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A level maths mechanics

Hi, im finding mechanics part of AL maths really really difficult, iv tried watching videos doing practise but I really dont get the jist of it and I cant imagine whats going on in the question. It really sucks because I love pure but mechanics might bring my grade down really badly
Original post by cheshiresun
Hi, im finding mechanics part of AL maths really really difficult, iv tried watching videos doing practise but I really dont get the jist of it and I cant imagine whats going on in the question. It really sucks because I love pure but mechanics might bring my grade down really badly


Im presuming you have a textbook, looked at tlmaths videos, ... so the usual help?
Why not post some questions here with a description of what you understand / what youre unsure about and work through your problems?
Reply 2
year 1 or year 2? i think having an understanding on the physics of it makes it make sense. i didnt get the topics in mech at first bc i noticed its taught in such a silly way and is purposely complicated compared to how i learnt the topics in physics. perhaps try watching videos on the theory or even alevel physics videos for the same topic as they should explain it in a more logical sense
Original post by cheshiresun
Hi, im finding mechanics part of AL maths really really difficult... mechanics might bring my grade down really badly


Same here. I find it the most unpredictable of the 3

What we can do is look through step by step workings, try to remember how you think through it, then practice the common types of questions e.g. most of the time the pulley questions are similar, forces are mostly F=ma and suvat etc. Identity these common question types and practice them
Original post by catss
year 1 or year 2? i think having an understanding on the physics of it makes it make sense. i didnt get the topics in mech at first bc i noticed its taught in such a silly way and is purposely complicated

lol I don't do physics so it takes me a while to get used to moments! Yeah I agree book 1 mech is so weird. It seems to make more sense during the year 2 book honestly
Original post by catss
year 1 or year 2? i think having an understanding on the physics of it makes it make sense. i didnt get the topics in mech at first bc i noticed its taught in such a silly way and is purposely complicated compared to how i learnt the topics in physics. perhaps try watching videos on the theory or even alevel physics videos for the same topic as they should explain it in a more logical sense

Im in year 1 right now which worries me because I know that year 2 will be extremely difficult which is why I want to work hard and try to understand it better now.

Thank you! Thats actually interesting advice ill have a go at that and see how I get on :smile:
Original post by mqb2766
Im presuming you have a textbook, looked at tlmaths videos, ... so the usual help?
Why not post some questions here with a description of what you understand / what youre unsure about and work through your problems?


I understand like what the things are so like... on VT graph area is displacement and acceleration is gradient but its more how the questions are worded is what gets me and what information is provided and how to go about it..
Original post by Bookworm524
Same here. I find it the most unpredictable of the 3

What we can do is look through step by step workings, try to remember how you think through it, then practice the common types of questions e.g. most of the time the pulley questions are similar, forces are mostly F=ma and suvat etc. Identity these common question types and practice them


Thank you! Honestly I think I do just need to do more practise because I have heard that the questions are set out pretty similar but yeah mechanics sucks
Original post by cheshiresun
I understand like what the things are so like... on VT graph area is displacement and acceleration is gradient but its more how the questions are worded is what gets me and what information is provided and how to go about it..

As has been said a lot of it is just practice, so if youre confused about the question wording, sketching the information, which equations, ... just ask.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by cheshiresun
Im in year 1 right now which worries me because I know that year 2 will be extremely difficult which is why I want to work hard and try to understand it better now.


For applied, I find year 2 less complicated than year 1 in a way. Mostly you've already seen them, but you'll have to know the basics first to develop on other related topics! Ofc it's often good old suvat and F=ma

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