You really shouldn't be spending more than 5 minutes on each of these let alone 30. If you cannot do a question within 10 mins then post it here, or move onto a different one, no point wasting too much time on a single question.
I know I'm probably wasting too much time but I'm sure you guys must get fed up with my constant cries for help!
It's crazy how I've been stuck on Exercise 6D questions for the last two days and still haven't made much progress (I've still got another 4 questions to do!!). This chapter is so close to defeating me
Thank you. I've started getting into the habit of writing trig identities down as I go along so I can spot any simplifications whilst I'm staring at the equation. But why does it seem that these types of questions take me like 30 minutes each? I'm stuck on another question as we speak that's how much I'm struggling
It'd be useful if you let us know which questions exactly you're stuck on so that any recurring mistakes will be obvious.
Ok so now my basic Maths knowledge is all over the place again..
Now I can't even seem to do the inverse of squaring (square rooting) equations
say for this example...
sec2k−2seck=1
Edit: Sorry that's probably not the best example
but for something that is like...
x2+4x=16 <<<What would be the process?
would it become... x+4x=16
Oh dear, that is a completely wrong approach, I'm sad to say.
When you say "whatever you do to one side, you must do the same to the other" you literally do JUST that. It does NOT mean you do the operation on each individual term on both sides.
So from x2+4x=16
Square root both sides you get x2+4x=16
I'm not sure why you're applying it to these examples, but that is how you'd square root both sides.
Oh dear, that is a completely wrong approach, I'm sad to say.
When you say "whatever you do to one side, you must do the same to the other" you literally do JUST that. It does NOT mean you do the operation on each individual term on both sides.
So from x2+4x=16
Square root both sides you get x2+4x=16
I'm not sure why you're applying it to these examples, but that is how you'd square root both sides.
I'm so stupid, I know this!! I think that's enough Maths for one day before I start embarrassing myself even more It's these damn Trig Indentity questions that are sucking the knowledge out of me I swear.
It seems like you're missing some basic algebra skills, which may be one reason you're finding this topic so hard.
x2+4x=16
This is a quadratic equation. If you move the 16 to the other side, it should be in a form you recognise.
The way you attempted to square root both sides was a serious algebra mistake that you cannot make at A Level. You really need to make sure you understand your error so you don't make it again. Feel free to ask if you can't see what you did wrong.
It seems like you're missing some basic algebra skills, which may be one reason you're finding this topic so hard.
x2+4x=16
This is a quadratic equation. If you move the 16 to the other side, it should be in a form you recognise.
The way you attempted to square root both sides was a serious algebra mistake that you cannot make at A Level. You really need to make sure you understand your error so you don't make it again. Feel free to ask if you can't see what you did wrong.
Yes it's because I couldn't find a decent example to show why I was confused. But I will admit that there are a lot of gaps in my basic algebra knowledge!! What do you recon I should do to fill these gaps as I don't know where to start?
Thank you!! How did you know that I needed to complete the square as the next step?
Because I mentally moved it to the LHS and recognised that there are no two numbers which multiply to make up -1 and add to make -2. Just a simple deduction by inspection.
Yes it's because I couldn't find a decent example to show why I was confused. But I will admit that there are a lot of gaps in my basic algebra knowledge!! What do you recon I should do to fill these gaps as I don't know where to start?
Yeah I think I will revisit C1 again after I've finished the rest of the C3 book tbh. It seems like the break I had from Maths over the summer has been taking its toll on me so is taking me time to get back into the swing of things again (including the very basics).