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Learning C3 and C4 simultaneously

Would this pose much difficulty? I shall be self teaching them next year and was enquiring if there was much difference in terms of difficulty? I'd be exceptionally grateful for any advice preferably from personal experience of studying A Level mathematics.


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Of course it can be done. There are sections in C3 and C4 that are independent of each other etc.

What is your exam board?
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by Phoebe Buffay
Of course it can be done. There are sections in CC3 and C4 that are independent of each other etc.

What is your exam board?


Edexcel. Thank you.


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Reply 3
It's definitely harder than this year though, where you could take c3 in January and have until june for c4.
Reply 4
Original post by UnknownError
Edexcel. Thank you.


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I've just finished learning C3 and I'm on chapter 2 of C4 Edexcel text book.

I'd advise strongly that you learn C3 first. Topics in C3 are needed for C4 and the C4 text book does not explain them.

Topics included being:

- Fractions of functions
- Transforming graphs
- Trigonometry (you will need chapters 6 and 7 of C3 before going onto C4)
- Differentiation
- Exponentials and natural logs

(You could get the book Pure Maths C3 C4 which covers them simultaneously.

Edit:
In terms of difficulty, I'm finding C4, even on the second chapter, harder than C3. Mainly because it uses so much of C3 knowledge.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by UnknownError
Edexcel. Thank you.


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With the exam sittings only in June now many schools will write their scheme of work to combine the two.
I am just doing mine and it certainly will be different to before.

C4 vectors in year 12 straight after the C2 exam is now a nice option especially if students have just done mechanics and coordinate geometry in C2. :smile:
Reply 6
C3 is largely differentiation whilst c4 is mostly about integration so it is easy to get confused in your methods. I'd learn c3 first and try to sit it in January to make things easier for yourself ! :smile:
Reply 7
Shouldn't be that difficult if you link the topics together.
Reply 8
Original post by m4ths/maths247


C4 vectors in year 12 straight after the C2 exam is now a nice option especially if students have just done mechanics and coordinate geometry in C2. :smile:


That's a really good idea, wish my teachers had thought of that. :rolleyes: Although looking ahead in C4, past the first few exercises, vectors don't seem much like M1 vectors :frown: I was hoping for more similarity

Original post by Eilís3
C3 is largely differentiation whilst c4 is mostly about integration so it is easy to get confused in your methods. I'd learn c3 first and try to sit it in January to make things easier for yourself ! :smile:


January exams alas are gone!
Original post by Eilís3
C3 is largely differentiation whilst c4 is mostly about integration so it is easy to get confused in your methods. I'd learn c3 first and try to sit it in January to make things easier for yourself ! :smile:


you cant sit in January any more
Original post by UnknownError
Edexcel. Thank you.


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Well the way I would do something like this:

C3: Algebraic fractions; Functions; The exponential and log function; Transforming graphs of functions; Trigonometry; Further trigonometry; Differentiation

C4: Partial fractions; The Binomial expansion; Vectors; Coordinate geometry in the x-y plane;; Differentiation; Integration
Reply 11
Original post by Dominic101
you cant sit in January any more


I thought you could if you started your alevels in September 2012?
Original post by Eilís3
I thought you could if you started your alevels in September 2012?


No we were just allowed to sit in jan 2013
Reply 13
Original post by Eilís3
I thought you could if you started your alevels in September 2012?


This is only true for NI CCEA candidates (and maybe for Welsh WJEC/CBAC candidates, not sure)
Reply 14
Original post by adi19956
This is only true for NI CCEA candidates (and maybe for Welsh WJEC/CBAC candidates, not sure)


I'm from NI so that probably explains my different answers :smile:
Original post by Eilís3
I'm from NI so that probably explains my different answers :smile:


I just say I do edexcel to avoid the " oh but there is no January exams"


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Reply 16
Original post by UnknownError
Would this pose much difficulty? I shall be self teaching them next year and was enquiring if there was much difference in terms of difficulty? I'd be exceptionally grateful for any advice preferably from personal experience of studying A Level mathematics.


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C4 is much easier (personal opinion) because C3 has a lot of trigonometry. The vectors in C4 can be tiring to do in one go because there are quite a few concepts that you have to learn. You only need Differentiation and Trigonometry from C3 to do C4. I don't really see a big jump. The 'biggest' leap is from C1 to C2. It varies from person to person. Some will find C3 easier than C4 and some will find them equal.

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