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Do I need Maths for A-Level Chemsitry?

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Reply 140
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by Marked Target
You can only ever really scrape and A*. If you got over 90% then its an A* as good as any other. Everyone loses a few marks here and there which is why A*s are often luck imo.


It is possible to absolutely smash the exams and get A*s though, I could have probably dropped >25 marks in chemistry exams and still got an A*. 90-100 is as big of a gap as 80-90.
Original post by alow
It is possible to absolutely smash the exams and get A*s though, I could have probably dropped >25 marks in chemistry exams and still got an A*. 90-100 is as big of a gap as 80-90.


Its been a while since my GCSEs. There are some exams you can reliably get 90+% in but I don't think you can ever be certain i could put a paper in front of you and you could get 100% every time. We all make stupid mistakes and they can easily cost you the A*

Also, 80-90 is actually often a bigger gap than 90-100. The way the mark scheme works 1% marks =/= 1% grade. (At A level at least, i didn't look into it as much at GCSE but id be surprised if it were different since they have quotas to meet) Sometimes you can get 70/72 and get 100%, sometimes 71/72 is 95%.
Reply 142
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by Marked Target
Its been a while since my GCSEs. There are some exams you can reliably get 90+% in but I don't think you can ever be certain i could put a paper in front of you and you could get 100% every time. We all make stupid mistakes and they can easily cost you the A*

Also, 80-90 is actually often a bigger gap than 90-100. The way the mark scheme works 1% marks =/= 1% grade. (At A level at least, i didn't look into it as much at GCSE but id be surprised if it were different since they have quotas to meet) Sometimes you can get 70/72 and get 100%, sometimes 71/72 is 95%.


If you've practiced well enough, you can guarantee 95%+.
Original post by alow
If you've practiced well enough, you can guarantee 95%+.


Out of only 200 marks? I think its very easy to drop ~10 marks here and there from very stupid mistakes.

Maybe its because I've almost completely forgotten GCSEs. All I remember is that I did essentially no work for them. At A level, however, I'd never bet money on getting 95+% because its far too easy to accidentally drop a - sign, draw a diagram a bit wrong or just misread a question which can alone cost you more than 10%.
Reply 144
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by Marked Target
Out of only 200 marks? I think its very easy to drop ~10 marks here and there from very stupid mistakes.

Maybe its because I've almost completely forgotten GCSEs. All I remember is that I did essentially no work for them. At A level, however, I'd never bet money on getting 95+% because its far too easy to accidentally drop a - sign, draw a diagram a bit wrong or just misread a question which can alone cost you more than 10%.


For both GCSEs and A Levels it's possible to guarantee it. You just have to work out what the examiners are looking for.

When I sat my A Level Chemistry exams I could guarantee whatever the paper had in it, I was getting 95%+.
Original post by alow
For both GCSEs and A Levels it's possible to guarantee it. You just have to work out what the examiners are looking for.

When I sat my A Level Chemistry exams I could guarantee whatever the paper had in it, I was getting 95%+.


Well, maybe you've a lot more attention to detail than I do but I don't think anyone I knew would reply "yes" if you asked them "can you reliably get 95+%" although maybe that's just modesty.
Reply 146
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by Marked Target
Well, maybe you've a lot more attention to detail than I do but I don't think anyone I knew would reply "yes" if you asked them "can you reliably get 95+%" although maybe that's just modesty.


If you study the markschemes it's more than doable, especially when the exams have low boundaries. For example one of my papers had 90/100 as the 150/150 UMS boundary and I would be surprised if I got less than 98 on that paper.
I'd just be happy with whatever percentage I need to get an A haha


Posted from TSR Mobile
:smile:
I want to take A level chemistry but I really didn't enjoy GCSE Maths. With a lot of my own revision I managed to get a B but I don't think I'd cope at AS/A2 in maths, should I reconsider taking chemistry?
Original post by senrab15
I want to take A level chemistry but I really didn't enjoy GCSE Maths. With a lot of my own revision I managed to get a B but I don't think I'd cope at AS/A2 in maths, should I reconsider taking chemistry?


If you are genuinely interested in Chemistry then I advise you still take Chemistry. The maths is not that hard in Chemistry in AS its mostly applying rearranging formulas tbh.
Original post by SuperHuman98
If you are genuinely interested in Chemistry then I advise you still take Chemistry. The maths is not that hard in Chemistry in AS its mostly applying rearranging formulas tbh.


Does it get harder at A Level? I am motivated to put in the work
Original post by senrab15
Does it get harder at A Level? I am motivated to put in the work


Yeah chemistry is one of the hardest A LEVELS
Original post by SuperHuman98
Yeah chemistry is one of the hardest A LEVELS


I mean the maths based aspect of Chemistry :smile:
Original post by senrab15
I mean the maths based aspect of Chemistry :smile:


I know people who don't do Maths A level and they did good on AS chemistry, not sure about A2
Reply 155
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by senrab15
I mean the maths based aspect of Chemistry :smile:


The maths is fine, you don't need to do A Level maths.
Original post by alow
The maths is fine, you don't need to do A Level maths.


I hope so


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Original post by TomSuffolk
I'm hoping to get at least an A overall, do you think that's possible without maths?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Definitely but be aware that you will have to put a lot of effort in!
Reply 158
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by TomSuffolk


There is not a thing in chemistry that require maths of a higher standard than GCSE. You'll be fine.
I did Chemistry to A2 and got an A, and I dropped maths at GCSE! Personally I found that the maths needed wasn't hard at all, there was no need to take A level to cope :smile: (btw I was on AQA)

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