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I'm a BA undergrad, but I miss maths, can I learn it in my own time?

I realise this is unconventional: I'm going into my second year of a Classics and English undergrad course, but I want to brush up on my math skills. I've always considered myself better at Arts than Sciences, but I got a 9 in GCSE maths (same for physics, chemistry and biology). Though, after dedicating 2 years of my life to the Arts for my A-Levels, I have to say that I miss the numbers and the objective answers.
So where should I start?
I recognise I can't 'truly' start until my Uni course is over, I don't want to sacrifice my degree. But is there anything I can do in the meantime? Any ways I could brush up on my GCSE math and maybe dabble in some physics before I start considering taking an A level exam after my degree?
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by silentscholar626
I*realise*this*is*unconventional:*I'm*going into*my*second*year*of*a*Classics*and*English*undergrad*course,*but*I*want*to*brush*up*on*my*math*skills.*I've*always*considered*myself*better*at*Arts*than*Sciences,*but*I*got*a*9*in*GCSE*maths*(same for physics, chemistry and biology). Though, after*dedicating*2*years*of*my life to the Arts for my A-Levels,*I*have*to*say that*I*miss*the*numbers*and*the*objective*answers.
So*where*should*I*start?*I*recognise*I*can't*'truly'*start*until*my*Uni*course*is*over,*I*don't*want*to*sacrifice*my*degree.*But*is*there*anything*I*can*do*in*the*meantime?*Any*ways*I could brush*up*on*my*GCSE*math*and*maybe*dabble*in*some*physics*before*I*start*considering*taking*an*A*level*exam after my degree?

Hello!

It's great that you are looking to explore maths and expand your skills beyond your degree!
If you want to start by brushing up on your GCSEs - the best thing would be to have a look at the curriculum and run through the topics that interest you.
Here are some helpful resources for studying:

Khan academy: a free website with mathematics courses from beginner to advanced. A variety of topics with helpful video explanations, practice questions and a "points" system to keep you leveling up and motivated.

Physics and Maths tutor: a great resource for GCSE and A-Level study. Their worksheets are probably most helpful (a collection of step-by-step solved questions, guided questions and regular questions), but they also have topic notes and past paper questions. Maths Revision - PMT (physicsandmathstutor.com)

Maths Genie: also a great resource with explanations and questions. Maths Genie Learn GCSE Maths for Free

There are plenty of free courses on Coursera and Edx: perhaps instead of covering the English mathematics curriculum you want to learn specifically about Geometry or Decision Mathematics?

Good books: "Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction" by Timothy Gowers and "How to Solve It" by George Polya


Once you are comfortable with GCSE maths and perhaps a bit beyond, here is a good guide to self-learning maths:
Math Susan Rigetti

Also, this is a reminder that you are no longer in school having to learn maths. Maths is so much more than the GCSE curriculum, and there are plenty of links to Classics and English too.
Interesting maths content: MindYourDecisions - YouTube, Eddie Woo - YouTube, BriTheMathGuy - YouTube
And TED talks, of course: What's the fastest way to alphabetize your bookshelf? - Chand John - YouTube

Look over those suggestions, explore the many resources available online and happy learning! Don't feel overwhelmed by how much maths exists out there - choose one or few resources, create a plan and stick to it. You can most definitely truly start alongside your course: a couple of short small study sessions a week consistently can work wonders!

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Polina,
Lancaster University Computing Ambassador.
Original post by silentscholar626
I*realise*this*is*unconventional:*I'm*going into*my*second*year*of*a*Classics*and*English*undergrad*course,*but*I*want*to*brush*up*on*my*math*skills.*I've*always*considered*myself*better*at*Arts*than*Sciences,*but*I*got*a*9*in*GCSE*maths*(same for physics, chemistry and biology). Though, after*dedicating*2*years*of*my life to the Arts for my A-Levels,*I*have*to*say that*I*miss*the*numbers*and*the*objective*answers.
So*where*should*I*start?*I*recognise*I*can't*'truly'*start*until*my*Uni*course*is*over,*I*don't*want*to*sacrifice*my*degree.*But*is*there*anything*I*can*do*in*the*meantime?*Any*ways*I could brush*up*on*my*GCSE*math*and*maybe*dabble*in*some*physics*before*I*start*considering*taking*an*A*level*exam after my degree?

What's with the asterisks (*)? Is your space bar broken?

