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Does anyone use the big edexcel a2 maths book?

The green official one isnt as useful if your aiming for 90+ for c3 and c4 surely its fair to say that now and since so many harder questions are coming in the exam which the green book/past papers doesnt have. However the big c3/c4 book has a lot of the hard questions which do appear on the recent papers but I want to ask if a lot of people use that book or not and how long it would take to complete every question within it.

Im on about this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Core-Mathematics-Edexcel-Level-Maths/dp/0582842360/ref=pd_sim_b_15

Reply 1

TenOfThem

Original post by cera ess six

I use it to set questions in lessons

Reply 2

ShionxMion

Original post by cera ess six

I'd say that the official books are actually better for self teaching, though you are right in that there aren't as many questions in them.
It's the only book I've used though and I got 93 in C3 (I didn't see a 5 marker) and 91 in C4 (misread a question).

Reply 3

MusicalBookworm

This is the book my teacher uses in lessons. I do own it but dont think Id ever attempt to go through every single question. Probably possible though.

Reply 4

cera ess six

Original post by ShionxMion

using the green book how did you know how to integrate 2^x that question isnt on the solomon/past/green book I only seen it once in the big book which was under extension but congratz on your A*

Reply 5

ShionxMion

Original post by cera ess six

using the green book how did you know how to integrate 2^x that question isnt on the solomon/past/green book I only seen it once in the big book which was under extension but congratz on your A*

If you have the book, it's on page 41.

Reply 6

cera ess six

Original post by ShionxMion

If you have the book, it's on page 41.

Thats the differential im sure the exam question was to find the integral

Reply 7

ShionxMion

Original post by cera ess six

Thats the differential im sure the exam question was to find the integral

Yeah, from that you can see that the integral is going to be (2^x)/ln2, reverse chain rule/inspection, or whatever you want to call it.

Reply 8

cera ess six

Original post by ShionxMion

Yeah, from that you can see that the integral is going to be (2^x)/ln2, reverse chain rule/inspection, or whatever you want to call it.

surely that requires some sort of advanced thinking to integrate that

Reply 9

TenOfThem

Original post by cera ess six

surely that requires some sort of advanced thinking to integrate that

which paper are you referring to?

Reply 10

ShionxMion

Original post by cera ess six

surely that requires some sort of advanced thinking to integrate that

Original post by TenOfThem

which paper are you referring to?

I THINK I recall it being in the most recent C4 exam, I remember my friend WTFing at me saying he was stumped by it.
He used this book (which also has more questions than the green ones) for anyone interested:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Mathematics-Edexcel-Core-Alevel/dp/0199117845/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362773152&sr=1-16

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

TenOfThem

Original post by ShionxMion

Would seeing 1/ln2 as a "simplified" constant help?
I mean, it's the same as integrating things like (1 + x)^7, you try something, differentiate to check, see why it's wrong, fix it up so it's right and we're done.
All I've used are those books and my brain, though whatever books works for you are fine, I was just giving my opinion on it.

I THINK I recall it being in the most recent C4 exam, I remember my friend WTFing at me saying he was stumped by it.
He used this book (which also has more questions than the green ones) for anyone interested:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Mathematics-Edexcel-Core-Alevel/dp/0199117845/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362773152&sr=1-16

As has been said the C4 book covers reverse chain rule as a method so, whilst a harder example it is dealt with

Reply 12

ShionxMion

Original post by TenOfThem

As has been said the C4 book covers reverse chain rule as a method so, whilst a harder example it is dealt with

I'm not sure what's in the book I just linked, for example they have some cover-up method for partial fractions, which isn't in the green book, but it's just what the school uses.
But yeah, if that method was also covered in that book, then I guess it was just his fault for not being able to do it.