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Is it possible to be good at maths but bad at pyhsics?

My predicted grade in maths is 7 and my predicted grade in physics is a 6. I really want to get a 7 in physics! I can do all the maths part and whizz through it but I can't do the actual theory part of the physics, same goes with biology, there is tooooo much info and tooo many key words, I can't keep up!! I really want to do biology at a-level, but the specification for the new biology 9-1 is HUGE! Is their a correlation between your maths and biology/physics skills??

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Lets just say I got an A in AS Maths but an E in AS Physics, so yeah, if you're planning to do Biology or Physics at A level then be prepared to learn a lot of theory, especially in biology, you have to know a lot of stuff in a lot of detail.
Original post by nerdofscience
Lets just say I got an A in AS Maths but an E in AS Physics, so yeah, if you're planning to do Biology or Physics at A level then be prepared to learn a lot of theory, especially in biology, you have to know a lot of stuff in a lot of detail.


Is biology a-level mostly related to topics you do in GCSE?
i loooove maths and am good at it but i haaaate physics and am bad at it
Original post by ReadilySalted
My predicted grade in maths is 7 and my predicted grade in physics is a 6. I really want to get a 7 in physics! I can do all the maths part and whizz through it but I can't do the actual theory part of the physics, same goes with biology, there is tooooo much info and tooo many key words, I can't keep up!! I really want to do biology at a-level, but the specification for the new biology 9-1 is HUGE! Is their a correlation between your maths and biology/physics skills??


It is not bad. There are so different reasons why students are bad in natural sciences, but good at mathematics or vice versa. Most students have great skills in mathematics, because they have a good sense for logic, but hardly interest in sciences. That is my personal experience.
Original post by hpblcparaboloid
i loooove maths and am good at it but i haaaate physics and am bad at it


OMG ME TOO!! I tell people that and they say how is it possible to hate physics but like maths. And i'm like because physics is boring and a load of gibberish, no offence to the physicians out there.
Original post by ReadilySalted
Is biology a-level mostly related to topics you do in GCSE?


yes but no. it's the same topics but in a lot more detail and the knowledge you learnt at gcse is quite irrelevant. if you cant hack biology gcse by the time you have exams dont pick it for a level lol. keep revising it will stick make sure youre doing notes
Original post by Kallisto
It is not bad. There are so different reasons why students are bad in natural sciences, but good at mathematics or vice versa. Most students have great skills in mathematics, because they have a good sense for logic, but hardly interest in sciences. That is my personal experience.


I find biology and chemistry really interesting, but fail to remember things in biology, in chemistry i'm totally fine. But physics despise, but i'm doing my best to get a grade 7! Biology honestly i love, but there is sooo much things to take in
Yes, it's possible. Physics uses maths extensively, but it's entirely possible to lack the physical intuition to do well in physics - particularly in the "lower levels" in school and perhaps early undergraduate physics.

If you continued in mathematics you would still probably do "well" in higher physics, if you so chose, where mathematical formalism can be more important (and in some cases is fundamental to the actual topic at hand, which leads many who have a stronger physical intuition to struggle with those topics...)
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by ReadilySalted
I find biology and chemistry really interesting, but fail to remember things in biology, in chemistry i'm totally fine. But physics despise, but i'm doing my best to get a grade 7! Biology honestly i love, but there is sooo much things to take in


What you mentioned about biology is very familar to me, had to learn lots of key words and term to be secure in dealing with the knowledge. The thing about physics too, it is really sophisticated. The hardest natural science I know.
Yes I love maths and hate Physics tbh
Original post by ReadilySalted
OMG ME TOO!! I tell people that and they say how is it possible to hate physics but like maths. And i'm like because physics is boring and a load of gibberish, no offence to the physicians out there.


That's probably because you do not understand the fundamental principles and have tried to learn the subject by memorising equations only.

Have you tried posting questions in the Physics Study Help forum and getting targeted help in there?

It really is not difficult as long as you understand the fundamentals of why things behave the way they do.

