MAT Prep Thread - 2nd November 2016 - Page 4

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The minimum of the LHS would be 4 and the maximum of the RHS would be 4 as well?

Exactly, so the only time the two sides will be equal (all other times, the LHS will be too big and the RHS will be too small, so never equal - hence no solutions) is when both are equal to 4.

Now does an

x

exist such that both

\sin x = 0

and

\cos x = -1

? If so, how many? If not, well then there are 0 solutions.

Reply 61

Quido

Original post by Zacken

x

exist such that both

\sin x = 0

and

\cos x = -1

? If so, how many? If not, well then there are 0 solutions.

Ah right, they both exist at 180 degrees or Pi so it would be one solution.
Thank you very much :biggrin:

Reply 62

Zacken

Original post by Quido

Ah right, they both exist at 180 degrees or Pi so it would be one solution.
Thank you very much :biggrin:

Yep.

No problem.

Reply 63

Mitchb777dotcom

Anyone got the solutions to the 2005 paper? Can't find 'em anywhere. Grrr

Reply 64

AmanGottu

Hey guys if anyone is interested in having group skype sessions to practice for MAT be sure to message me! I'm a US applicant btw and I'm trying to practice so I can try to get a 90-100 on the exam. Here are my test scores to show some sense of credibility. Please message me!

ACT - 36
Math2 - 800
Bio - 790
Chem - 770
AP CalcAB - 5
AP Com. Sci - 5
AMC 12A (Feb. 2016)- 117

Reply 65

Euclidean

Original post by AmanGottu

Where are you applying in the UK and for which courses, out of curiosity?

Reply 66

AmanGottu

Original post by Euclidean

Where are you applying in the UK and for which courses, out of curiosity?

I'm applying to Oxford for Computer Science.

Reply 67

Unusualbob1

Hi, I am going to be applying for Maths at Oxford but I was going to be applying to Cambridge. I therefore have not looked at the MAT yet and would appreciate any help at all. Please message me, I have skype and would love to group sessions. How much practise do I need to be doing between now and November?

Reply 68

AmanGottu

Original post by Unusualbob1

It definitely depends on how much you know right now. There's around 2 months until the exam so there's definitely some time to prepare. Message me your skype so we can figure something out!

Reply 69

Quido

I just looked at Imperial for the MAT and it turns out you don't need to sit it for Computer Science. Is there any reason for this? They use it for everything else except for comp sci :frown:

Reply 70

KloppOClock

I feel even though the exam is in November, there still isn't enough time to prepare.

Reply 71

KloppOClock

What trig facts do we need to learn.

E.g sin30= 1/2
sin60=(root3)/2

Reply 72

DylanJ42

Original post by KloppOClock

What trig facts do we need to learn.

E.g sin30= 1/2
sin60=(root3)/2

hmm you probably need

\displaystyle \cos^2x + \sin^2x= 1

,the three

\displaystyle \cos2x

ones,

\displaystyle \sin2x = 2 \sin x \cos x

.

Id say learn the values of sinx, cosx and tanx for x = 0, 30, 45, 60 ,90 ( degrees).

also

\displaystyle \tan x = \frac{\sin x}{\cos x}

also as you probably know you dont get a formula book, so make sure you know the sine rule and the cosine rule

theres probably more but thats all I can think of rn :smile:

Reply 73

lewman99

Original post by KloppOClock

What trig facts do we need to learn.

E.g sin30= 1/2
sin60=(root3)/2

In terms of the syllabus, you'll need to be comfortable with using radians, tanx = sinx/cosx, sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) =1, and that sin (pi/2 - x) = cosx. You'll also need to know the exact values of sin, cos and tan for 0,30,45,60 and 90 degrees (it's not that bad to learn then by rote - remember one line for sin, then "reverse" it for cos, and applying tanx = sinx/cosx for tanx.

Also, something that comes up a *lot* - remember how to work with the maximum and minimum of sine and cosine functions. And squaring something makes it positive!

Also, note that if you've got something like sin(sqrt(x)), sqrt(x) increases slower than x, so the waves will get further and further apart. Similarly, in sin(x^2), the waves will get closer and closer together. You'll probably see a few examples in multiple choice questions.

Reply 74

Mitchb777dotcom

What's everyone scoring on the 2008 paper? I just got 67 but it's 2 years before the score data, as it's still a relatively recent paper I hope 65-75 is still a very competitive score?

Reply 75

DylanJ42

Original post by Mitchb777dotcom

What's everyone scoring on the 2008 paper? I just got 67 but it's 2 years before the score data, as it's still a relatively recent paper I hope 65-75 is still a very competitive score?

super roughly from 2010-2015 the average was 50, average shortlisted was 60 and average successful was 70 (obviously lower on the harder years) so i cant imagine 2007-2009 being much different.

Id say 67 at this stage is super good, getting 70 will put you in a very good spot probably

Reply 76

Mitchb777dotcom

Original post by DylanJ42

Thanks, even though i'm not applying to oxford (Cambridge lyfe :smile:

) I'm gunna apply to imperial or Durham so I can do the exam just to see where I am at the moment. Although if I do really well in the MAT and get rejected I'll be well gutted.

Best of luck to you

Reply 77

Quido

Original post by Mitchb777dotcom

What's everyone scoring on the 2008 paper? I just got 67 but it's 2 years before the score data, as it's still a relatively recent paper I hope 65-75 is still a very competitive score?

I got 81 in that paper (doing the comp sci questions not that normal maths ones, don't know how they compare) and found it quite easy compared to the 2010. I would still imagine the scores for those papers to be roughly the same as 2010-2015 though.