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CSAT help please

Hi,
I've put Cambridge down as one of my choices for Computer Science and only just started looking at the CSAT.
I'm in Y13, only just finished the C3 topics and so far I'm finding the questions extremely difficult. Is it normal to be this clueless about the CSAT? :ashamed2:
I can barely finish 3 questions from section A.

What I wanted to know is, what should I be learning/revising?
And also, what books or websites or such could I use to learn the stuff on the CSAT?
Original post by TTTRRee
Hi,
I've put Cambridge down as one of my choices for Computer Science and only just started looking at the CSAT.
I'm in Y13, only just finished the C3 topics and so far I'm finding the questions extremely difficult. Is it normal to be this clueless about the CSAT? :ashamed2:
I can barely finish 3 questions from section A.

What I wanted to know is, what should I be learning/revising?
And also, what books or websites or such could I use to learn the stuff on the CSAT?


Yes, it is completely normal, it is supposed to be hard, so you don't have to worry :smile:

It is less about learning things and more about problem solving. So apart from doing the sample papers (there is a nice CSAT answers and discussion thread btw), the only thing you can do really is to practice solving these kind of maths questions with stuff like maths challenge questions, past MAT papers, maybe some STEP I (even if the style is different), and so on, if you want to.

But you should also remember that it is only one part of the application, and won't make or break it it on its own.
Original post by TTTRRee
Hi,
I've put Cambridge down as one of my choices for Computer Science and only just started looking at the CSAT.
I'm in Y13, only just finished the C3 topics and so far I'm finding the questions extremely difficult. Is it normal to be this clueless about the CSAT? :ashamed2:
I can barely finish 3 questions from section A.

What I wanted to know is, what should I be learning/revising?
And also, what books or websites or such could I use to learn the stuff on the CSAT?


The Cambridge step prep program is great :smile:

Also MAT long answer questions seem to be quite similar to CSAT - the man who makes the CSAT told me on the open day that MAT is probably most similar to CSAT.

The STEP prep program definitely helps to teach you how to problem solve though :smile:)
Original post by ImprobableCacti
The Cambridge step prep program is great :smile:

Also MAT long answer questions seem to be quite similar to CSAT - the man who makes the CSAT told me on the open day that MAT is probably most similar to CSAT.

The STEP prep program definitely helps to teach you how to problem solve though :smile:)


I agree on the step support program, even though I only did five assignments so far I definitely learned a lot of useful stuff already (plus it is kind of fun :h:)
Original post by CompSciCat
I agree on the step support program, even though I only did five assignments so far I definitely learned a lot of useful stuff already (plus it is kind of fun :h:)


Yeah I've only done 5 too but it is great fun haha :smile:
Reply 5
Thanks for the response, both of you. :smile:

The problems I'm having with most CSAT questions at the moment are mostly just not understanding what it's asking me to do. For example, I've got no idea what max and min functions are, no idea what 'lim' means and other things like that.
Does the STEP prep program cover things like this? :smile:
Original post by TTTRRee
Thanks for the response, both of you. :smile:

The problems I'm having with most CSAT questions at the moment are mostly just not understanding what it's asking me to do. For example, I've got no idea what max and min functions are, no idea what 'lim' means and other things like that.
Does the STEP prep program cover things like this? :smile:


It helps you to understand what questions are asking but I haven't seen anything with the max and min functions (yet) - my friend who is applying for maths has come across them though :smile:

My best advice would be that, you only have to answer 5, the test is designed to have questions from different areas of maths, just pick what you're good at and leave the rest :smile:
Original post by TTTRRee
Hi,
I've put Cambridge down as one of my choices for Computer Science and only just started looking at the CSAT.
I'm in Y13, only just finished the C3 topics and so far I'm finding the questions extremely difficult. Is it normal to be this clueless about the CSAT? :ashamed2:
I can barely finish 3 questions from section A.

What I wanted to know is, what should I be learning/revising?
And also, what books or websites or such could I use to learn the stuff on the CSAT?


Also which college are you applying to? :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by ImprobableCacti
It helps you to understand what questions are asking but I haven't seen anything with the max and min functions (yet) - my friend who is applying for maths has come across them though :smile:

My best advice would be that, you only have to answer 5, the test is designed to have questions from different areas of maths, just pick what you're good at and leave the rest :smile:


Ah, okay. I better start doing that step prep program then :gthumb:


Original post by ImprobableCacti
Also which college are you applying to? :smile:


I'm applying to Queens'. :smile:
Original post by TTTRRee
I'm applying to Queens'. :smile:


Oooo Sames :smile:

(You're the first other Queens' CompSci I've found on TSR haha)
Original post by TTTRRee
Thanks for the response, both of you. :smile:

The problems I'm having with most CSAT questions at the moment are mostly just not understanding what it's asking me to do. For example, I've got no idea what max and min functions are, no idea what 'lim' means and other things like that.
Does the STEP prep program cover things like this? :smile:


Max returns the largest of the given set of numbers, lim is usually accompanied with other info, eg lim n->infinity in which case you are looking at what happens when n goes to infinity. It’s pretty self explanatory
Original post by ImprobableCacti
The Cambridge step prep program is great :smile:

Also MAT long answer questions seem to be quite similar to CSAT - the man who makes the CSAT told me on the open day that MAT is probably most similar to CSAT.

The STEP prep program definitely helps to teach you how to problem solve though :smile:)


Hello, I am also applying to Queen's Compsci. Is the step prep program the assignments found here? https://maths.org/step/
Original post by TKLovesScience
Hello, I am also applying to Queen's Compsci. Is the step prep program the assignments found here? https://maths.org/step/


Yaaaaahhhh
Original post by ImprobableCacti
Yaaaaahhhh


Nice. Would you happen to know where to find the answers for these?
Original post by TKLovesScience
Nice. Would you happen to know where to find the answers for these?


The solutions (well, hints and partial solutions) are right there on the assignment pages :smile:
Original post by TKLovesScience
Nice. Would you happen to know where to find the answers for these?


There are sheets at the end of each exercise with hints and (some) solutions - it's more about teaching you how to think than getting the right answers :smile:
Original post by CompSciCat
The solutions (well, hints and partial solutions) are right there on the assignment pages :smile:


Ohh... Found it! Thank you both, this will surely help a lot. I've been struggling with the second part of the first sample CSAT so hopefully going through these will help.
Hasn't Cambridge posted the answers to the 2 CSAT sample papers ?
Original post by Revision99
Hasn't Cambridge posted the answers to the 2 CSAT sample papers ?


No, we have a CSAT Answers/Discussion thread though where everyone who solved a question can contribute:smile:

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