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Edexcel: S3 or D1?
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Ayman!
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#1
Hey guys, I need to pick my sixth FM module and I can't pick between D1 or S3. Both look like a drag, to be honest, but my teacher says D1 is a riskier exam and it proves to be of no use learning. Any advice?
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TeeEm
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#2
Ayman!
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#3
(Original post by TeeEm)
S3 is very useful so it is a no brainer ...
S3 is very useful so it is a no brainer ...
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Muttley79
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#4
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#4
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
Hey guys, I need to pick my sixth FM module and I can't pick between D1 or S3. Both look like a drag, to be honest, but my teacher says D1 is a riskier exam and it proves to be of no use learning. Any advice?
Hey guys, I need to pick my sixth FM module and I can't pick between D1 or S3. Both look like a drag, to be honest, but my teacher says D1 is a riskier exam and it proves to be of no use learning. Any advice?
Virtually all of my students get an A on this module and quite a few get 100 UMS.
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TeeEm
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#5
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#5
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
This is what I was thinking, Mr Madas. Are the Heinemann textbook and past papers enough? How much harder are concepts compared to S1 and S2?
This is what I was thinking, Mr Madas. Are the Heinemann textbook and past papers enough? How much harder are concepts compared to S1 and S2?
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Ayman!
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#6
(Original post by Muttley79)
D1 is not risky and the material is very useful - some of the techniques are part of a degree and very useful in real life.
Virtually all of my students get an A on this module and quite a few get 100 UMS.
D1 is not risky and the material is very useful - some of the techniques are part of a degree and very useful in real life.
Virtually all of my students get an A on this module and quite a few get 100 UMS.
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Muttley79
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#7
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#7
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
How long would the content take me to learn the content if I were self teaching? Also, would you recommend it over S3? If it's easy UMS, it'd be a good idea to take it.
How long would the content take me to learn the content if I were self teaching? Also, would you recommend it over S3? If it's easy UMS, it'd be a good idea to take it.
Some of my F Maths students self-teach D1 in a few weeks - it depends what other work you have. The algorityms you will learn are powerful, but owing to time constraints, the questions are not always inspiring. I learnt some of the material at uni so can share how the techniques are used in real-life.
Some teachers don't regard decision maths as 'real maths' but considering the appication to computing, networks, etc I think its just as valid as pure.
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username1432214
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#8
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#8
I did both .. definitely go for S3. No doubt.
Also since S3 is an A2 module .. it is an extra module which can help towards your A*. With D1 you will probably have 3 A2 modules so you will need 90% across them three to get A*.
If you repace D1 for S3, you will have 4 A2 modules in FM, you have to get 90% any three to get A*. So if M2 turns out to be a bad paper and you mess up, still have an extra A2 module to rely on
Also since S3 is an A2 module .. it is an extra module which can help towards your A*. With D1 you will probably have 3 A2 modules so you will need 90% across them three to get A*.
If you repace D1 for S3, you will have 4 A2 modules in FM, you have to get 90% any three to get A*. So if M2 turns out to be a bad paper and you mess up, still have an extra A2 module to rely on
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Muttley79
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#9
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#9
(Original post by Bealzibub)
I did both .. definitely go for S3. No doubt.
Also since S3 is an A2 module .. it is an extra module which can help towards your A*. With D1 you will probably have 3 A2 modules so you will need 90% across them three to get A*.
If you repace D1 for S3, you will have 4 A2 modules in FM, you have to get 90% any three to get A*. So if M2 turns out to be a bad paper and you mess up, still have an extra A2 module to rely on
I did both .. definitely go for S3. No doubt.
Also since S3 is an A2 module .. it is an extra module which can help towards your A*. With D1 you will probably have 3 A2 modules so you will need 90% across them three to get A*.
If you repace D1 for S3, you will have 4 A2 modules in FM, you have to get 90% any three to get A*. So if M2 turns out to be a bad paper and you mess up, still have an extra A2 module to rely on
You do know how modules are allocated to maths and Further maths don't you?
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Ayman!
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#10
(Original post by Muttley79)
That just not logical! D1 might end up in his maths grade anyway ...
You do know how modules are allocated to maths and Further maths don't you?
That just not logical! D1 might end up in his maths grade anyway ...
You do know how modules are allocated to maths and Further maths don't you?
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Krollo
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#11
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#11
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
This is what I thought - D1 would most likely end up in my Maths grade and S3 could potentially be an A*. I've heard that it's a relatively short module while D1 is lengthy. Is that true?
This is what I thought - D1 would most likely end up in my Maths grade and S3 could potentially be an A*. I've heard that it's a relatively short module while D1 is lengthy. Is that true?
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Heisenberg97
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#12
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#12
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
This is what I thought - D1 would most likely end up in my Maths grade and S3 could potentially be an A*. I've heard that it's a relatively short module while D1 is lengthy. Is that true?
This is what I thought - D1 would most likely end up in my Maths grade and S3 could potentially be an A*. I've heard that it's a relatively short module while D1 is lengthy. Is that true?
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Gwaine
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#13
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#13
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
Hey guys, I need to pick my sixth FM module and I can't pick between D1 or S3. Both look like a drag, to be honest, but my teacher says D1 is a riskier exam and it proves to be of no use learning. Any advice?
Hey guys, I need to pick my sixth FM module and I can't pick between D1 or S3. Both look like a drag, to be honest, but my teacher says D1 is a riskier exam and it proves to be of no use learning. Any advice?