It depends on how far you want to take the subject. I don't think you can do a postgrad in maths with what you have, but you might be able to do something indirectly by doing a MSc in Computer Science (which is typically quantitative), and you can then later pick another postgrad in maths. However, by far I would always recommend going to the genuine article by doing the 2 maths A Levels and doing an integrated master's in maths (should you decide to go the full 9 yards).
If you just want to study the subject without getting further qualifications in it, you can theoretically read the same books that are in a standard maths degree and get the same education. I would still recommend doing the maths A Levels prior to doing this (whether you actually take the exams and get the full qualifications for this or not is up to you). This works because maths is a theoretical subject, or at least one that doesn't involve a lot of practicals, so you can often do a lot of the study and work on your own using books and your laptop (a number of the software can be free or you can free alternatives for).

The standard approach after GCSE Maths (people who receive 9s generally don't need much revision) is to go straight into A Level Maths. I would recommend doing A Level FM even if there's quite a bit of overlap with the first year modules since the first year isn't particularly easy.

Do also note, you can follow the curriculum in an American maths major degree or you can follow one under the British degree. Let me know if you want a bibliography for both.

Where you say physics, do you intend to focus more on engineering and physics as opposed to a pure maths degree? If so, it might help if you specify you areas of interest in maths - it's a relatively broad subject and you can easily get lost learning everything.
Also if you do Physics A Level, there is a practical component, which isn't particularly cheap, on top of exams to do if you want to go ahead and get the full A Level.
Original post by Anonymous
What's with the asterisks (*)? Is your space bar broken?
It depends on how far you want to take the subject. I don't think you can do a postgrad in maths with what you have, but you might be able to do something indirectly by doing a MSc in Computer Science (which is typically quantitative), and you can then later pick another postgrad in maths. However, by far I would always recommend going to the genuine article by doing the 2 maths A Levels and doing an integrated master's in maths (should you decide to go the full 9 yards).
If you just want to study the subject without getting further qualifications in it, you can theoretically read the same books that are in a standard maths degree and get the same education. I would still recommend doing the maths A Levels prior to doing this (whether you actually take the exams and get the full qualifications for this or not is up to you). This works because maths is a theoretical subject, or at least one that doesn't involve a lot of practicals, so you can often do a lot of the study and work on your own using books and your laptop (a number of the software can be free or you can free alternatives for).
The standard approach after GCSE Maths (people who receive 9s generally don't need much revision) is to go straight into A Level Maths. I would recommend doing A Level FM even if there's quite a bit of overlap with the first year modules since the first year isn't particularly easy.
Do also note, you can follow the curriculum in an American maths major degree or you can follow one under the British degree. Let me know if you want a bibliography for both.
Where you say physics, do you intend to focus more on engineering and physics as opposed to a pure maths degree? If so, it might help if you specify you areas of interest in maths - it's a relatively broad subject and you can easily get lost learning everything.
Also if you do Physics A Level, there is a practical component, which isn't particularly cheap, on top of exams to do if you want to go ahead and get the full A Level.
Thanks for your reply! I’m not sure where the asterisks came from, I’ve edited them out now lol.

In terms of how far I’d like to take the subject, I suppose my first goal would be to get an A-Level qualification in Maths and Physics (and possibly Further Maths too). If I can achieve this and enjoy it enough, I’d consider taking an undergrad course. However, I don’t feel ready to jump into A-Level straight away, and I wouldn’t want to start seriously studying for an exam until I have graduated. Like I say: I don’t want to sacrifice my degree.

So all that being said my goal right now is to study Maths and Physics in a casual way that allows me to focus on my degree, so that I could ‘warm up’ for potentially studying the A-Level. I’ve gotten my hands on some free GCSE textbooks that I plan on working through to see if I can manage setting aside time to study for Maths and Physcis and re-learn the basics before considering anything too complex.

As for my interests in the specific fields: Astrophysics. I love space and stargazing and understanding the laws we share with the rest of the universe. I don’t know much about the specific fields of Maths, but I assume Mechanics would be the most relevant when it comes to space travel and laws of the universe.
Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador
Hello!
It's great that you are looking to explore maths and expand your skills beyond your degree!
If you want to start by brushing up on your GCSEs - the best thing would be to have a look at the curriculum and run through the topics that interest you.
Here are some helpful resources for studying:

Khan academy: a free website with mathematics courses from beginner to advanced. A variety of topics with helpful video explanations, practice questions and a "points" system to keep you leveling up and motivated.

