AS Edexcel Further Maths 2012-2013

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What's easier out of FP1,M1,S1 and D1?

If you understand statistics, S1 can be very very easy. You really need to understand it though, if you look at the June 2012 paper there was a huge histogram question which screwed many people over. Fortunately I wasn't one of them.

FP1 is a late exam so you'll have a lot of time to revise in between usually if you're at AS. There's a lot in terms of formulas to learn for this module.

D1 and M1 make some people struggle. D1 is very easy but when it comes to wordy questions mathematicians get confused and don't understand what to do. One mistake can make a question very difficult in kruskuals, prims and dijkstras algorithms.

M1 is similar to S1 in the way that you have to know what you're doing and you need to understand every type of question that can possibly be asked. There's many method marks in mechanics which makes it a lot easier. Questions are similar in most past papers so it shouldnt be too hard.

In answer to your question, I'd go for FP1.

Reply 21

J.Nalbandian14

Thank You but I will probably go for M1 anyway as I do Physics.

Reply 22

Zhy

If you want A-level Maths + AS Further Maths, I recommend C1-4, S1-2, M1-2, FP1. The later mechanics modules are extremely satisfying so you may consider not doing S2 and opting for M3.

Reply 23

Zhy

Original post by laraokafor

Nothing wrong with the textbook if you have lessons to bulk out your knowledge but applying the information to exam questions when you can only learn from the text book is difficult.

Are you using the old textbook or the new textbook? I agree to an extent that the old textbook can be hard to follow, especially with M3-5, but I think the new textbooks are far easier to follow, especially since they provide the LiveText packages which contain worked solutions to every question in the textbook.

Reply 24

Skaterkid

Original post by Zhy

How are the old textbooks like for M1 and M2 are they any good?

Reply 25

Zhy

Original post by Skaterkid

How are the old textbooks like for M1 and M2 are they any good?

They don't come with a CD which has the worked solutions on, but some of the old textbooks give you some extra information that the newer textbooks don't have. As for the textbook questions themselves, I've found them to be more difficult in the older textbooks -- for example, in M5, the variable mass questions are much more difficult than the ones in the newer textbook, in my opinion. I haven't seen the M1 old textbook, but the M2 older one seems okay. I'd still recommend the newer textbooks because of the worked solutions, though.

Reply 26

IcedTea&PotNoodle

Original post by Zhy

If you want A-level Maths + AS Further Maths, I recommend C1-4, S1-2, M1-2, FP1. The later mechanics modules are extremely satisfying so you may consider not doing S2 and opting for M3.

I agree with you, I would pick S2 over M3 though. It's an interesting module but M3 is damn difficult.

Reply 27

IcedTea&PotNoodle

Original post by J.Nalbandian14

Thank You but I will probably go for M1 anyway as I do Physics.

Didn't realise you were doing physics, in that case absolutely do M1.

Reply 28

Zhy

Original post by IcedTea&PotNoodle

I agree with you, I would pick S2 over M3 though. It's an interesting module but M3 is damn difficult.

I think M3 is a bit trickier than M2, but both exam papers have about the same level of difficulty in my opinion. I think they've been trying to make the mechanics papers trickier though -- in June 2012, M2 was at least as hard as Jan 2010, M3 was pretty easy, M4 was just disgusting, M5 was nicer than M4 but still more difficult than usual. But if you want a nice balance, pick S2, especially because at uni if you're taking any stats modules, things like Binomial and Poisson distributions and hypothesis testing won't be new to you.

Reply 29

Abject Testament

What modules are you guys gonna do at A2 if you carry on FM?

Reply 30

Zhy

Original post by Abject Testament

What modules are you guys gonna do at A2 if you carry on FM?

My module combination ended up being:

Maths: C1 C2 C3 C4 D1 D2
Further Maths: FP1 FP2 S2 S3 M3 M4
Further Maths Additional: FP3 S1 S4 M1 M2 M5

(I think. Haven't checked officially. The cashed-in combination might end up being different.)

So for me it was FP1-2, S2-3, M3-4.

Although, what my FM class intended was for people to do S2, M2-3 and FP1-3 for FM.

Reply 31

Abject Testament

Original post by Zhy

My module combination
ended up being:
Maths: C1 C2 C3 C4 D1 D2
Further Maths: FP1 FP2 S2 S3 M3 M4
Further Maths Additional: FP3 S1 S4 M1 M2 M5
(I think. Haven't checked officially. The cashed-in
combination might end up being different.)
So for me it was FP1-2, S2-3, M3-4.
Although, what my FM class intended was for
people to do S2, M2-3 and FP1-3 for FM.

Wow. AFM. That's a lot of work.

What were your final grades for each Qualification?
What are you doing at UNI?

My class is doing AS FM: FP1, D1, D2. And for A2: FP2, FP3 and S2

I'm slightly worried about FP2 and FP3. How worried should I be?

