STEP Prep Thread 2016 (Mark. II)

What were peoples thoughts on Q 1 III 2014? Seems like a really dumb question, i dont get the point of what we accomplished at the end of it. Is there some deeper idea i missed?

Reply 484

MathHysteria

9

Original post by EnglishMuon

What were peoples thoughts on Q 1 III 2014? Seems like a really dumb question, i dont get the point of what we accomplished at the end of it. Is there some deeper idea i missed?

I didn't think much of that question when I did it either, tbh. It feels a bit like an algebra slog, which should make it accessible to all candidates I suppose.

Reply 485

Original post by EnglishMuon

What were peoples thoughts on Q 1 III 2014? Seems like a really dumb question, i dont get the point of what we accomplished at the end of it. Is there some deeper idea i missed?

I liked it because it was easy :smile:

. I think the point of the whole thing was to evaluate the integral at the end, which yeah is a bit pointless because partial fractions could easily give even an antiderivative. But probably just to demonstrate how hyperbolic integrals etc. can be used cleverly to work out values of other types of integrals (in this case one of a rational function).

EDIT: Aaaaand I just realised you're on about Q1 not Q2.

Reply 486

Original post by EnglishMuon

What were peoples thoughts on Q 1 III 2014? Seems like a really dumb question, i dont get the point of what we accomplished at the end of it. Is there some deeper idea i missed?

Looking at the right question this time, I think it was just a clever method of finding relationships between the

S_i

since it would be quite hard otherwise.

Reply 487

Original post by IrrationalRoot

I liked it because it was easy :smile:

. I think the point of the whole thing was to evaluate the integral at the end, which yeah is a bit pointless because partial fractions could easily give even an antiderivative. But probably just to demonstrate how hyperbolic integrals etc. can be used cleverly to work out values of other types of integrals (in this case one of a rational function).

EDIT: Aaaaand I just realised you're on about Q1 not Q2.

haha yep

but yeah I liked q2 because it yea it was 15 mins for 20 marks and you got some funky mix of hyperbolics and other trig expressions

Reply 488

Original post by EnglishMuon

haha yep

but yeah I liked q2 because it yea it was 15 mins for 20 marks and you got some funky mix of hyperbolics and other trig expressions

Only problem with the Q was that it was almost an exact repeat of the 2004 integration Q.

Reply 489

Original post by IrrationalRoot

Looking at the right question this time, I think it was just a clever method of finding relationships between the

S_i

since it would be quite hard otherwise.

yeah but still we get an easy way to expresses the Si 's interms of qs/rs but then there is nothing else we do with it :tongue:

Reply 490

Original post by EnglishMuon

yeah but still we get an easy way to expresses the Si 's interms of qs/rs but then there is nothing else we do with it :tongue:

It seemed like we were trying to see whether

S_aS_b=S_{a+b}

but it didn't work it out lol.

Reply 491

Original post by IrrationalRoot

It seemed like we were trying to see whether

S_aS_b=S_{a+b}

but it didn't work it out lol.

lol yea I know! I got to the end and was waiting for a proof that it works for all a,b, then it was just like

Reply 492

Original post by EnglishMuon

lol yea I know! I got to the end and was waiting for a proof that it works for all a,b, then it was just like

Haha such a buzzkill at the end XD.
Was just looking through the III 2014 solutions though, and then I saw this:
"plus the integral of a perfect differential". "differential". And that is certainly not the only time I've seen it in mark schemes. You'd think STEP examiners would know the difference between 'differential' and 'derivative'...

Reply 493

Insight314

7

Did you guys know that you can't take your STEP exams in your usual exam hall but have to take them in a separate room by yourself or at least that is how it is in my school. I prefer it this way to be honest. Oh, and make sure you bring photo ID with you. Also, you are allowed to use a timer for your STEP exams.

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Reply 494

Gregorius

14

Original post by IrrationalRoot

Was just looking through the III 2014 solutions though, and then I saw this:
"plus the integral of a perfect differential". "differential". And that is certainly not the only time I've seen it in mark schemes. You'd think STEP examiners would know the difference between 'differential' and 'derivative'...

Used to be standard terminology when I was young; ah, the times change...

Reply 495

username1162972

18

Original post by IrrationalRoot

Haha such a buzzkill at the end XD.
Was just looking through the III 2014 solutions though, and then I saw this:
"plus the integral of a perfect differential". "differential". And that is certainly not the only time I've seen it in mark schemes. You'd think STEP examiners would know the difference between 'differential' and 'derivative'...

Who cares, only sados know the difference.

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Reply 496

Zacken

OP

22

Original post by IrrationalRoot

Haha such a buzzkill at the end XD.
Was just looking through the III 2014 solutions though, and then I saw this:
"plus the integral of a perfect differential". "differential". And that is certainly not the only time I've seen it in mark schemes. You'd think STEP examiners would know the difference between 'differential' and 'derivative'...

Have you seen this?

Terrence Tao

One can roughly divide mathematical education into three stages:

1.

The “pre-rigorous” stage, in which mathematics is taught in an informal, intuitive manner, based on examples, fuzzy notions, and hand-waving. (For instance, calculus is usually first introduced in terms of slopes, areas, rates of change, and so forth.) The emphasis is more on computation than on theory. This stage generally lasts until the early undergraduate years.

2.

The “rigorous” stage, in which one is now taught that in order to do maths “properly”, one needs to work and think in a much more precise and formal manner (e.g. re-doing calculus by using epsilons and deltas all over the place). The emphasis is now primarily on theory; and one is expected to be able to comfortably manipulate abstract mathematical objects without focusing too much on what such objects actually “mean”. This stage usually occupies the later undergraduate and early graduate years

3.

The “post-rigorous” stage, in which one has grown comfortable with all the rigorous foundations of one’s chosen field, and is now ready to revisit and refine one’s pre-rigorous intuition on the subject, but this time with the intuition solidly buttressed by rigorous theory. (For instance, in this stage one would be able to quickly and accurately perform computations in vector calculus by using analogies with scalar calculus, or informal and semi-rigorous use of infinitesimals, big-O notation, and so forth, and be able to convert all such calculations into a rigorous argument whenever required.) The emphasis is now on applications, intuition, and the “big picture”. This stage usually occupies the late graduate years and beyond.

Reply 497

Original post by Zacken

Have you seen this?

Pretty sure they're supposed to be in that 3rd stage.
But that was an interesting read :smile:

.

Reply 498

smartalan73