Is it true that theyre asking more theory than mathematical questions now? (1 Viewer)

[~~**maltsyn**~~]

That's wat i was told...........
Do u think theory or mathematical questions are easier?

 

[mannnnndy]

The new syllabus for chemistry does contain a lot more theory and explaining rather than calculation type questions. Whether theory or maths questions are harder would depend on what you're better at - calculations or explaining, although some of the maths questions can be fairly hard. Personally I found the explaining questions better.

 

[McLake]

There was only 14% calculations in the 2001 HSC, and around the same in the 2002 HSC.

I think maths questions are easier, but then again i did 4U ...

 

[bookboy18]

The maths in chemistry is nothing like 4unit maths. We got 4 unit students in our class strugling with basic mole and pH calculations.

The bored of studies are moving away from the mathimatical side and are becoming more concerned with the practical application of Chemistry. The maths is jaut a formality.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by bookboy18
The maths in chemistry is nothing like 4unit maths. We got 4 unit students in our class strugling with basic mole and pH calculations.

The bored of studies are moving away from the mathimatical side and are becoming more concerned with the practical application of Chemistry. The maths is jaut a formality.

They are asking more descriptive and discursive questions now rather than maths - but maths in chemistry was pretty trivial in the old syllabus by anyone's reckoning and it's even easier now. The difference lies in the ratio of marks from calculations to the mini-essays now required. At the high school level you only need arithmetic, calculus I suppose is handy at times but the relevant concept can be explained without much trouble. People struggle with mole and pH calculations because they don't understand the reaction, not because they can't multiply and divide. Even people who haven't done maths since year 10 can do chemistry.

Maths in science is always a "formality" if you mean that it is a tool and not an end in itself, that is true for every science except pure maths.

 

[mannas]

yeh i know what you mean the maths is basic if you just think through it logically.

 

[wogboy]

It is true that mot of the marks allocated in the chem HSC exam are for explaining and theory rather than calculating pratical questions. I personally prefer calculating stuff by far, because the teachers can be too pedantic with verbal answers and not give you full marks, but with calculations as long as you have a methodical approach and get the correct answer, you will get full marks.

 

[bookboy18]

For some things though its hard.

Like mole calculations and titrations. God thats a lot of math.

But I think thats the only math you have to do besides pH.

 

[abdooooo!!!]

i don't think the calculation is hard at all, because all you do is convert mole to mass to volume to... using a calculator with simple equations.

 

[bookboy18]

Well if your less mathemaically inclined (Which I am the extreme of) its not that easy, even with the calculator.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by bookboy18
Well if your less mathemaically inclined (Which I am the extreme of) its not that easy, even with the calculator.

If you set out your equations very carefully and do things one step at a time, you can actually see what you're doing . You might not have the mathematical intuition that other people do, but you'll still get it right .

 

[mon_mon]

At least with Chemistry equations the maths has some tangible result. i find that maths is so wishy washy, with most of it having no bearing on ANYTHING we'll ever do in our lives, unless we become maths teachers in our later years. The mole calculaitons and stuff are simple step-by-step problems that can be done with a calculator. even the pH math is a lot simpler than even 2 unit maths. Thats not to say i prefer mathematical problems. Theoretical ones are a lot simpler to kind of get the answer, even if you have no idea. the maths ones have only 1 possible answer, and if you don't get it, you dont get the marks.

 

[Twintip]

Chem is becoming a social science. 5 marks questions on stuff like the "impact on society" of a biopolymer or something, the only way you can get 5/5 is by somehow knowing the key words that they're looking for. It's a joke.

 

[spice girl]

People who've done well in HSC "chemistry" are getting pretty lost in first year uni chemistry. This is because we at NSW are getting taught NOTHING...well a lot of bullcrap.

When you get to my stage, you'll realise that other states are getting taught much more real chemistry than we are.

Every question we have in uni chemistry is calculations, btw. Put a bit of perspective on the real world.

I strongly suspect they screwed up the science syllabus just to make it harder for asians. Heaps of people reckon this too...even non-asians. There you go.

For all you high school people, just live through high school. Nothing you learn is useful. All it does is make it easier to live thru uni.

Oh, and two cents from a maths (or chem) -oriented person: concentrate on english. You need to learn how to bullshit your way out of things when you have absolutely no idea.

Appreciate chem: it's state-sponsored propaganda

 

[McLake]

In response to Spice Girl, it is a good idea to concentate on english for the new syallubus. I did ext 1 to give me a hand ...

 

[Twintip]

Yeah I reckon Spice Girl! I needed a chem book, Silberberg, for some stuff I did in late-year 11 and it was very calculation-intensive! The chem we do at the moment is absolute bullshit compared to nearly everything in that book. Nothing I learnt from the lectures I went to can be applied to the HSC course and vice-versa (stuff like calculating partial pressures was one example, we barely need to know that in the HSC which is gay). I don't know about the suspicion that it was intended to screw Asians but I do agree that they fucked it big time.

The 3 most-screw syllabi in the HSC are Advanced english, Physics and Chemistry. Unfortunately I do all 3 (and that's not why I say they're bad, it's the general consensus across my year and other people my age. Apparently the Ext English courses are quite good. I'm regretting not doing Ext 1 English now actually. I'm solid at english but Advanced is screwing me over something chronic this year).

Background: Non-asian mathematically-minded person.

 

[ND]

Originally posted by Twintip

Background: Non-asian mathematically-minded person.

Me too, although Italians are supposed to be mathematically minded also.
Considering how mathematically inclined most Asians are, why isn't it them that made all the discoveries in physics (instead it seemed to be all the Europeans)? You'd expect it to be them postulating all these laws and theorems...

 

[spice girl]

Originally posted by ND


Me too, although Italians are supposed to be mathematically minded also.
Considering how mathematically inclined most Asians are, why isn't it them that made all the discoveries in physics (instead it seemed to be all the Europeans)? You'd expect it to be them postulating all these laws and theorems...

i think it's a phenomenon of the last 30 years - as a result of the poverty problems in asia in the 19th - 20th century. before then, literature was the main focus of education in asia. so that's probably why.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by spice girl

i think it's a phenomenon of the last 30 years - as a result of the poverty problems in asia in the 19th - 20th century. before then, literature was the main focus of education in asia. so that's probably why.

There are many reasons, like the fact that the Chinese for one have delighted in massacring each other for millenia and science wasn't that high a priority. Like a good little boy I read my Chinese history and ended up quite shocked...

But Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel is a good introduction to the topic of why some people made more advances that others, quite a lot has been written on the topic too.

 

[ND]

Hmmm i see...