Start with one topic, master it, then move on to the next. Don't try and jump around topics to start, or you will indeed find it hard to memorise and make sense of everything.

Steady state progress not big bang learning ! lol.

Spoiler

It contains a lot of the same topics, such as enzymes, DNA, and systems like the heart and kidneys but you have to learn it in much deeper detail and there are whole new topics like the bonding and chemical reactions that take place in the body, it's quite a lot to remember.
Original post by ReadilySalted
My predicted grade in maths is 7 and my predicted grade in physics is a 6. I really want to get a 7 in physics! I can do all the maths part and whizz through it but I can't do the actual theory part of the physics, same goes with biology, there is tooooo much info and tooo many key words, I can't keep up!! I really want to do biology at a-level, but the specification for the new biology 9-1 is HUGE! Is their a correlation between your maths and biology/physics skills??


Of course this is possible. Yes, there is a correlation - science is very mathematical. The difference is that maths is more about applying the methods you know, whereas science (especially at GCSE) is just learning stuff. You're just going to have to memorise what you need through practice.

I will however say that when you get onto A-level (at least for Physics and Chemistry, the two I do), science becomes a lot more mathematical and you're tested more on applying your understanding than remembering stuff, so hopefully it will suit you more.

One more thing: remember that in the grand scheme of things, a 6 isn't that bad.
Original post by uberteknik
That's probably because you do not understand the fundamental principles and have tried to learn the subject by memorising equations only.

Have you tried posting questions in the Physics Study Help forum and getting targeted help in there?

It really is not difficult as long as you understand the fundamentals of why things behave the way they do.

Start with one topic, master it, then move on to the next. Don't try and jump around topics to start, or you will indeed find it hard to memorise and make sense of everything.

Steady state progress not big bang learning ! lol.

Spoiler




You see, if i didn't know what steady state theory was, i wouldn't have got it, but i do and that pun gave me a few chuckles!! Ahahaha
I would also put myself into the bracket that loves maths, but is isn't terribly excited by physics.
Original post by TheMindGarage
Of course this is possible. Yes, there is a correlation - science is very mathematical. The difference is that maths is more about applying the methods you know, whereas science (especially at GCSE) is just learning stuff. You're just going to have to memorise what you need through practice.

I will however say that when you get onto A-level (at least for Physics and Chemistry, the two I do), science becomes a lot more mathematical and you're tested more on applying your understanding than remembering stuff, so hopefully it will suit you more.

One more thing: remember that in the grand scheme of things, a 6 isn't that bad.


Yes, I do agree a grade 6 isn't bad, but I really want to do dentistry at university (has been my dream for 10 years, being serious), and they say that you need your a-levels results, but you also need the gcse results of a grade 7 (at least grade 7 in 6 subjects) because it is really competitive.
Wow, I didn't know that there was "this much" people who are good at maths and physics is their weakest point- I am shockingly surprised!!
Original post by ReadilySalted
Yes, I do agree a grade 6 isn't bad, but I really want to do dentistry at university (has been my dream for 10 years, being serious), and they say that you need your a-levels results, but you also need the gcse results of a grade 7 (at least grade 7 in 6 subjects) because it is really competitive.


Well, if you work at it, improving from a 6 to a 7 shouldn't be too hard. Be sure to do plenty of practice questions. If you struggle on recall-type questions (you know, those annoying 1-markers or those "State 3 things..." questions), do extra practice on those. It's stupid and pedantic, but you just need to learn the exam-spec definition and just recall it on the day.
Original post by TheMindGarage
Well, if you work at it, improving from a 6 to a 7 shouldn't be too hard. Be sure to do plenty of practice questions. If you struggle on recall-type questions (you know, those annoying 1-markers or those "State 3 things..." questions), do extra practice on those. It's stupid and pedantic, but you just need to learn the exam-spec definition and just recall it on the day.


When you mean exam-spec definition, do you mean when in the question they use terminology like; "explain, justify, evaluate"? Or the key word the specification provide for us?

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