the Open Uni would suggest is to study MU123 which is the "pre" MST124. But I advise against this. If you are completing the Natural Sciences degree then I'd advice getting fluent in your mathematics in another way. One way is always to purchase the MU123 material from eBay (I did). Or you can take the route I found most useful. Order a book called "Foundation Maths" and with it you get an access code to Pearson's online Math Lab. Now I've found this book on online access absolutely invaluable. Not only does the Foundation Maths book contain everything MU123 does, it contains beyond that. So don't worry you won't have to study it all. But it's the online MathLab that's the winner! It provides unlimited questions on the specific type of math your studying, and you can keep retrying as it will always be a different question every time, and you have unlimited quizzes, tests, etc. And it calculates where you're going wrong and provides you with exercises to improve. I believe you learn better when you repeat something. I studied math and worked through a book in a month and got everything correct. Went back to the beginning and I'd forgotten half of it. A year on with Math Lab and I still know it fresh even though I did it a year ago. I'll provide the link below:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundation-MyMathLab-Global-months-resources/dp/0273730762/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467824679&sr=8-2&keywords=foundation+maths

Of course you can go to the Pearson's Math Lab website and purchase just the online aspect with included ebook for much left. But believe me its worth every penny

I'm sure it was recommended by the Open University if I'm honest. But the Math Lab is pure genius!!!