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Why do people think Mathematics Extension 2 is so hard? (5 Viewers)

Drongoski

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Mr Matchett is much more knowledgeable in 4U I think. Mr Paraskevas can't do questions without having to look through his notes. I even asked him to do the HGHS 2008 trial Q7 mechanics 4U, and he couldn't answer it. My 3U teacher said she used to teach 4U but now she's like cbf. I asked the same question and shes like nah I can't be bothered, otherwise itll take too long T_T
I believe many maths teachers do not want to teach 4U except for the really top ones. I suppose some are "pressured" into taking 4U by the head teacher if he cannot find any other capable or willing to do it. As a teacher, unless you are really good at maths, why would you want to teach the course - you have to work so much harder and sometimes risk the embarassment of being unable to do some 4U questions in front of your class.
 
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mirakon

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1, I am merely an average person in Mathematics, and I find it pretty easy. 2. You just need to have a solid understanding of algebra and calculus. Nothing is hard in this whole world; it is all a matter of understanding. If you don't understand it, you can't do it, simple.

And btw, I would strongly reccomend anyone who is moderately good at maths to give this course a go. It is very rewarding and the scaling is amazing.
1. No. The course is certainly overrated in terms of difficulty but by no means is it easy for te average student. For one, barely anyone even finished last year's HSC for it.
2. No. There's much more too it. This is a massive oversimplification of the course.
 

powlmao

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1. No. The course is certainly overrated in terms of difficulty but by no means is it easy for te average student. For one, barely anyone even finished last year's HSC for it.
2. No. There's much more too it. This is a massive oversimplification of the course.
This.

OP is trolling. 4U maths is fucking hard if you are an average student. Also it isn't all just factorising.
 
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This.

OP is trolling. 4U maths is fucking hard if you are an average student. Also it isn't all just factorising.
I'll confirm/deny this.
I'm a ~slightly above average student that starts 4u this week.
Will tell you guize how it goes.
 

Aindan

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4u definitely is overrated, it becomes relatively simply once you put a decent amount of effort. Although, english is by far the subject, well for me at least, where you need to spend the most time in. I spend around 15% of my time on Maths and 45% time on english.
 

starryblue

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I do Extension 1 and Extension 2 so basically I do 4 Unit. It is a LOT of work but if you can understand the concepts you will be surprised at how overrated the course is. Of course, however, if you don't make any effort to keep up with the work in class, if you are not doing consistent revision/homework everyday, if you don't make an effort to ask questions when you don't understand something, you will struggle; it is the same for every subject. Ext 2 is all about understanding, and for those of you who just listen to rumours about 4 Unit, and haven't actually tried the course out, please don't make such assumptions on how hard it is, when you haven't actually attempted the course yet. If you enjoy maths, that should give you more than enough motivation to master this course.
i heard extension 2 maths is extremely hard and it takes up a lot of your time...do you spend more time studying maths than your other subjects?
 

Hermes1

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i heard extension 2 maths is extremely hard and it takes up a lot of your time...do you spend more time studying maths than your other subjects?
depends on ability and how well u wanna do in it.
 

darkccc

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To be honest, I don't think it is terribly hard. All the questions work out some way or another.

I believe that the hardest aspect of Mathematics extension 2 is to do the questions in the least amount of time possible...
 

PhysicsGirl

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Excuse me?
Well I suppose it isn't that hard if you're 'superb' at maths, but the majority of us aren't. And you're here, blatantly stating that you find it easy, or somewhat easy? I'll admit, some of the questions are easy (for me), but others are haaaard. You actually have to use a lot of brain power in 4U, as opposed to 2U, which is... well very easy.

What school do you go to? (I realize that the school you go to is sometimes not a good indicator of your intelligence, but nonetheless, I'd like to know).
What makes it so difficult? Please spell that out for me. 4U requires heaps of effort, never denied that, but it is not "hard." There is no such thing in the world, not if you're willing to learn and prepared to understand new concepts. It is just a maths problem at the end, just treat it like it is that.

And my school rank is around 60-ish.
 

Shadowdude

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lol you think MX2 isn't 'hard'.

Yes it is for some people. If I tell you to draw a picture and you're not artistically inclined - you're stuffed and you'll find it hard.
 