It doesn't involve any mathematical thinking at all, and even if you learn all of the algorithms and do all of the past papers, you can still completely mess up.
When you take in the ridiculous time constraints and the pressure of an examination, it's just not worth it.
A maths exam which relies on luck and accuracy should not even be considered. I can't strongly advise against doing it enough.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
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Ayman!
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#14
(Original post by Gwaine)
Don't do D1. It's terrible. Even if you're tempted to do it because everyone says how 'easy' it is.
It doesn't involve any mathematical thinking at all, and even if you learn all of the algorithms and do all of the past papers, you can still completely mess up.
When you take in the ridiculous time constraints and the pressure of an examination, it's just not worth it.
A maths exam which relies on luck and accuracy should not even be considered. I can't strongly advise against doing it enough.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
Don't do D1. It's terrible. Even if you're tempted to do it because everyone says how 'easy' it is.
It doesn't involve any mathematical thinking at all, and even if you learn all of the algorithms and do all of the past papers, you can still completely mess up.
When you take in the ridiculous time constraints and the pressure of an examination, it's just not worth it.
A maths exam which relies on luck and accuracy should not even be considered. I can't strongly advise against doing it enough.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
There are so many contrasting opinions, I'm actually a little confused what to do. A friend of mine is doing D1 because he doesn't want to do M3 but he's completely baffled by the content now.
I guess I'll be doing S3 and if I find it too difficult, I'll teach myself D1. The only problem is that ExamSolutions has nothing on S3 while I have HegartyMaths and m4ths for D1 - I'll just have to rely on the Edexcel S3 textbook then.
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Gwaine
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#15
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#15
(Original post by aymanzayedmannan)
You have the same point my teacher had.
There are so many contrasting opinions, I'm actually a little confused what to do. A friend of mine is doing D1 because he doesn't want to do M3 but he's completely baffled by the content now.
I guess I'll be doing S3 and if I find it too difficult, I'll teach myself D1. The only problem is that ExamSolutions has nothing on S3 while I have HegartyMaths and m4ths for D1 - I'll just have to rely on the Edexcel S3 textbook then.
You have the same point my teacher had.
There are so many contrasting opinions, I'm actually a little confused what to do. A friend of mine is doing D1 because he doesn't want to do M3 but he's completely baffled by the content now.
I guess I'll be doing S3 and if I find it too difficult, I'll teach myself D1. The only problem is that ExamSolutions has nothing on S3 while I have HegartyMaths and m4ths for D1 - I'll just have to rely on the Edexcel S3 textbook then.
Speaking from my own experience I did D1 along with C1 and C2 in my first year of A Level Maths. I was also doing Computing alongside it, which is why it was recommended that I did that module.
The content was, as most people say, very easy and admittedly quite interesting in places.
However, to do all of the questions in the D1 paper within the time constraint accurately was simply for me an impossible task.
I did very well in C1 and C2, but the D1 paper was a complete flop, so it brought the grade right down to a mere C. Other people on the other hand, who also got a C, did badly in C1 and C2 but great in D1.
This brings me to my view that if people can achieve the same grade as you by succeeding in a less mathematical field of study, then something's not right.
The biggest problem with the D1 exams is that the revision guide and resources available on the internet simply aren't enough to prepare you for the unexpected.
If Edexcel (or other exam boards) throw in unexpected questions in other maths modules, it's not such an issue because you'll still get method marks and resources such as Solomon papers are also available to you.
In D1 it's almost always either 1 mark or full marks. That's the biggest problem.
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tommyprice5
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#16
Sorry to hijack the thread, but would you guys recommend M2 or D1 for self-teaching AS Further Maths? I start formal teaching on the A2 FM in just over a month so I basically need something that will be quick and easy (I'm also self-teaching M1 and FP1 now)
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Muttley79
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#17
(Original post by Gwaine)
Don't do D1. It's terrible. Even if you're tempted to do it because everyone says how 'easy' it is.
It doesn't involve any mathematical thinking at all, and even if you learn all of the algorithms and do all of the past papers, you can still completely mess up.
When you take in the ridiculous time constraints and the pressure of an examination, it's just not worth it.
A maths exam which relies on luck and accuracy should not even be considered. I can't strongly advise against doing it enough.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
Don't do D1. It's terrible. Even if you're tempted to do it because everyone says how 'easy' it is.
It doesn't involve any mathematical thinking at all, and even if you learn all of the algorithms and do all of the past papers, you can still completely mess up.
When you take in the ridiculous time constraints and the pressure of an examination, it's just not worth it.
A maths exam which relies on luck and accuracy should not even be considered. I can't strongly advise against doing it enough.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
The algorithms are used in sat navs, networking and many areas of business. It is the newest maths you will do ...
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Gwaine
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#18
(Original post by Muttley79)
You couldn't be more wrong. You are wrong on every point you make.
The algorithms are used in sat navs, networking and many areas of business. It is the newest maths you will do ...
You couldn't be more wrong. You are wrong on every point you make.
The algorithms are used in sat navs, networking and many areas of business. It is the newest maths you will do ...
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Muttley79
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#19
(Original post by Gwaine)
I'm actually not 'Wrong' at all, it's my opinion. Deal with it. And an experienced, informed one at that.
I'm actually not 'Wrong' at all, it's my opinion. Deal with it. And an experienced, informed one at that.
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rayquaza17
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#20
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#20
(Original post by Gwaine)
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
It's not a test of your Mathematical ability, and it's quite frankly an insult to the whole syllabus.
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