how difficult is FP math?

hey

just wondering...how much more difficult is Further Maths compared with just Maths and A level for someone who finds C1/C2 (but not stats urghh) pretty straightforward?

i need to know this since im considering self studying for the FP modules next year/over summer as I want to do computer science at uni -_-;;

thanks

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Reply 1

amazon

I think that our course (Edexcel) is hard but not unmanageable. As long as you're willing to put the work in then you should be ok. It is much harder than C1/C2 though obviously.

Reply 2

steelmole

I think it's definitely harder but not impenetrable by any means.

Reply 3

fuelofbritain

FP1's a bit of a joke, but FP2 and FP3 can be very difficult. you only need FP1 for the AS though, so you could do that and two other applied?

Reply 4

qgujxj39

Depends on your exam board. If you're on Edexcel, then you need C3 and C4 to be able to do FP1.

Reply 5

manderlay in flames

if you're gonna do over fp1 I'd say it's a different league to normal maths.

Reply 6

The Sherminator

It is difficult, a significant jump from the normal maths stuff. FP2 Edexcel is the hardest IMO, because of the integration involved and the coordinate system stuff. FP3 is actually quite fun after a while, if you get the hang of it.

Self teaching will be hard, or perhaps its just me, i think self teaching maths is very hard because I am not great at it. Give it a shot tho, and its always something nice to put in your PS, that you self thought, and if you get decent marks, then thats great.

Reply 7

supernovastarfish

fuelofbritain

FP1's a bit of a joke, but FP2 and FP3 can be very difficult. you only need FP1 for the AS though, so you could do that and two other applied?

touche

i just had a look at the FP1 syllabus on TSR and the only thing that sounds weird is "Interval Bisection, Linear Interpolation, Newton-Raphson Iteration".

what do you mean applied?

Reply 8

supernovastarfish

tommmmmmmmmm

Depends on your exam board. If you're on Edexcel, then you need C3 and C4 to be able to do FP1.

im doing OCR and i don't think people studying FP this year have done those...not sure.

Reply 9

The Sherminator

supernovastarfish

touche

i just had a look at the FP1 syllabus on TSR and the only thing that sounds weird is "Interval Bisection, Linear Interpolation, Newton-Raphson Iteration".

what do you mean applied?

Applied is Mechanics or statistics, which is quite interesting i think. Especially the mechanics and some of the stats.

That stuff is actually easy, once you get do a few questions. Especailly Newton-Raphson :p:

loved those questions. If you think that is the hardest stuff, give it a shot!!! You have a good chance of doing well!!

Reply 10

steelmole

I found further pure 4 quite tricky actually because it was so different from all the other stuff we had done. On the plus side it stands up on its own so you don't need to do any other modules really.

Reply 11

fuelofbritain

Shrayans

loved those questions. If you think that is the hardest stuff, give it a shot!!! You have a good chance of doing well!!

There is decision maths as well, which isn't even slightly interesting.

Yeah, you just need to work at it; none of the techniques are much harder than the C1-2 shizzle, you just need to know more.

Reply 12

qgujxj39

supernovastarfish

"Interval Bisection, Linear Interpolation, Newton-Raphson Iteration".

Interval bisection is guessing the roots of an equation by guessing two values, then finding the midpoint of those values, then find the range that the root is in, and repeating until you have the desired degree of accuracy. The kind of stuff you'd see on a GCSE paper, but they'd say "trial and error".

Linear interpolation is doing a similar thing, except using similar triangles to find a better approximation. It's basically the worst thing about FP1.

Newton-Raphson is a lot more interesting, and also easy. Again, it's used to approximate roots of equations.

Reply 13

The Sherminator

fuelofbritain

There is decision maths as well, which isn't even slightly interesting.

Yeah, you just need to work at it; none of the techniques are much harder than the C1-2 shizzle, you just need to know more.

That isn't real maths tho :wink:

lol

Yea, don't take C1 or C2 as ANY representation of how hard it gets!

Reply 14

qgujxj39

fuelofbritain

There is decision maths as well, which isn't even slightly interesting.

If I get bored one month in the holidays, I'll teach myself a new module. If I get bored one evening, I'll teach myself D1. :p:

Reply 15

The Sherminator

tommmmmmmmmm

If I get bored one month in the holidays, I'll teach myself a new module. If I get bored one evening, I'll teach myself D1. :p:

My maths teacher calls it Dumb Maths, lol. He forbid us from doing it! Even as a 13th module, just in case we mess up something. Lol.

Reply 16

qgujxj39

Shrayans

My maths teacher calls it Dumb Maths

"Maths"?

Reply 17

steelmole

I hear a lot of people badmouthing decision maths, sadly in my opinion. If you have a maths teacher willing to step outside the syllabus a little bit then it can be a very interesting area of maths.

Reply 18

The Sherminator

tommmmmmmmmm

"Maths"?

????
Is this an American vs British grammar point? I am sorry mate, i switched over from an american school, so some of the grammar is still americanised.

However if it was something else..... do point out in a more clear format :biggrin:

Reply 19

trance addict

Shrayans