PhysicsGirl

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1. No. The course is certainly overrated in terms of difficulty but by no means is it easy for te average student. For one, barely anyone even finished last year's HSC for it.
2. No. There's much more too it. This is a massive oversimplification of the course.
1. Yes, it is. Anyone who is sitting in a 4U classroom for a whole year will eventually be able to do it with practice and understanding. Stop putting the course on a pedestal. Why wouldn't any remotely good at maths not want to do it? I'm going to tell you a little background of myself; a few years ago when I was in Year 9 I was failing absolutely everything in Maths and rather badly too, and I only had like 2 good tests for the whole year, not because I found it "hard" but because I was barely listening in class, not doing any revision, didn't make any effort to ask questions for things I found difficult, or else I am sure I would have done much better. I was so bad, in Year 10 I was reccomended no maths, but then it suddenly clicked to me. I had to stop being lazy! If I wanted to get better, I needed to find that fire and that motivation and that hunger to do well. I started setting up myself a study timetable and I told my parents to block facebook, youtube, or any other non-educational websites, and I even started seeing a tutor, and with those small steps, I started getting better; my results were improving, and as I started making studying my biggest habit, and my results skyrocketed by so much, that at the end of the year, I ended up with an A on my report. That exact time a year ago, I was getting an D. And then obviously for Yr 11 I picked 3 units of Maths, and then 4 units in Year 12. Now if someone had told me 3 years ago I would be doing 4 units of Maths in Year 12 and finding it simple, I would have told them that they're living on some other planet. So ANYONE can do it;doesn't matter how clever you are; saying it is hard and all of that crap, that's just being lazy, like it or not.

2. No, but that's pretty much what you need to start off with.
 

big_bang344

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Woah. That's a really good motivation... how should i put this... motivational "push" for me :) I am in the current situation as you but that is mainly because i did the stuff you did. Not paying attention, not revising, not doing hw etc. Thanks to that speech, now i do believe i am capable of 4 unit. (note: i'm actually good at maths, just lazy :) ) Thanks for the motivation.
 

Shadowdude

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1. Yes, it is. Anyone who is sitting in a 4U classroom for a whole year will eventually be able to do it with practice and understanding. Stop putting the course on a pedestal. Why wouldn't any remotely good at maths not want to do it? I'm going to tell you a little background of myself; a few years ago when I was in Year 9 I was failing absolutely everything in Maths and rather badly too, and I only had like 2 good tests for the whole year, not because I found it "hard" but because I was barely listening in class, not doing any revision, didn't make any effort to ask questions for things I found difficult, or else I am sure I would have done much better. I was so bad, in Year 10 I was reccomended no maths, but then it suddenly clicked to me. I had to stop being lazy! If I wanted to get better, I needed to find that fire and that motivation and that hunger to do well. I started setting up myself a study timetable and I told my parents to block facebook, youtube, or any other non-educational websites, and I even started seeing a tutor, and with those small steps, I started getting better; my results were improving, and as I started making studying my biggest habit, and my results skyrocketed by so much, that at the end of the year, I ended up with an A on my report. That exact time a year ago, I was getting an D. And then obviously for Yr 11 I picked 3 units of Maths, and then 4 units in Year 12. Now if someone had told me 3 years ago I would be doing 4 units of Maths in Year 12 and finding it simple, I would have told them that they're living on some other planet. So ANYONE can do it;doesn't matter how clever you are; saying it is hard and all of that crap, that's just being lazy, like it or not.

2. No, but that's pretty much what you need to start off with.
To (1), go and get some General Maths kids and get them to do 4 unit. You'll be surprised what happens.
 

Alkanes

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Woah. That's a really good motivation... how should i put this... motivational "push" for me :) I am in the current situation as you but that is mainly because i did the stuff you did. Not paying attention, not revising, not doing hw etc. Thanks to that speech, now i do believe i am capable of 4 unit. (note: i'm actually good at maths, just lazy :) ) Thanks for the motivation.
Lol you're only in yr 10 just chill. It will all change next year.
 

Drongoski

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1. Now if someone had told me 3 years ago I would be doing 4 units of Maths in Year 12 and finding it simple, I would have told them that they're living on some other planet. So ANYONE can do it;doesn't matter how clever you are; saying it is hard and all of that crap, that's just being lazy, like it or not.
That's news to me. I've had students who find even Gen Maths a challenge.

You are obviously very talented in maths. Would be interesting to see what you get for your 4U for your HSC - maybe 98?
 
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