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best modules for a level further maths

Which modules should i pick for as further maths?

the situation is complicated and im basically gonna have to study the course independently, without teachers.

i did C1 - C4, M1 and S1 for a level maths, and found both optional modules equally difficult, altho m1 was more interesting.

ive been told the statistics modules are the easiest and most relevant to social sciences (eg economics), so im thinking of doing s2 as one of my options, but i wud like suggestions. wud it be better if i did s2 and m2, or shud i continue with only statistics and do s2 and s3, or do s2 and d1, bcoz both are considered relatively simple modules, so are ideal for independent study.

thanks

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Reply 1
Basically you need 6 more modules other than those you already have.

Doing Edexcel as I suppose from your other thread, then I should consider the following.

I don't know whether you're doing the old spec or the new spec, but either way you'd be fine since you already have A level.

Anyways, FP1 is compulsory on both new and old spec, so there's no question about that.

M2 is OK tbh.
S2 is fatal to me, because I'm rather crappy at stats, but my teachers used to say that S2 was even easier than S1.
M3 is a lot of work and many difficult concepts.
S3 I have nothing to say about this.
M4 is pretty much very difficult and wouldn't recommend this unless you really like mechanics.
FP2 and FP3 for the old syllabus I'd say FP3 is easier than FP2, but I would take both pure modules.

So I'd say FP1, FP2, FP3 plus 3 other modules of your choice, perhaps S2, S3 and M2. Or even a D1 or D2 module if you fancy those.
Reply 2
I'd pick FP1,FP2, FP3, M2, M3 definitely and a module of your choice.

But then again I'm biased!
Reply 3
i probably won't be doing a2 further maths, just as, but im sure ur suggestions will be useful to others.

im keen on doing fp1 with s2... not sure about the second option.

should i do s3 coz that wud gimme a sound knowledge of stats, useful for doing economics at uni?

should i do m2 coz that wud complement my a level physics? and maybe id learn the same thing twice -- always useful if ur going it alone.

should i do d1 coz i hear its interesting and quite easy?
Reply 4
i heard S2 is easy but it is meant to be quickly learnt
if you've done m1 and found it easy then just do m2
if you find stats easy then do s3
if you are completely stuck take D1 !!!
i think M2 follows on really easily from M1 and is not that much harder so that one...
erm... FP1,2 + 3 are ok and as someone said before FP2 is meant to be harder than FP3.
i'm doing D1 at the moment and that seems easy, so that one too --but apparently D2 is a nightmare and if you're teaching yourself I'm guessing it might be even harder!!
lastly S2 is meant to be good (ha, meaning not too bad difficulty wise!)

people have told me bad things about M3 so I would not do that one!!!!
when our group was deciding what modules to do our teacher said that basically the higher the number the higher the level so stick to lower ones haha if that makes sense :s-smilie:

After all that rambling .. I'd go for D1 M2 S2 FP1,2,3

:smile:
Reply 6
ok now im really confused...

i have alredy decided on fp1 and s2.
now i have one spot left coz im only doing as further maths.
i can do s3, m2 or d1.

going by the 'lower the number, easier the module' theory, i shud rule out s3.

that leaves me with d1 and m2.
now d1 shud be easy coz its the first decision module, rite? :s-smilie:
but m2 shud also be easy coz im doing physics a level, and they shud cover similar ground, rite? :s-smilie:

can anyone suggest which of d1 and m2 will be the easiest to learn on ur own?? most ppl on this thread have said that m2 not too bad, but is d1 even easier?

thanks a lot
xinolisss
Basically you need 6 more modules other than those you already have.


What are you doing these days? At uni/done A levels/applying?
I remember you cramming in lots of Maths modules last year. Sorry if I'm being being nosy!
You should probably take D1 as well.
Reply 9
I did MEI
AS: FP1, D1, Numerical Methods
A2: FP2, M2, S2
Reply 10
Doing Futher Maths and then choosing modules which you'll find "easiest" isn't really a good indication, but on that basis, I'd do FP1, FP3, S2, D1, D2 and either M2 or S3. I say FP3 because it appears (to me) easier than FP2; at least on the OCR syllabus.

