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What parts of our Maths and Physics A Levels should we look over before starting our course?
Original post by DanRigg96#
What parts of our Maths and Physics A Levels should we look over before starting our course?


All of them :lol:

First year seems to go over all the A level content of any course to get people up to the same level, then starts adding a few bits, but that's all I know :tongue:

Personally I've started learning programming, so i've got one less thing to be completely confused about!
Original post by DanRigg96#
What parts of our Maths and Physics A Levels should we look over before starting our course?


Calculus and vectors. Your life will be easier in first year if you are really solid on those two areas.
Original post by Schadenfreude65
Calculus and vectors. Your life will be easier in first year if you are really solid on those two areas.


How competent do you need to be at those to be fully prepared for first year do you know?

I love calculus, and so I think I'm okay with that, never really struggled with it over A Levels. However vectors I found really difficult in C4, but then in FP3 I quite liked them (although this was more because the questions on them were easier than the other topics).
Original post by Tibbz2
How competent do you need to be at those to be fully prepared for first year do you know?

I love calculus, and so I think I'm okay with that, never really struggled with it over A Levels. However vectors I found really difficult in C4, but then in FP3 I quite liked them (although this was more because the questions on them were easier than the other topics).


They form the basis of a lot of the topics you will be studying. Vectors are used a lot in mechanics and electromagnetism, for instance. You'll start doing more complicated things with calculus (e.g. calculating moments of inertia using triple integrals) so it will be much easier if you're not having to struggle with the basics.

Also, you will be taught complex numbers and matrices in first year, as not everyone will have done further maths, but it certainly won't hurt to learn/revise these topics beforehand.
Original post by Schadenfreude65
They form the basis of a lot of the topics you will be studying. Vectors are used a lot in mechanics and electromagnetism, for instance. You'll start doing more complicated things with calculus (e.g. calculating moments of inertia using triple integrals) so it will be much easier if you're not having to struggle with the basics.

Also, you will be taught complex numbers and matrices in first year, as not everyone will have done further maths, but it certainly won't hurt to learn/revise these topics beforehand.


Ah yeah I had problems with the complex numbers in FP3, I should probably try and understand those better :redface:

Cheers! :smile:
Bristol has put Physics into Clearing - the first year this has happened apparently.
MSc Physics, BSc Physics and BSc Physics with Preliminary Year : http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/courses/undergraduate/
Original post by returnmigrant
Bristol has put Physics into Clearing - the first year this has happened apparently.
MSc Physics, BSc Physics and BSc Physics with Preliminary Year : http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/courses/undergraduate/


Where does it say that?
Got in to Sussex!

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Original post by DanRigg96#
Got in to Sussex!


Congratulations. :smile:
I got in to Manchester so happy !!!
Got into Liverpool, that's a huge relief.


Original post by DanRigg96#
Got in to Sussex!Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by rachelc142
I got in to Manchester so happy !!!


Well done guys! :smile:
Original post by Ki Yung Na
Got into Liverpool, that's a huge relief.




Well done guys! :smile:


Thank you !! Same to you :-)
Original post by rachelc142
Thank you !! Same to you :-)


Manc and L'Pool - rival cities :u:

EDIT, thanks!
Well done everyone! Officially off to UCL, God help me being a scouser in London!
anyone else going to university of birmingham???
i got into st andrews! anyone else??
A*A*A and off to Nottingham! :biggrin:
Well done, guys, we've made it!
I got into Imperial, and what a relief it is!!

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