AQA Physics PHYA4 - 20th June 2016 [Exam Discussion Thread]

To get an A* overall in Physics, dou you need an A at AS and 90%(270 UMS) at A2? So 510/600 UMS overall?

Nope, you need 480 UMS from both AS and A2 combined, but with 270 UMS coming from A2 alone. So you can essentially get a C in AS (180 UMS) and still get an A* if you get 300 UMS in A2, as you will have 480 UMS total and 270+ UMS in A2

Reply 161

boyyo

6

Original post by TajwarC

Nope, you need 480 UMS from both AS and A2 combined, but with 270 UMS coming from A2 alone. So you can essentially get a C in AS (180 UMS) and still get an A* if you get 300 UMS in A2, as you will have 480 UMS total and 270+ UMS in A2

What!! Thats a lot less than what I tought. Thanks for correcting me

Reply 162

scrlk

7

Original post by MintyMilk

38/50 on SHM, then did the water flow to try to get a better grade, actually got a worse grade, along with a worse grade than last year on my AS ISA resit. (UMS's I'm working with => Unit 1 96/120, Unit 2 98/120, Unit 3 36/60, Unit 6 probably 33/60)

Would be currently averaging an A and wouldn't need to average 90% over Unit 4 and Unit 5 just to get an A if it weren't for the ISAs. All this and they're not even a thing anymore, just would have had to be born 1 year later.

If a couple marks on an ISA is what stops me from getting into my firm I don't know how I'll handle it.

I've just realised that my ISA totally screws me over as well, I'd need to get 110 UMS in Unit 4 and 5 to get an A. :frown:

Reply 163

MintyMilk

3

Original post by scrlk

I've just realised that my ISA totally screws me over as well, I'd need to get 110 UMS in Unit 4 and 5 to get an A. :frown:

We can do it, in fact we will do it, my man.

What's your situation as far as applied subject, other A-levels, and University choice go? It'd be weird if we were in exactly the same scenario.

In my case I'm doing Maths, FM and Physics. Got rejected from Oxford so now Warwick is my firm, and I applied for Physics.

(edited 7 years ago)

In.

Original post by MintyMilk

We can do it, in fact we will do it, my man.

What's your situation as far as applied subject, other A-levels, and University choice go? It'd be weird if we were in exactly the same scenario.

In my case I'm doing Maths, FM and Physics. Got rejected from Oxford so now Warwick is my firm, and I applied for Physics.

Applied for Electrical Engineering at Southampton. They wanted AAB, but they specified A in maths and physics. Also doing chemistry.

IDK if I should just go for the moonshoot and try and get an A* in maths to balance out what is very likely to be a B in physics at this point.

Reply 166

Normal.Person

9

So what do you guys think the 6 marker will be on?
My prediction: since the SHM question was answered terribly (even according to the examiner's report), it might pop up as a six marker this time.

Reply 167

ComradeLenin

2

Original post by Normal.Person

So what do you guys think the 6 marker will be on?
My prediction: since the SHM question was answered terribly (even according to the examiner's report), it might pop up as a six marker this time.

Are you referring to the June 2015 question about damping?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 168

Normal.Person

9

The whole first question on SHM was answered not that good-ly.

Reply 169

MintyMilk

3

Having to deal with AQA's terrible wording is making me wish I'd applied to do a Maths degree instead. I'd give anything to get MEI to make a Physics course.

Reply 170

username1306902

9

Original post by MintyMilk

Having to deal with AQA's terrible wording is making me wish I'd applied to do a Maths degree instead. I'd give anything to get MEI to make a Physics course.

i know man there awful, they want answers that don't make complete sense sometimes, and won't give marks for other perfectly valid explanations. There questions in recent years are literally worded to confuse you and force you to give overcomplicated answers because you have no idea what they're after.

This year they've resorted to changing the front page of the paper to throw people off. You'd be fortunate to even answer all the questions in time this year, timing has turned into a joke there too many questions and too many intermediate steps that their isn't enough time for. AQA are trying sweep as many Us as possible this year watch out lads.

Following.

How was the Unit 1 paper?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 173

TheLifelessRobot

7

Original post by ComradeLenin

How was the Unit 1 paper?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Really nice, much easier than last years paper. The grade boundaries are probably going to be quite high. 57-58 for an A.

Reply 174

TajwarC

17

Original post by MintyMilk

Having to deal with AQA's terrible wording is making me wish I'd applied to do a Maths degree instead. I'd give anything to get MEI to make a Physics course.

I thought MEI have a comprehension in a maths exam lol? I'd imagine them to be the last people I want making a physics exam. Maybe I'm wrong. Regardless, feels like AQA are making the newer papers with stupid questions simply because everything has been asked before

Reply 175

MintyMilk

3

Original post by TajwarC

I thought MEI have a comprehension in a maths exam lol?

If you actually look at the comprehension papers they make a decent amount of sense. I feel like it's somewhat of a problem in maths that people are taught to get good grades simply by memorising how to plug and chug, and the comprehension papers deal with this by asking more general, intuitive questions about logic in general.

I've only really glanced over 1 or 2 papers so far, but I imagine that's the ethos they'd be going for with it.

Reply 176

TajwarC

17

Original post by MintyMilk

If you actually look at the comprehension papers they make a decent amount of sense. I feel like it's somewhat of a problem in maths that people are taught to get good grades simply by memorising how to plug and chug, and the comprehension papers deal with this by asking more general, intuitive questions about logic in general.

I've only really glanced over 1 or 2 papers so far, but I imagine that's the ethos they'd be going for with it.