Should I do 4 unit maths? (1 Viewer)

Shirohige

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I dont know if I should do 4u math or not. I am gonna be in year 12 next term and so I have to decide in the holidays. I am not too bad at Ext 1 math. I am like 8th/26(came 5th in yearlies and the exam before that so improving) in Ext and like 4th in 2u (came 2nd in yearlies so improving) and I go to a decent school not that good though. The problem is I really dont know if I should or not because I havent put 100% effort in year 11. I havent copied down much since term 2 cause of this friend that i sit next to(so funny but). I havent done homework or revision since term 1. We have an amazing teacher you might know her she is name Denise Arnold the one that wrote the 4u book. Please comment and give me advice thanks.
 

pheelx3

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from the amount of 4u I've done (75% of the course ish), 4unit is really about critically thinking about questions that examiners can really just pull out of their ass. there are obscure questions that really fuck students over, but while I'm not pretending to be a state rank student or anything, I find continually spending your time on revisiting concepts doing past HSC and trial papers and even doing textbook q's really really help the understanding of any math concept, in both 2u and 3u.
with that being said, it is completely and entirely up to you, and only you to force yourself to do such practise.

I find 4u really differs from 3u as 4u you have to be able to forecast the answers or the steps to the answer and know when to stop, whereas 3u you can keep bashing at the question and it'll come out sooner or later. but remember 3u is a 2 year course which means in your HSC they can assess you on prelim shit. that's why 3u IHMO is that much easier than 4u.

in all do 4u if you really think you have the dedication, if you can truly appreciate mathematics, not just do it "for the high scaling" and if you are able to forecast answers in 3u maths. I'm not boasting but when I do tests I rarely cross out entire questions, but I see see of other students cross out entire questions. so yeah.

complex - new concept of numbers
curve sketching - extended remix of 3u curve sketching
polynomial - harder 3u poly
conics - extended remix of parametrics
integration - harder 3u integration with more techniques
mechanics - motion bullshit
volumes - self explanatory... integration and shit
harder 3u - the hardest questions on circle geo, binomial, and etc.

if you think you're up for those topics above then give 4u a shot
 
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braintic

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If you've come 8th without much work, you should definitely give it a go. Hopefully your friend won't join you. If he does, then you'll have to find the strength to tell him that you want to work in year 12.
 

Shirohige

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thanks pheelx3 and briantic for your advice I am going to study in these holidays for 3u and 4u (physics and chem mainly though cause they r more interesting) and i will try it for 4 or so weeks and see how hard it really is(of course it is hard but how hard i find it if i try in the subject). so surely i will give it a go and yeah my friend is moving down to 2u so i will be able to concentrate more Thanks
 

czhuu

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It really depends on how much you want that top mark but the concepts in 4 unit are very much different to what you have learnt in extension 1. You will have to practice heaps and be patient with 4u. If you choose it I suggest that you choose it an an "extra" unit so that you can drop it if it becomes too much work. Remember it's all about balancing time and make sure you choose the subjects you enjoy!
 

andybandy

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Id say do it, i was sorta like you, didnt put that much effort, i still did well (first in both 2 unit and 3 unit) but never picked for unit and regreted it so much, if you find it to hard you could always drop it, but if you dont it well help you also with 2 and 3 unit
 

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