Assumed math knowledge in FINS1613 / ECON1203 ? (1 Viewer)

shluo

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I'm starting a deferred B.Com at UNSW next year, and I'm planning to take FINS1613 and ECON1203 in my first year (probably in different semesters - Which would you say is harder)?

Problem is I didn't do math in high school - I know how to do simple algebra, but not much further than that. I want to do really well in these subjects and I'm willing to put in the time and effort to study in my own time.

Can anyone who's taken these subjects let me know what subjects I should study before the semester starts, so I'll be as prepared as possible?
And would you recommend I buy the prescribed textbooks for these courses to take a look beforehand?
 

4025808

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for FINS1613 and ECON1203, i recommend having 2U Maths knowledge. But year 10 maths is the only one that's really needed.
 

shluo

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Thanks, I didn't take year 10 too seriously - part of the reason I didn't take 2U math^^. Any particular topics I should study up on that may come up? 2U topics are okay too, I really want to do well and be prepared.
 

halapenyo

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there's nothing you have to do to prepare. just be familiar with simple algebra and indices. the more difficult part is relating the maths to the financial/economic concepts.
 

Riachain

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I'm an international student, so I don't know what specific subjects you should study before the semester starts, but I would encourage you to rent (not buy, since the textbook might change next year) the FINS1613 textbook for this semester and use that to prepare for next year, since FINS1613 is a subject that requires the following: (1) Basic algebra, (2) Basic knowledge of probability, and (3) Some knowledge of distributions, variances, and standard deviations. If you can't do these things, you could study up on them without a textbook, but I just think that it's a good idea to study FINS1613 before the semester starts, based on my own experience this semester. ^^; (I wish somebody had told me to prepare for FINS1613 before I took the course. Once the semester starts, you might just not have the time to study for all of your subjects, and that'll come back to bite you in the neck...)

As for ECON1203 - I think that you'd definitely want to practice before the semester begins if you didn't study Maths in HSC. Rent the textbook or borrow it from someone, since again, they tend to change the textbooks each year, I think. I'm going to be taking ECON1203 next year as well, and since I'm crap at Maths, I'll be practicing everything before the semester begins. If you're taking ECON1203 next year, first semester, we might meet. x'D
 

shluo

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Thanks for the advice. I'll probably be taking it in sem 2 unfortunately ria ^^

I was reading some old threads saying there's a lot of calculus in finance (which I'm considering majoring in), is there a substantial amount of assumed knowledge?
 

Riachain

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Thanks for the advice. I'll probably be taking it in sem 2 unfortunately ria ^^

I was reading some old threads saying there's a lot of calculus in finance (which I'm considering majoring in), is there a substantial amount of assumed knowledge?
Calculus? I don't know about Calculus (FINS1613 has none), but that's probably because I'm not planning to major in Finance. Sorry I can't be of much help there. ;(

And I think... hrm, nah, not really. Not much assumed knowledge needed. Just know your math, maybe know a little bit about different investment instruments? Like what are stocks, bonds, that sort of thing...
 

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