First year maths (1 Viewer)

[ajdlinux]

Hi BOSers,

I'm planning to go to ANU next year and do a combined Arts/Science degree. I'm looking over my options for courses for next year, and for the Science major I want to do (Computer Science) I have to do one of the first year maths courses - MATH1005 (Discrete Mathematical Models), MATH1013/1014 (Maths & Applications) or MATH1115/1116 (Maths & Apps Honours).

What I want to know is how difficult each of these courses are. I got a reasonable pass in Extension 2, but will I be able to cope with Honours level, or should I stick to the pass level courses?

Thanks

 

[chooette]

MATH1115/1116 is hard, but if you've done math ext 2 you should be OK. Just don't panic with linear algebra, only the ACT maths people have done it. You can also drop back to 1013/1014 within the first few weeks of semester, or after you've completed MATH1115.

To be honest, if you aren't going to continue with any maths don't bother with the honours stream- you learn similar things to Maths & Apps, except they make it harder with crap assignments and derivations you don't need. The only reason to do the honours courses are if you're going to do later level maths courses that require them.

 

[Sammy-Blue]

Actually QLD does linear alg as well, it's not that hard. But I'd agree that unless you need 1115 for later courses, save yourself the hassle and do something easier.

 

[humphdogg]

So does Victoria (to a very limited extent) and NT. Not sure about the other states. It's always funny seeing the NSW kids own the calculus bit and flunk the linear algebra.
But yeah, just to reiterate what everyone else said, do MATH1013 unless you really want to test yourself for some unknown reason.

 

[jas0nt]

MATH1013/1014 are for those who do engineering, IT, or just have a general interest in maths. In terms of high-school maths it'll be like Methods (second hardest)

MATH1115 are for those enrolled in Actuary Studies to gear them up for STAT2001, statistics or have a flare for maths (eg. do a PhB).

MATH1116 are for those who have a genuine interest in maths and wish to pursue it further in their degrees. Normally the enrollment size compared to MATH1115 halves because the Actuary Studies kids no longer need to do it.

I don't know if they changed it, but MATH1014 requires you to get a 40% pass on both papers (linear algebra and calculus) in the final. If you get 100% on the calculus section and 39% on the LA section, then you fail the course. But failing the course by saying "I've never done LA before... waah" will get you nowhere because every student is taught from the ground up w.r.t LA.

TBH I reckon you'll do fine in MATH1013 / MATH1014. You might not get a stellar mark considering you passed your YR12 stuff but I'd be very surprised if you crashed and burned.

Not sure about MATH1005 but it sounds like a wang subject.