M2, FP2 and FP3 or M2, FP2 and M3

So I've just started my AS-levels (biology, chemistry, maths and further maths) and while I don't want to think about it too much since I want to get year 12 out the way first I was wandering what route I should take, here's why:
I want to be a paleontologist, unfortunately I was unable to do biology, chemistry, physics (I love all natural sciences with a passion) and maths (another subject I love), so I took further maths. Now I do not regret this because its awesome and still beneficial. At my school, we have fixed modules except A2 further maths.

Here is the module structure:
AS Maths: C1, C2 and S1 which sounds pretty common IMO.
AS Further Maths: FP1, M1 and S2 which is AMAZING.
A2 Maths: C3, C4 and D1. Ew Decision maths.
A2 Further Maths: M2, FP2 and either FP3 or M3.

Now, I've heard FP3 is A LOT HARDER however it would be very beneficial as a lot of the maths in earth science is in the C and FP modules (*cough calculus, complex numbers, matrices, numerical solutions, trigonometry (and therefore probably regular geometry), hyperbolic functions, ordinary and partial differential equations (whatever they are) etc). Now, despite not taking physics I'm not that bad in mechanics (70% in my first test...no bragging intended, 75% in my first FP1 test) however I don't think it will be as relevant (I still love mechanics and am grateful I am able to study a 2nd module) as FP3.

Any opinions?

So I've just started my AS-levels (biology, chemistry, maths and further maths) and while I don't want to think about it too much since I want to get year 12 out the way first I was wandering what route I should take, here's why:
I want to be a paleontologist, unfortunately I was unable to do biology, chemistry, physics (I love all natural sciences with a passion) and maths (another subject I love), so I took further maths. Now I do not regret this because its awesome and still beneficial. At my school, we have fixed modules except A2 further maths.

Here is the module structure:
AS Maths: C1, C2 and S1 which sounds pretty common IMO.
AS Further Maths: FP1, M1 and S2 which is AMAZING.
A2 Maths: C3, C4 and D1. Ew Decision maths.
A2 Further Maths: M2, FP2 and either FP3 or M3.

Now, I've heard FP3 is A LOT HARDER however it would be very beneficial as a lot of the maths in earth science is in the C and FP modules (*cough calculus, complex numbers, matrices, numerical solutions, trigonometry (and therefore probably regular geometry), hyperbolic functions, ordinary and partial differential equations (whatever they are) etc). Now, despite not taking physics I'm not that bad in mechanics (70% in my first test...no bragging intended, 75% in my first FP1 test) however I don't think it will be as relevant (I still love mechanics and am grateful I am able to study a 2nd module) as FP3.

Any opinions?

I've started FP3 recently and so far it doesn't seem too bad. My teachers all claim that it is easier than FP2, and if the teachers are good at explaining things it should not be too much more difficult doing FP3. If it is more relevant for what you want to do, it might be more beneficial to go for that one.

Hahaha, I like your comment on Decision maths. D1 is easy, honest, although if your teacher is anything like mine were you'll be set a lot of homework!

If you really like the pure Maths modules, do FP3. I''m planning on self teaching myself FP3, as M2 is quite easy (though I struggle in Mechanics as I don't do Physics).

As you don't do physics, it's probably wiser to choose FP3. However if you are very comfortable with mechanics modules, M3 is easier than FP3.

Ah ok thanks! I think you're right!

You're gonna teach yourself?
1) Good luck!
2) You're officially awesome.

As you don't do physics, it's probably wiser to choose FP3. However if you are very comfortable with mechanics modules, M3 is easier than FP3.

Thanks The core modules are the only ones I understand fulky, and increase my enthusiasm to study Maths.

Easier than FP2? Wow I never expected that .
Yeah one of the year 13's showed me his D1 book and said that but thanks for confirmation!
But you see the problem is, with D1, I don't know the suitable amount of programming knowledge for it. Is that important though?

I'm doing the AQA exam board. There's no programming knowledge required for D1. It overlaps, as some of the people who also did computer science knew a bit more about the applications of the algorithms, but for the exam it's mostly just remembering and applying the algorithms which you learn on the course.

Let me put this another way: I did D1 for further maths last year. Starting off, the teachers told us that it wasn't that difficult mathematically and said we could all get 100 UMS in it.

Fair enough

I suppose it was foolish of me to not say I am doing the Edexcel exam board.

There are all of these different exam boards, and the specs are all slightly different. It's only when I reread the post and what I wrote that I noticed that neither of us mentioned exam boards.

In that case, not sure how hard FP2/FP3 are compared to each other, although D1 spec is quite similar. I was set some questions from the Edexcel homework book, and the overlap is really large. I looked at a textbooks contents page, and we did everything in AQA except the critical path analysis, so I think my point about you not having to worry about D1 remains.

...

In that case, not sure how hard FP2/FP3 are compared to each other, although D1 spec is quite similar. I was set some questions from the Edexcel homework book, and the overlap is really large. I looked at a textbooks contents page, and we did everything in AQA except the critical path analysis, so I think my point about you not having to worry about D1 remains.

I'm doing the AQA exam board. There's no programming knowledge required for D1. It overlaps, as some of the people who also did computer science knew a bit more about the applications of the algorithms, but for the exam it's mostly just remembering and applying the algorithms which you learn on the course.

Let me put this another way: I did D1 for further maths last year. Starting off, the teachers told us that it wasn't that difficult mathematically and said we could all get 100 UMS in it.

If you're not doing physics, FP3 would probably be easier. You can decide in a year's time though, so no rush.



Critical path analysis is in D2 for AQA. It's not difficult either.

Ok that makes me feel a helluva lot better about year 13
. In all honesty I thought most schools go Edexcel for maths but I'm surprised how many go for AQA (I do none for this board anymore RIP) and OCR (which is what I have for biology and chemistry).

But as I stated, I've got to get year 12 out the way first lol.

I think the main hurdle with D1 is finding the motivation to study it

True, true. When do you have to choose whether you are doing FP3/M3? If you don't have to choose until next year then you could probably see whether you prefer continuing core maths or mechanics. FP3 is probably still more relevant for what you want to do though.

Who knows, it might be an area thing. My school does AQA, the college my brother goes to does AQA. Edexcel and AQA do seem to be the two most common exam boards though. OCR seems to be common for chemistry. Most do chemistry A though - I did chemistry B for AS. Hahaha, I'm down to just AQA: AQA maths, further maths and physics.