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Cambridge Maths Students and Applicants
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Original post by My Alt
How much do you think i need to buy a first?
A quick hand shandy under your exam desk should do the trick.
Original post by YLY
Ah okay 
Would you mind posting your GCSE and A-level results?
Would you mind posting your GCSE and A-level results?
I got 2 A*s (in French and Music, not Maths!) and 7 As at GCSE, then ~85% average in my ASes, then well enough in my A2s to meet my offer.
Original post by My Alt
How much do you think i need to buy a first?
If you find out, please let me know.
How well did you do in SMCs and such btw? Did you mention these in your PS?
Did you mention these in your PS?What kind of things did any of you write in your ps about maths?
Did anyone here do the Part II PDE course last term? If so, how did you find it, how many people went to the lectures, and do you think you'll be answering questions in the exams on it?
My DOS warned me to avoid that course, I think very few people did it. What are everyones views on this terms courses? Particularly interested to hear from people that have done any of further complex methods, optimization and control (how similar to IB optimization?), asymptotic methods and AQM (surely fairly straightforward if you've grasped QM IB and PQM?)
Original post by maltodextrin
My DOS warned me to avoid that course, I think very few people did it. What are everyones views on this terms courses? Particularly interested to hear from people that have done any of further complex methods, optimization and control (how similar to IB optimization?), asymptotic methods and AQM (surely fairly straightforward if you've grasped QM IB and PQM?)
I didn't go to the lectures on FCM, but did the example sheets. Example sheets were pretty easy, exam was a bit messy.
My friend did optimisation and control and loved it.
Asymptotic methods I went to the lectures for, it seemed pretty nice, but I didn't ever do the questions.
Original post by maltodextrin
My DOS warned me to avoid that course
Why?
Some people say it falls between the two stools of pure and applied, and also that the exam questions are hard, but isn't it a good idea to do this course if planning to do research in analysis? I'd be interested to hear about the 'avoid' label! :-)Original post by stripy_and_nice
Why? Some people say it falls between the two stools of pure and applied, and also that the exam questions are hard, but isn't it a good idea to do this course if planning to do research in analysis? I'd be interested to hear about the 'avoid' label! :-)
Some people say it falls between the two stools of pure and applied, and also that the exam questions are hard, but isn't it a good idea to do this course if planning to do research in analysis? I'd be interested to hear about the 'avoid' label! :-)Well, for a lot of people, that's a good enough reason to avoid the course...
If you have a definite interest in analysis with a view towards the applied side of things, by all means, do the course. But remember that you need to convince people to take you as a research student (and pay you!), and you'll need the best exam results you can muster for that...Original post by Zhen Lin
Well, for a lot of people, that's a good enough reason to avoid the course... If you have a definite interest in analysis with a view towards the applied side of things, by all means, do the course.
If you have a definite interest in analysis with a view towards the applied side of things, by all means, do the course.It's possible to be interested in PDEs (and also ODEs) from a pure point of view too. The proof of Poincaré conjecture was done using PDEs.
Stripy - I know you're pure - my advice is simple: do the course if you're into PDEs for their own sake or might go into a 'pure' area of analysis where they're relevant. For those who are sufficiently motivated, hard is good.
What I don't know, is why this course has such a reputation?!
Original post by marers
It's possible to be interested in PDEs (and also ODEs) from a pure point of view too. The proof of Poincaré conjecture was done using PDEs.
Yes, but there's a difference between using a piece of theory and actually developing it! As I understand it, the current motivations for studying PDEs mostly comes from the physics side, with some input from differential geometry. But it's not easy to be interested in theory for its own sake, I think...
Original post by marers
What I don't know, is why this course has such a reputation?!
It most likely comes from being a pure mathematics course lectured in DAMTP...
Can I ask how many of you studied Physics at A level?
Original post by YLY
Can I ask how many of you studied Physics at A level?
Lots, it's a pretty natural combo with maths. But there are also people who did other third A-Levels, including people who did an arts A-level. Perhaps someone will correct me, but I don't think it's that important, just do something you enjoy. Can't say I can think of a time when it gave me an advantage in terms of material over someone who didn't have it.
Original post by YLY
Can I ask how many of you studied Physics at A level?
Original post by Mr Dactyl
Lots, it's a pretty natural combo with maths. But there are also people who did other third A-Levels, including people who did an arts A-level. Perhaps someone will correct me, but I don't think it's that important, just do something you enjoy. Can't say I can think of a time when it gave me an advantage in terms of material over someone who didn't have it.
Agreed. I didn't do Physics A-level, though I think I'm in a minority. My A-levels were Maths, Further Maths, French and Psychology (with Music Technology at AS), which isn't typical in any sense. I don't think I've been particularly disadvantaged, but if I had done Physics at A-level I'd probably be more attracted to the applied courses than I am.
Original post by nuodai
but if I had done Physics at A-level I'd probably be more attracted to the applied courses than I am.
I would say doing lots of mechanics modules has more bearing on that. I did lots of interesting things in physics, but materials science and nuclear processes etc the way they do it are worlds away from DAMPT, more like engineering style really. On the other hand M3 and M4 present a lot of the same material as dynamics, especially around the moment of inertia and newton things.
Original post by Mr Dactyl
I would say doing lots of mechanics modules has more bearing on that. I did lots of interesting things in physics, but materials science and nuclear processes etc the way they do it are worlds away from DAMPT, more like engineering style really. On the other hand M3 and M4 present a lot of the same material as dynamics, especially around the moment of inertia and newton things.
In turn, doing A-level Physics no doubt affects your liking of the Mechanics modules at A-level. I did M1-3, and my enthusiasm (and performance) decreased significantly as the number after the 'M' increased because I wasn't at all interested in the content which I perceived as being, essentially, physics. To those who had done Physics A-level it seemed more mathsy than physical, but to me who hadn't, it was much further from maths than I was comfortable with!
I need S,1 in step II and III wtf
Original post by nuodai
In turn, doing A-level Physics no doubt affects your liking of the Mechanics modules at A-level. I did M1-3, and my enthusiasm (and performance) decreased significantly as the number after the 'M' increased because I wasn't at all interested in the content which I perceived as being, essentially, physics. To those who had done Physics A-level it seemed more mathsy than physical, but to me who hadn't, it was much further from maths than I was comfortable with!
That's interesting. It might be my view of it (as very much more maths than phys) is coloured by the way I was simultaneously focussing on the STEP mechanics questions*, and it could be that it's more those I'm remembering. Or the fact that I taught the modules to myself treating them like maths. Shrug. Seems like a long time ago now!
*Because my strategy was to answer all the mech questions on each paper and then look for a friendly pure one. Don't try this at home, kids.
Original post by Mr Dactyl
newton things.
technical language
More seriously, you may not know this but, is there any overlap between the later mechanics modules at a level and 1st year dynamics? It would be good if there was, M4/5/6 have been pretty good so far imho.
Original post by ben-smith
technical language
More seriously, you may not know this but, is there any overlap between the later mechanics modules at a level and 1st year dynamics? It would be good if there was, M4/5/6 have been pretty good so far imho.
More seriously, you may not know this but, is there any overlap between the later mechanics modules at a level and 1st year dynamics? It would be good if there was, M4/5/6 have been pretty good so far imho.
There's definitely overlap. People who have done lots of 'M' modules tend to do well in Dynamics & Relativity. But the Part IA D&R course is covered from a completely different angle, essentially building everything up using vector calculus... knowing the SUVAT equations won't help much at all!
EDIT: For a taster, see here: the lecture notes are at the bottom.
(edited 12 years ago)
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