What's maths at uni really like???

i'm in year 11, studying A level maths and i'm really enjoying it! But I've always wondered what maths at uni is really like. Is it a continuation from A level maths or.....?????

Reply 1

Totally Tom

If we could explain would you understand?

From what I gather on these forums and from open days, its based much more on mathematical rigour and proof. There are also a **** load of topics you won't have covered at all, like sets, topology etc...

If you love Maths at A-level its a good indicator you would like Maths at A-level.

Reply 2

marmeduke

hamtomilton

If you love Maths at A-level its a good indicator you would like Maths at A-level.

i'd certainly think so :wink:

Reply 3

Hashshashin

hamtomilton

If you love Maths at A-level its a good indicator you would like Maths at A-level.

Really??

Reply 4

Totally Tom

If you're all gonne be flippin sarcy on me well stefoo.

You can love maths at a-level but then hate it at Uni.

Godd.

And bloody hell, the offer from York for English is higher than for Mathematics!

Reply 5

webbers

hamtomilton

If you love Maths at A-level its a good indicator you would like Maths at A-level.

That made me choke while I was drinking a cup of tea!
I get what you mean though. :smile:

Reply 6

Totally Tom

OMFG

I have only just read what I put!

What a ****ing idiot wrote that!

Reply 7

73337

Hhahahah don't worry! Bets post of the day IMO!

Reply 8

Darxy

If you like math proofs then youll love it at uni :smile:

Lectures can certainly be more tedious, but the work is more challenging - but you deffinitely feel happier once you've found a solution/prooved something :biggrin:

Reply 9

K..W.Studd

Ive applied to maths at uni because I really do enjoy it at A level but you have just described it as a completely different subject!
I mean how much is really proof, is there very little problem solving like we get at A level?!
You are scaring me.

Reply 10

88rv11

Don't worry, there is loads of problem solving. However they teach the work differently. At A level you look at the methods of solving, very few proofs and lots of similar questions. At university you learn a theorem, and then either have to prove it yourself as an exercise or you see the proof demonstrated by the lecturer. Then in the exam/assignments you not only have to know the proof but also how to answer questions involving the theorem.

This is different in every module but Uni maths is quite different. Not totally, but different. Don't be put off. If you like A level maths you will probably like uni maths. It's just another level up and requires a lot of hard work, but don't worry.

Reply 11

john !!

its fine, for me there is not much proof to do yourself, just ones to learn and these are only made examinable so that the lazy people learn them as well, as they give you greater insight (there is a difference to being told and believing something is true, an seeing a proof and knowing it is true).

also the course is not geeky at all for me though Im at a good uni, might vary though. but for me its nowhere near comp sci or physics.

some of mine was a direct continuation of A-levels. if you do well in them, you should it the ground running for atleast part of the course. however in A-level they rarely tough on pure maths. theyb used to call C1-C4 "P1" etc. for pure, but in reality none of this crap is pure.

pure maths is abstract stuff like groups, fields, rings, and eigenthings. it's popular with genral people on the course (not me).

trust me when I say it's the things that deviate most from A-levels which turn out to be the most intriguing. just believe me, if you find A-level maths fun (and I did, once upon a time...) you will enjoy yourself doing a degree in it.