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Edexcel Mathematics: Mechanics M3 6679 01 - 17 May 2017 [Exam Discussion]

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Original post by Major-fury
Hi there, for M3 do we need to know what G is? I've seen it in the books but not in exams.


No. The questions always talk about a constant k, which you generally work out by knowing that the acceleration at the surface of the Earth is g (9.8 m/s^2)
Original post by tiny hobbit
No. The questions always talk about a constant k, which you generally work out by knowing that the acceleration at the surface of the Earth is g (9.8 m/s^2)


ah okay thank you. Could you help me with the static questions if possible thank you.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Major-fury
ah okay thank you. Could you help me with the static questions if possible thank you.


Anything in particular?
btw do you guys know if we are required to know how to get 0.5v^2 from the implicit differentiation. I know how to tackle the questions from it just not where it arises from.- surely just working backwards?

Original post by solC
I used that website for pretty much all my modules last year:biggrin:

Currently using it for M5!


Wow you must like your mechanics :biggrin:

Seeing as you appear to be the person achieving/aiming for A*, can I ask what your strategy is.

I am self-teaching this - and going through every single question in the M3 book. Then doing all the available papers. Do you feel the need to tackle every question? Sometimes it seems redundant but also good practice, but this is very time consuming.

Original post by Major-fury
Hi there, for M3 do we need to know what G is? I've seen it in the books but not in exams.


G = 6.67*10^(-11) in physics Ik they provide it.

Dont think in M3, idk. Just remember it tbh.
Original post by WilliamGates
btw do you guys know if we are required to know how to get 0.5v^2 from the implicit differentiation. I know how to tackle the questions from it just not where it arises from.- surely just working backwards?


When you use accel is v dv/dx, separating the variables gives you the integral of v dv which is 0.5 v^2
Original post by tiny hobbit
When you use accel is v dv/dx, separating the variables gives you the integral of v dv which is 0.5 v^2


thanks ofc I will write a note on this.
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Original post by WilliamGates
btw do you guys know if we are required to know how to get 0.5v^2 from the implicit differentiation. I know how to tackle the questions from it just not where it arises from.- surely just working backwards?



Wow you must like your mechanics :biggrin:

Seeing as you appear to be the person achieving/aiming for A*, can I ask what your strategy is.

I am self-teaching this - and going through every single question in the M3 book. Then doing all the available papers. Do you feel the need to tackle every question? Sometimes it seems redundant but also good practice, but this is very time consuming.


Mechanics is fun:redface:

I think doing all of the mixed exercise questions + the review exercises is good practise, because the questions from those are around the same difficulty as exam questions if not harder. Perhaps doing every single question is a little too much but I guess if you're still not completely confident on a topic then it might be worthwhile.

I would say have a go at a past paper or two to see where you really need to work on and where you feel confident, then go back and do some questions from the textbook/wherever on the topics you messed up on.
Then do another couple of papers and repeat until you feel confident with everything.
Original post by solC
Mechanics is fun:redface:

I think doing all of the mixed exercise questions + the review exercises is good practise, because the questions from those are around the same difficulty as exam questions if not harder. Perhaps doing every single question is a little too much but I guess if you're still not completely confident on a topic then it might be worthwhile.

I would say have a go at a past paper or two to see where you really need to work on and where you feel confident, then go back and do some questions from the textbook/wherever on the topics you messed up on.
Then do another couple of papers and repeat until you feel confident with everything.


Perhaps although the centre of mass work is quite tedious. I go up to S3/M3/FP2 etc.

That is a good idea. I think from what I have seen is that the earlier edexcel papers are the review exercises. But yh that makes sense.

Really good advice thanks.

How are you getting on? Have you completed the solomon papers yet :P
Okay this may appear simple, but;

If the acceleration changes at a given value for the displacement x, then is the velocity 0?


Stemming from Ex1C: Q13 in the book

pages 37-38:

http://pmt.physicsandmathstutor.com/download/Maths/A-level/M3/Solutionbank-Heinemann/M3%20Chapter%201.pdf
(edited 6 years ago)
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Original post by WilliamGates
Perhaps although the centre of mass work is quite tedious. I go up to S3/M3/FP2 etc.

That is a good idea. I think from what I have seen is that the earlier edexcel papers are the review exercises. But yh that makes sense.

Really good advice thanks.

How are you getting on? Have you completed the solomon papers yet :P


I find the COM stuff with first principles quite interesting but then the stuff after that is kinda boring...

Oh yeah I forgot that the mechanics papers go back to like 2001, I guess the review exercises are still useful if you wanna do loads of questions on one particular topic.

I haven't done any solomon papers yet, I think I'll do one tomorrow actually.
Original post by solC
I find the COM stuff with first principles quite interesting but then the stuff after that is kinda boring...