Physics and Maths tutor: a great resource for GCSE and A-Level study. Their worksheets are probably most helpful (a collection of step-by-step solved questions, guided questions and regular questions), but they also have topic notes and past paper questions. Maths Revision - PMT (physicsandmathstutor.com)

Maths Genie: also a great resource with explanations and questions. Maths Genie Learn GCSE Maths for Free

There are plenty of free courses on Coursera and Edx: perhaps instead of covering the English mathematics curriculum you want to learn specifically about Geometry or Decision Mathematics?

Good books: "Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction" by Timothy Gowers and "How to Solve It" by George Polya


Once you are comfortable with GCSE maths and perhaps a bit beyond, here is a good guide to self-learning maths:
Math Susan Rigetti
Also, this is a reminder that you are no longer in school having to learn maths. Maths is so much more than the GCSE curriculum, and there are plenty of links to Classics and English too.
Interesting maths content: MindYourDecisions - YouTube, Eddie Woo - YouTube, BriTheMathGuy - YouTube
And TED talks, of course: What's the fastest way to alphabetize your bookshelf? - Chand John - YouTube
Look over those suggestions, explore the many resources available online and happy learning! Don't feel overwhelmed by how much maths exists out there - choose one or few resources, create a plan and stick to it. You can most definitely truly start alongside your course: a couple of short small study sessions a week consistently can work wonders!
Good luck and I hope this helps!
Polina,
Lancaster University Computing Ambassador.

This reply was super useful thank you!

Physics and Maths Tutor alongside Maths Genie have helped me overview the courses I’d like to take, and Primrose Kitten is a channel I’d forgotten from my time in GSCE. Susan Rigetti’s articles have also been particularly inspiring, and made me realise there’s more to learning these fields than what the exam boards give us. I’ve read her Maths and Physics articles and have set aside some of the book titles she provides for anyone with a causal interest in the fields.
Thanks again :smile:
Original post by silentscholar626
Thanks for your reply! I’m not sure where the asterisks came from, I’ve edited them out now lol.
In terms of how far I’d like to take the subject, I suppose my first goal would be to get an A-Level qualification in Maths and Physics (and possibly Further Maths too). If I can achieve this and enjoy it enough, I’d consider taking an undergrad course. However, I don’t feel ready to jump into A-Level straight away, and I wouldn’t want to start seriously studying for an exam until I have graduated. Like I say: I don’t want to sacrifice my degree.
So all that being said my goal right now is to study Maths and Physics in a casual way that allows me to focus on my degree, so that I could ‘warm up’ for potentially studying the A-Level. I’ve gotten my hands on some free GCSE textbooks that I plan on working through to see if I can manage setting aside time to study for Maths and Physcis and re-learn the basics before considering anything too complex.
As for my interests in the specific fields: Astrophysics. I love space and stargazing and understanding the laws we share with the rest of the universe. I don’t know much about the specific fields of Maths, but I assume Mechanics would be the most relevant when it comes to space travel and laws of the universe.

I suppose my first goal would be to get an A-Level qualification in Maths and Physics (and possibly Further Maths too)
If you intend to do an undergrad in astrophysics, FM is more or less expected. You would come across linear algebra a lot (vector space, etc.) as well as a lot of calculus.
I would also recommend checking to see if you need the practical component in Physics to meet entry requirements for some degrees.

If I can achieve this and enjoy it enough, I’d consider taking an undergrad course.
Have you looked into the ELQ policy? You are not likely going to be eligible for funding from student finance for a second undergrad course if it's in Astrophysics, since it's not an exemption in their list.
Do you know how you are going to fund this? For some universities, they don't charge the standard £9k per year fee.
Do also note, some universities consider A Levels more than 2-5 years old "out of date" (even if your A Levels don't expire) for application purposes. You might want to consider this in your timing of your uni application.

I don’t feel ready to jump into A-Level straight away, and I wouldn’t want to start seriously studying for an exam until I have graduated
Good decision. I understand Classics is not a particularly easy subject, so I would opt to do the same in your situation.
Having said that, there is nothing stopping you from doing a bit of studying over the summer.

I don’t know much about the specific fields of Maths, but I assume Mechanics would be the most relevant when it comes to space travel and laws of the universe.
Yep, mechanics is up there. However, you would also get a lot of core maths (models), and the occasional statistics (research).
Decision maths is mostly relevant for computer science and logic, which you shouldn't get a lot of.

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