Soz 4 all the questions :tongue:

Reply 32

Zhy

Original post by Abject Testament

It can be done in a few months. I sat C1 C2 C3 M1 in June 2011 (year 11), then S2 FP1 in Jan 2012 (year 12) then S1 S3 S4 FP2 FP3 D1 D2 C4 M2 M3 M4 M5 in June 2012 (year 12). You would be surprised at how quick you can get through a module. (D2 can be done in 2-3 days in fact and you'll still be good for the exam.)

I got 3A*s in those three maths A-levels.

I'm not at uni, I am in Year 13.

Do not be worried, just do a lot of exam preparation. FP2 and FP3 can involve a lot of tricky manipulation, particularly with the complex numbers (FP2) and hyperbolae/ellipses/integration (FP3), so just do all the review exercises and as many past papers as you can find.

Reply 33

Abject Testament

Original post by Zhy

It can be done in a few
months. I sat C1 C2 C3 M1 in June 2011 (year
11), then S2 FP1 in Jan 2012 (year 12) then S1
S3 S4 FP2 FP3 D1 D2 C4 M2 M3 M4 M5 in June
2012 (year 12). You would be surprised at how
quick you can get through a module. (D2 can be
done in 2-3 days in fact and you'll still be good for
the exam.)
I got 3A*s in those three maths A-levels.
I'm not at uni, I am in Year 13.
Do not be worried, just do a lot of exam
preparation. FP2 and FP3 can involve a lot of
tricky manipulation, particularly with the complex
numbers (FP2) and hyperbolae/ellipses/
integration (FP3), so just do all the review
exercises and as many past papers as you can
find.

Nice. To do all those modules in a year and get 3 A*'s is an achievement.
Weren't you doing any other A-levels?

So I guess you're applying to do maths right? Cambridge maybe? :colone:

Reply 34

Zhy

Original post by Abject Testament

Nice. To do all those modules in a year and get 3 A*'s is an achievement.
Weren't you doing any other A-levels?

So I guess you're applying to do maths right? Cambridge maybe? :colone:

Yep, physics and chemistry. Started an OU module thing but dropped it because it was boring... so year 13 is A2 Physics, Chem + Extended Project (my school doesn't allow people doing 2 subjects so in hindsight I shifted EPQ from year 12 to year 13).

Nope, English Lit, hopefully at Sheffield.

Reply 35

Abject Testament

Original post by Zhy

Yep, physics and
chemistry. Started an OU module thing but
dropped it because it was boring... so year 13 is
A2 Physics, Chem + Extended Project (my school
doesn't allow people doing 2 subjects so in
hindsight I shifted EPQ from year 12 to year 13).
Nope, English Lit, hopefully at Sheffield.

English lit? Why not Media Studies or Dancing? You have the A-Levels.

:lol:

Reply 36

Zhy

Original post by Abject Testament

English lit? Why not Media Studies or Dancing? You have the A-Levels.

:lol:

After doing so many maths modules, and bringing myself to the point of tears, with nothing to cheer me up apart from the occasional foot worship session from my now (s)ex-girlfriend, I resorted to writing poetry. That was when I discovered my passion for English Lit.

(I'm applying for maths at Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Warwick, Kings... although given that Imperial, UCL, Warwick and Cambridge all offer STEP, I'd hate to be in a position where I have to firm Cambridge and insure Kings as it's my least favourite uni of the five.)

Reply 37

Abject Testament

Original post by Zhy

I'm applying for maths at Cambridge, Imperial,
UCL, Warwick, Kings... although given that
Imperial, UCL, Warwick and Cambridge all offer
STEP, I'd hate to be in a position where I have to
firm Cambridge and insure Kings as it's my least
favourite uni of the five.

Though you could possibly sit the AEA and insure Warwick?

It seems to me that Cambridge are quite likely to give you a high STEP offer seeing as you've completed Maths, FM and AFM a year in advance.
But I guess you're well into your STEP practise?

Reply 38

Zhy

Original post by Abject Testament

I doubt it -- I'm not cashing in anything higher than an AS in Maths. I'm re-sitting some of the modules I didn't do too well in (M4/D2) for higher UMS, which is my reason for doing that, so it's perfectly fine. In which case, I can keep the 3A*s 'in the bank' so to speak, and just cash them in around August 2013.

Haha not really, have only done a few questions here and there. I've been focusing more on BMO.

Reply 39

Abject Testament

Original post by Zhy

I sat the AEA last year
too but got a Merit, not a Distinction. It frustrates
me a bit because if I had probably done at least 1
past paper I could have got there... but was just
too knackered after the modules. May re-sit it in
Year 13. The whole purpose of the AEA was so I
could insure Warwick, but that didn't go to plan,
as you can see.
I doubt it -- I'm not cashing in anything higher
than an AS in Maths. I'm re-sitting some of the
modules I didn't do too well in (M4/D2) for higher
UMS, which is my reason for doing that, so it's
perfectly fine. In which case, I can keep the 3A*s
'in the bank' so to speak, and just cash them in
around August 2013.
Haha not really, have only done a few questions
here and there. I've been focusing more on BMO.