I'm doing FP1, FP2, FP3, M2, S2 and D1 (I did C1-4, M1, S1 at Maths A-level).
Reply 11
M2 and M3 are similar to A2-level Physics
Reply 12
i'd do the FP's and M's only - calls for some interesting stuff!!
Reply 13
Lol people keep telling the OP which six modules he should do. If you're doing AS I'd go for FP1, S2 and M2, M2 is really not too hard if you are doing physics and from what I've heard of D1, it's harder to do really well in- a little more abstract. That's what I've been told, but having not done any decision modules I couldn't comment any further. S2 is a very nice module, I self taught it with no problems at all.
Reply 14
I have no knowledge of M2 but if you got more than 85 in M1, M2 would seem like a natural choice
I've done D1 and requires very little work compared to any other module especially the pure ones, its basically just teaching yourself to think in a certain way, however some of the things dont make much sense at first so i think the decision modules require teachers more than the others, but in balance i would still say D1
oh and definately do S2 it's very easy
btw i did MEI OCR but it's proba still applicable
Reply 15
D1 and D2 are not hard a t all. If you just want to get a good grade that's the way to go, but it won't look very impressive.
Mechanics are the most interesting IMO, and probably look the best in general. The M2 physics overlap is minimal - Physics tends to be a lot simpler than mechanics, and won't really help.
Bit if you're looking to do economics or something, I reckon you should just go for FP1,S2,S3 so that they are going to be more useful later on.
Reply 16
d1 is getting a bad name here... it seems too easy, ill-respected by unis and generally not as 'proper' as mechanics or statistics

does anyone disagree? i personally think decision maths is a training in logic, clear thinking and rigorous execution, but that just from reading a few pages of a revision guide. i cant make up my mind between m2 and d1 because i think d1 has some merit, plus ive never learnt it befoe so it has novelty too.

can anyone who did d1 honestly say it actually taught them something interesting and wasnt just a chance to get easy marks?
xobile
d1 is getting a bad name here... it seems too easy, ill-respected by unis and generally not as 'proper' as mechanics or statistics

does anyone disagree? i personally think decision maths is a training in logic, clear thinking and rigorous execution, but that just from reading a few pages of a revision guide. i cant make up my mind between m2 and d1 because i think d1 has some merit, plus ive never learnt it befoe so it has novelty too.

can anyone who did d1 honestly say it actually taught them something interesting and wasnt just a chance to get easy marks?


Alright, I'll make it easy here for you...

1. Do you want to do something you find interesting?
2. Do you want to do something where you'll be able to get an easy A with?
3. Do you want to do something respected by universities?

If you answer to 1. is yes then do M2, and M3 and FP1. Trust me, M3 is by far one of the most engaging modules in terms of interest.

If your answer to 2. is yes then you should probably ask yourself are you good at physics are you good in mechanics, then you should probably include some more mechanics. If you're good at stats then do some stats then. As simple as that.

If your answer to 3. is yes then probably some Mechanics more than Stats will do. But if your university career hopes to be econs. or something like that then probably stats will be more uself but I don't think it really makes a difference to the unis, since you're not really obliged to tell them what modules you're taking or the grades unless we're talking about oxbridge here.
Reply 18
Imo...

FP1/2/3 & M2/3/4 or FP1/2 & M2/3 & S2

The first is probably best if your considering doing a degree that is mostly maths. If your more looking at economics, do FP1/2 S2/3 (if there is a stats 3, I'm not sure)

EDIT: Don't do decision, its crap
EDIT2: Don't miss FP2, you need to be competent with hyperbolic functions & complex numbers
silent ninja
What are you doing these days? At uni/done A levels/applying?
I remember you cramming in lots of Maths modules last year. Sorry if I'm being being nosy!


Yeah, I'm basically reapplying on a gap year... Cambs, Imperial, Soton, Bath and Manchester.

Also some of them in the US, Berkeley, Caltech, MIT, Harvard and Stanford...

Yep, I crammed A2 Maths and Further into 1 year and FP2 and FP3 into 3 weeks with a friend of mine because the stupid teacher had to leave... got it through in the end, and managed 100UMS on both those modules including the self taught M4 at 100... =) so that was great! my friend self taught M5 and wrote a few jokes for the examiner in the exam... =)

Nah not nosy... :smile: