Which Do You Think Is Harder? (1 Viewer)

[xtol]

This is just to see which subjects people think is harder. Mainly because I'm sick of hearing that Maths Ext 2 is soooo much harder than English Ext 2, and English Ext 2 is nothing. I wouldn't know which is harder as I'm not doing Maths Ext 2, but personally, English Ext 2 is proving to be quite a struggle also (mainly cos im lazy, but anyways..)..

Yes. So what's your view?

 

[gracie007]

eng is just a major project. how is that HARD as such? why do u think itd be eng? wtf.
if u choose to do eng ext2 u know its only a major work, and therefore ud prob have a general idea of what ull be doing for it. and ud be doing something ud be interested in and enjoy.
ive never heard anyone ever say eng 2 is hard. how can it b.

 

[ur_inner_child]

They're too different

Two different sides of the brain.

And the word "difficult" involves an array of things, such as the content, type of learning (independent vs dependent, in either one), and the marking scheme (subjective etc).

It's a personal issue, rather than a debate of which one is more difficult, so as a personal answer, Maths Ext 2.

 

[pLuvia]

Depends what kind of person are you?

 

[tempco]

The topic asks which of the two "you think is harder". English X2 for me.

 

[pLuvia]

For my preference probably EE2

 

[biggie walls]

harder in what respect? to achieve full marks? I spose thats the only measure of success we really get in school... My thoughts -

to achieve full marks MX2
to achieve brilliance EE2

?

 

[passion89]

Both are hard. But to me MX2 is harder.

 

[Riviet]

You can't really know unless you've done both, but for voting's sake, I'd say maths.

 

[passion89]

Is there anyone who does do/has done both EX2 and MX2? It would be great to get your perspective on this.

 

[s2indie]

In my opinion MX2... all those formulas would be a pain.

 

[yoakim]

both are easy

 

[Riviet]

all those formulas would be a pain.

Do lots of questions that require you to apply the formula and it will eventually "sink in". But then again, there are heaps of formulae to be familiar with in the HSC course, particularly at extension 1 & 2 level.

 

[Trebla]

Mathematics Extension 2 is way harder!!! I hate it when teachers say that English Extension 2 is so hard and it needs a lot of committment bla bla bla......It's quite exaggerated really, because most schools (including most selective schools) would have no more than ONE English Extension 2 class. This explains why it has such a low candidature and worse scaling than both Mathematics Extensions.
Here's my reasoning:
- English Extension 2 has no examination while Mathematics Extension 2 has a very challenging 3 hour examination in which 99% of the candidature cannot complete thoroughly. Therefore students doing English Extension 2 are more relaxed and can allow ideas to develop fluently, while those in Mathematics Extension 2 have to work hard on developing their speed and accuracy.
- English Extension 2 involves a student's own major work which reflects on his or her ideas derived from the 3 unit English course. Therefore the ideas and conceptualisation involved would be of interest to the composer. Mathematics Extension 2 on the other hand involves a study of highly advanced level mathematics (at university level) and very deep understanding of the mechanisms involved in Mathematics, these topics are fixed and are not always going to be interesting.
- The English Extension 2 course involves an independent student composition with little teacher assistance compared to Mathematics Extension 2 in which it must be taught effectively in order for students to understand it. Therefore from a teacher's perspective Mathematics Extension 2 requires more hard work than English Extension 2.
- English Extension 2 students submit their major works in August (I think), which is 2 months before the HSC exams begin. Whilst those doing Mathematics Extension 2 are working their asses off on revision, they can just relax and use the time as extra revision periods for their remaining 3 units of English.
- According to Table A3 from http://www.uac.edu.au/pubs/pdf/2005-Table-A3.pdf, over 1% of the state scored 50/50 in English Extension 2, whilst the highest mark in Mathematics Extension 2 was 99/100. Due to English Extension 2's relatively low scaling this shows that it is easier to gain access to higher HSC marks than in Mathematics Extension 2 (though it's great scaling makes up for it).

