• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

What Math should I be doing before uni? (1 Viewer)

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
Hey guys, so I'll be completing my HSC for math this year, but still want to do math and not lose my skills during the rest of my HSC. I'm just wondering what math I should be doing during the year, mostly in regards to university stuff. Also, as I am just doing it for fun, although fun is subjective, I'd appreciate recommendations which are more 'fun'. Thanks!
 

eyeseeyou

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
4,125
Location
Space
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Hey guys, so I'll be completing my HSC for math this year, but still want to do math and not lose my skills during the rest of my HSC. I'm just wondering what math I should be doing during the year, mostly in regards to university stuff. Also, as I am just doing it for fun, although fun is subjective, I'd appreciate recommendations which are more 'fun'. Thanks!
Well since 3U is either assumed knowledge (or a prerequisite) to certain courses, I think it's best to practice some 3U maths

Also you could practice some 4U as well

Just do it in the holidays (or whenever you have the available time) because you want to prioritize all the subjects that count to your HSC rather than the ones which are already counted
 

RenegadeMx

Kosovo is Serbian
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,302
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2016
Have a look at some of the syllabus for maths in the unis u are thinking about, but most first year courses involve loads of calculus, and usually matrices
 

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
Well since 3U is either assumed knowledge (or a prerequisite) to certain courses, I think it's best to practice some 3U maths

Also you could practice some 4U as well

Just do it in the holidays (or whenever you have the available time) because you want to prioritize all the subjects that count to your HSC rather than the ones which are already counted
Oh yeah I intend to do that, maybe just do a past paper every now or then and do questions from the math marathons here, but I also just like learning new math so that's where the question came from. And yeah I don't intend to neglect my other subjects, I'll still be putting heaps of effort into them (hopefully).
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
If you intend to pursue a Bachelor of Divinity course after your HSC, then maths is not of much direct relevance; of course, you can do as much maths as you like, if you simply enjoy it.

However, if you plan to pursue a uni course with a significant maths content, then you want to do enough maths now to give you a strong background for that. Since you have not indicated what course/s you are likely to be pursuing at uni, it is harder to give you a meaningful advice, for this purpose.
 
Last edited:

InteGrand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
6,109
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
If you intend to pursue a Bachelor of Divinity course after your HSC, then maths is not of much direct relevance; of course, you can do as much maths as you like, if you simply enjoy it.

However, if you plan to pursue a uni course with a significant maths content, then you want to do enough maths now to give you a strong background for that.
What things constitute a Bachelor of Divinity?
 

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
If you intend to pursue a Bachelor of Divinity course after your HSC, then maths is not of much direct relevance; of course, you can do as much maths as you like, if you simply enjoy it.

However, if you plan to pursue a uni course with a significant maths content, then you want to do enough maths now to give you a strong background for that. Since you have not indicated what course/s you are likely to be pursuing at uni, it is harder to give you a meaningful advice, for this purpose.
I intend to do a course with high amounts of math, probably advanced mathematics or engineering or something along those lines.
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
I intend to do a course with high amounts of math, probably advanced mathematics or engineering or something along those lines.
Then you should obviously do at least MX1, and if you can handle it, all the better: MX2.
 

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
Then you should obviously do at least MX1, and if you can handle it, all the better: MX2.
Oh yeah I'm accelerating MX2 now, I was just wondering what I should do after I complete MX2.

Edit: My subjects are in my signature.
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Oh yeah I'm accelerating MX2 now, I was just wondering what I should do after I complete MX2.

Edit: My subjects are in my signature.
What do you mean? Question is ambiguous and can be responded to in many ways, many of which would be meaningless.

Also in what way are you accelerating MX2 now? Are you sitting the Maths Ext 2 next month? And what do you mean by: "What Maths should I be doing before Uni"? See - you have not made yourself clear? Do you mean the free time after your HSC but before you commence uni?
 

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
What do you mean? Question is ambiguous and can be responded to in many ways, many of which would be meaningless.

Also in what way are you accelerating MX2 now? Are you sitting the Maths Ext 2 next month? And what do you mean by: "What Maths should I be doing before Uni"? See - you have not made yourself clear? Do you mean the free time after your HSC but before you commence uni?
Yeah, I'll be sitting the MX1 and MX2 HSC this year. So, to make myself a bit clearer, after I finish the HSC I'd still like to do math, just advancing myself however much I can. I'd be doing this all in my free time, self-taught. Most of the stuff I'd like to teach myself would probably be 1st year university mathematics, maybe some second year things if it is doable. I can't really go too in depth as to exactly what I'd like to do, as I don't really know myself, hence why I posted here.
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Then the best course of action is to grab a typical 1st Yr uni "Calculus" textbook; there'll be enough to keep you busy until you get to uni. There are dozens of current US Calculus textbooks - all so beautifully set out, with outstanding graphics, etc - quite unlike the books I used to use. These textbooks, new, cost over $100 each; but on 8 - 9th October, next month, there will be a giant Lifeline Book Sale at Oakhill College, Castle Hill (8am to 5 pm), where, if you are lucky, you may be able to pick up one of such 2nd-hand textbooks for less than $10(be really early). I remember picking up a few for just $2 to $5! Even if the textbook is over 10 years old, it's still great.

ps
Also grab an introductory text on Linear Algebra, and on Discrete Maths. That should cover a huge chunk of you 1st Yr uni maths. You may just be lucky and find such books at the said Book Sale.
 
Last edited:

calamebe

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
462
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
Then the best course of action is to grab a typical 1st Yr uni "Calculus" textbook; there'll be enough to keep you busy until you get to uni. There are dozens of current US Calculus textbooks - all so beautifully set out, with outstanding graphics, etc - quite unlike the books I used to use. These textbooks, new, cost over $100 each; but on 8 - 9th October, next month, there will be a giant Lifeline Book Sale at Oakhill College, Castle Hill (8am to 5 pm), where, if you are lucky, you may be able to pick up one of such 2nd-hand textbooks for less than $10(be really early). I remember picking up a few for just $2 to $5! Even if the textbook is over 10 years old, it's still great.
Thanks heaps for that, sounds great!
 

RenegadeMx

Kosovo is Serbian
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,302
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2016
Then the best course of action is to grab a typical 1st Yr uni "Calculus" textbook; there'll be enough to keep you busy until you get to uni. There are dozens of current US Calculus textbooks - all so beautifully set out, with outstanding graphics, etc - quite unlike the books I used to use. These textbooks, new, cost over $100 each; but on 8 - 9th October, next month, there will be a giant Lifeline Book Sale at Oakhill College, Castle Hill (8am to 5 pm), where, if you are lucky, you may be able to pick up one of such 2nd-hand textbooks for less than $10(be really early). I remember picking up a few for just $2 to $5! Even if the textbook is over 10 years old, it's still great.

ps
Also grab an introductory text on Linear Algebra, and on Discrete Maths. That should cover a huge chunk of you 1st Yr uni maths. You may just be lucky and find such books at the said Book Sale.
or you can download those books easily
 

RenegadeMx

Kosovo is Serbian
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,302
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2016
This dinosaur keeps forgetting there are cheaper digital sources available. But I feel more comfortable flipping paper pages.
thats true, i remember u could easily buy older editions for like $1 but then the shipping to aus would make it around $20, still if u are invested in this topic best to do research on where to buy cheapest etc if u do want the physical copies
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
But I was referring to the Lifeline Book Sales - held 4 and now 5 times a year in my side of Sydney; so you do not incur those shipping charges. But you will need to travel to the sales venue which may or may not be very far away, depending . . . ..
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top