Oh yeah I forgot that the mechanics papers go back to like 2001, I guess the review exercises are still useful if you wanna do loads of questions on one particular topic.

I haven't done any solomon papers yet, I think I'll do one tomorrow actually.


I will try and get more into it. The good thing about M3 is that it will mean essentially 0 revision for M2 except the collisions stuff I suppose.

How are you doing M4/M5 btw like do your teachers help you or are you self-teaching it? I looked at the content and there doesn't seem to be that much. Although it is probably much more difficult.
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Original post by WilliamGates
I will try and get more into it. The good thing about M3 is that it will mean essentially 0 revision for M2 except the collisions stuff I suppose.

How are you doing M4/M5 btw like do your teachers help you or are you self-teaching it? I looked at the content and there doesn't seem to be that much. Although it is probably much more difficult.


Yeah that's true, maybe projectiles too.

I'm self teaching all of M3 to M5. Both M4 and M5 are relatively short modules, and imo M5 is the hardest A level module by far. The first few chapters aren't too bad but the last chapter (rotational motion) is really quite tough. Very interesting (and much more 'pure' compared to other mechanics modules) though :smile:
Original post by WilliamGates
Okay this may appear simple, but;

If the acceleration changes at a given value for the displacement x, then is the velocity 0?


Stemming from Ex1C: Q13 in the book

pages 37-38:

http://pmt.physicsandmathstutor.com/download/Maths/A-level/M3/Solutionbank-Heinemann/M3%20Chapter%201.pdf


Original post by solC
Yeah that's true, maybe projectiles too.

I'm self teaching all of M3 to M5. Both M4 and M5 are relatively short modules, and imo M5 is the hardest A level module by far. The first few chapters aren't too bad but the last chapter (rotational motion) is really quite tough. Very interesting (and much more 'pure' compared to other mechanics modules) though :smile:


Yes I am happy in that regard since M2 is clustered amongst other exams.But the collisions question of will the particles collide again - like show that there is/isnt a second collision always comes up.

That's pretty impressive. I was thinking of doing those modules, but it would be too many exam clashes/exams.

Are you doing the full AFM A level?

Also can you help on this question -the solution isnt quite clear.
Original post by tiny hobbit
Anything in particular?


Sorry for taking quite a bit of time to reply. I tend to hate the toppling questions, the static questions ( some function is rotated 2pi and the face is inclined on a plane which makes an angle theta to the horizontal ), some ornament is suspended from a point... Thank you very much for taking the time to help me :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Major-fury
Sorry for taking quite a bit of time to reply. I tend to hate the toppling questions, the static questions ( some function is rotated 2pi and the face is inclined on a plane which makes an angle theta to the horizontal ), some ornament is suspended from a point... Thank you very much for taking the time to help me :smile:


Start from Basics, do all of chapter 5 m2 - cgp book is great and then have a look at some of the m3 work.
Original post by solC
Thought I might as well go ahead and create this thread:redface:

Edexcel past papers
http://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/a-level-maths-papers/m3-edexcel/

Solomon papers
http://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/a-level-maths-papers/m3-solomon/

Mechanics booklets from madasmaths
http://madasmaths.com/archive_maths_booklets_mechanics.html

Practice papers from crashMATHS
http://crashmaths.com/a-level-practice-papers/
Feel free to share any tips or ask questions:smile:


i got a U in m3
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Original post by WilliamGates
Yes I am happy in that regard since M2 is clustered amongst other exams.But the collisions question of will the particles collide again - like show that there is/isnt a second collision always comes up.

That's pretty impressive. I was thinking of doing those modules, but it would be too many exam clashes/exams.

Are you doing the full AFM A level?

Also can you help on this question -the solution isnt quite clear.



Nah I didn't want to do any more stats and decision is a waste of time, so only the AS.

Which part don't you get?
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Original post by study beats
i got a U in m3


Unlucky, are you planning on retaking?
Original post by solC
Nah I didn't want to do any more stats and decision is a waste of time, so only the AS.

Which part don't you get?


Probably a good approach.

Part b - maybe I am overcomplicating it but - does the particle not come to rest - so v=0 at a=4, so why is the acceleration considered where x>4. I would have thought that velocity=0 when the acceleration just changes direction
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Original post by WilliamGates
Probably a good approach.

Part b - maybe I am overcomplicating it but - does the particle not come to rest - so v=0 at a=4, so why is the acceleration considered where x>4. I would have thought that velocity=0 when the acceleration just changes direction


Where did you get this from?

For 0<=x<=4 the acceleration is acting in the direction of x increasing. From this it wouldn't make sense for the velocity to be zero when x is 4. Past here the particles is decelerating because the acceleration is acting in the direction of x decreasing. Therefore the particle is going to come to rest at some point past x=4.

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