 

[orange_blob]

Mathematics... not always going to be interesting.

I agree.

{BTW I do both}

I voted for maths.

Not that english isn't hard, but there is so much more freedom in that course, for instance my school doesn't even have classes for EE2, so you can make what you want from it and thus it will be fun.

I enjoy maths concepts and ideas and I think the way it just all works is fascinating. Sure finally solving a really long and complicated problem is satisfying, but does anyone really enjoy the hours of repitious questions?

Obviously people are going to get better marks in EE2 though because they have an entire year to write and review their major work, which counts as 50% of the mark, wheras with MX2 50% of the mark come down to a moment {a three hour moment}, questions you haven't seen before, if you are having a bad day or just aren't thinking about somthing in the right way you'll loose marks. You have no chance to correct anything, it's impossible to "sleep" on something in an exam.

Generally anybody doing extension 2 in either english or maths will have a passion for that subject. The difference is that in english you can tailor the course to the specifics of your passion, whereas in maths you just have to take what you are given. And doing somthing that you enjoy, at the pace you choose is generally a more comfortable and enjoyable situation.

Although, I probably should say that I'm getting much better marks in EE2 than MW2 at the moment.

-- Jeff

PS. I like the way english is usually refered to as EE2, but maths as MX2...

 

[Imanuel Redding]

I dropped maths so I guess I can hardly judge, BUT... English 4 unit is the easiest subject I do. I think you can make it hard for urself (ipse est, do something you dont enjoy) But generally ext 2 english is fun and easy.

 

[Porcia]

Is there anyone who does do/has done both EX2 and MX2? It would be great to get your perspective on this.

yeah i do both and the answer is, despite them both being different and 'uncomparable', if i measure hardness by my time spent on it, then i have to say maths is hardest. but if i use, say, brainpower or mental acuity as a measure, then english extension 2 is by far, the hardest. Math, once you have learned the basics, is very formulaic and it is easy to drive to a certain fixed answer. english on the other hand, relies on articulation, sophistication, and concept - and the constant turmoil of its pressure.

 

[Nicci_15]

I definately think extension 2 english is harder than extension 2 maths.
1) For extension 2 maths, once you've learnt the formulas, you're pretty set. As with extension 2 english, its an ongoing process, involving tonnes and tonnes of research and I mean something like 80 hrs in total, hours of reading ie 1-2 hrs each weekday and 3-4hrs on weekends.
2) Also you can't memorise/learn something and just write it out to be submitted. Unlike ext 2 maths where you learn formulas, walk into an exam, and recite it all according to the questions asked, ext 2 english involves writing out a draft, redrafting many times, editing, refering to early research, footnoting, learning how to write and master a particular style, going to teachers to correct your work, typing and then finally submitting it in, in August. 3 MONTHS B4 the EXT 2 MATHS EXAM!!!! That means that there is less time to prepare for EXT 2 english than Ext 2 Maths which makes Ext 2 English a lot more harder.

 

[LoneShadow]

since English is my second language, I'd say Englsih Ext 2

 

[orange_blob]

For extension 2 maths, once you've learnt the formulas, you're pretty set.

I'm guessing you don't do ext 2 maths.

It is far more involved than learning formulas. Sure there are some formulas you need to learn, but it is the in depth understanding of the concepts that will get you marks. Most of these concepts a incredibly abstract. Ext 2 maths doesn't teach you how to answer the questions in the exam, because the questions are so radically different and complex, it teaches you how to think so hopefully you'll be able to understand what the questions actually want you to do.

Drawing lines at specific angles and circles with specific radii in order to solve equations involving numbers that don't actually exist is a little bit more involved than applying formulas. And that's not even the complicated stuff, just one of the things I actually understand.

Formulas can only get you so far in maths. It's not the actual mathimatically operations that are difficult, but the thinking involved in realising that they are the operation you need to perform. For example, in my half-yearly I think I only used my calculator two or three times, and only with simple things I could have easily done in my head.