What the **** is a quadratic? - An A-Level student&#x27;s blog

OP

First entry - pretty much spent the day playing csgo. balls. did some revision on quartics and stuff and went looking for an online tutor. also did an interview. yay?

I can tell you got grade 9’s in English tbh. The use of short sentences, and short paragraphs is absolutely compelling.

Good luck.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 3

OP

Ironically I've been more diligent to writing this "blog" than actually revising lol. Went out with mates to the movies today - if you're considering watching venom, don't, im willing to bet cash the screenplay was written for a primary student's creative writing coursework. I've got a fulbright commission interview tomorrow and another one on saturday (wish me luck). Also what the **** is a β????

Good luck for this year :woo:

Also what the **** is a β????

In a maths context it's the greek letter 'beta', normally either used for a constant or an unknown :smile:

Reply 5

OP

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by flaurie

Good luck for this year :woo:

In a maths context it's the greek letter 'beta', normally either used for a constant or an unknown :smile:

https://i.imgur.com/9HwatgN.png

yeah it was more of the shock factor from seeing that in maths 😔 horrible variable names why couldn't they just stick to english???

Reply 6

KA_P

If you're doing Edexcel, I recommend Haberdasher's Academy on YouTube. Or just learning from the textbook and doing as many questions as possible.

Also, take it a topic at a time. Differentiation and integration get easier the more you practice and the more you're able to recall the rules. Maybe ask the maths department to do exam technique and topic overview sessions at lunchtime or after school.

Yeah - YouTube is really useful.

For practice (under timed conditions is recommended), use past papers either on physics and maths tutor or whatever you can find on Google or on the exam board website, as well as the actual textbook.

Hope that helps. :smile:

Original post by Tomtide

https://i.imgur.com/9HwatgN.png

yeah it was more of the shock factor from seeing that in maths 😔 horrible variable names why couldn't they just stick to english???

Haha you get used to it :lol:

you might also see “α” (alpha) too. In the context of your question you can effectively replace it with x :smile:

Reply 8

OP

Original post by flaurie

Haha you get used to it :lol:

you might also see “α” (alpha) too. In the context of your question you can effectively replace it with x :smile:

yeah i replaced it with a (i tend to replace all things with a b or c just to cope with my rapidly degrading brain), currently chunking through calculus on khanacademy

Reply 9

OP

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by KA_P

If you're doing Edexcel, I recommend Haberdasher's Academy on YouTube. Or just learning from the textbook and doing as many questions as possible.

Also, take it a topic at a time. Differentiation and integration get easier the more you practice and the more you're able to recall the rules. Maybe ask the maths department to do exam technique and topic overview sessions at lunchtime or after school.

Yeah - YouTube is really useful.

For practice (under timed conditions is recommended), use past papers either on physics and maths tutor or whatever you can find on Google or on the exam board website, as well as the actual textbook.

Hope that helps. :smile:

appreciate the advice, for my gcses I just paced it through past papers until I got an A+ on every single one and then went and did it again. hoping to rinse and repeat for a levels. i'm just pushing myself to learn as much as i can for maths until halfterm ends so i won't feel like the moron in the room anymore

Reply 10

KA_P

Original post by Tomtide

appreciate the advice, for my gcses I just paced it through past papers until I got an A+ on every single one and then went and did it again. hoping to rinse and repeat for a levels. i'm just pushing myself to learn as much as i can for maths until halfterm ends so i won't feel like the moron in the room anymore

Honestly, you're not alone. I found Maths A-level hard. The teachers went really fast especially with it being lockdown etc. Anyway, just try and stay motivated. Learning from the textbook saved me because I was going at my own pace and absorbing the information and practicing as I went. A-Levels, I would say, is learn, practise, review, review a bit more then practice and note down the topics you're finding difficult or the questions you're getting wrong time and again, then repeat the cycle.
Good luck!

Reply 11

OP

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by KA_P

Honestly, you're not alone. I found Maths A-level hard. The teachers went really fast especially with it being lockdown etc. Anyway, just try and stay motivated. Learning from the textbook saved me because I was going at my own pace and absorbing the information and practicing as I went. A-Levels, I would say, is learn, practise, review, review a bit more then practice and note down the topics you're finding difficult or the questions you're getting wrong time and again, then repeat the cycle.
Good luck!

preaching the bible here man, thanks for the advice

Reply 12

KA_P

Original post by Tomtide

preaching the bible here man, thanks for the advice

😂 Happy to help.

Reply 13

OP

spent the day with friends - holy shxt its been awesome man

Reply 14

Muttley79

Original post by Tomtide

appreciate the advice, for my gcses I just paced it through past papers until I got an A+ on every single one and then went and did it again. hoping to rinse and repeat for a levels. i'm just pushing myself to learn as much as i can for maths until halfterm ends so i won't feel like the moron in the room anymore

Presumably you've found Dr Frost for Maths? https://www.drfrostmaths.com/sow.php?year=A%20Level%202017&term=Main

Reply 15

lunariumxo

16

the tittle got me on the first half :colonhash:

Reply 16

OP

Original post by Muttley79

Presumably you've found Dr Frost for Maths? https://www.drfrostmaths.com/sow.php?year=A%20Level%202017&term=Main

yup teacher made us grind it for my gcses lol more of a khanacademy guy

Reply 17

Muttley79

Original post by Tomtide

yup teacher made us grind it for my gcses lol more of a khanacademy guy

DO NOT touch Khan Academy - it's not suitable for the UK.

Reply 18

username5706823