ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Mathematical Methods CAS => Topic started by: molllz on April 16, 2012, 05:21:39 pm

Title: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: molllz on April 16, 2012, 05:21:39 pm
Up to inverse functions and struggling already. Dont know how i will manage the rest of the course??

Any advice on how to still get 30?
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: 1ne on April 16, 2012, 05:31:20 pm
Yes. I am. I'm struggling badly with trig. :-[
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: aes_999 on April 16, 2012, 05:39:51 pm
Don't give up! You must and can improve ur scores. But if you're close to giving up, study hard enough to get above 25. Seriously, u don't get above 25, potentially u close urself off from doing commerce / science / eng. courses at Go8 universities.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: pi on April 16, 2012, 05:43:35 pm
Any advice on how to still get 30?

Persist :)

The bulk of 3/4 methods is identical to 1/2 methods, so things will get more comfortable :) If you really think you're struggling, I'd go for a private tutor and/or purchase study guides such as the A+ notes. Also download the notes here on ATAR Notes, as there are some pretty neat summaries that have the concepts really simplified :) If you have any specific problems, post them up on the forum and someone will help :)

Good luck!
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: 1ne on April 16, 2012, 05:44:34 pm
Thanks for the advice. I just don't have the money to afford a private tutor or buy the A+ notes book.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: charmanderp on April 16, 2012, 05:48:35 pm
You can find a copy of the older edition for $10, or the new one for $25!
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: Starlight on April 16, 2012, 10:15:31 pm
See your teacher for assistance, that's what they're there for. Go sacrifice a few lunch times, it will pay off.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: yellowsone31 on April 18, 2012, 04:41:26 pm
Have a SAC soon for this... they full told us that if we do bad its not the end of the world. Probably preparing us for the worst day of our lives...
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: pi on April 18, 2012, 04:53:38 pm
Have a SAC soon for this... they full told us that if we do bad its not the end of the world. Probably preparing us for the worst day of our lives...

Haha, even failing VCE isn't the end of the world!
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: KevinooBz on April 18, 2012, 05:27:20 pm
Have a SAC soon for this... they full told us that if we do bad its not the end of the world. Probably preparing us for the worst day of our lives...

Haha, even failing VCE isn't the end of the world!
Unless you have Asian parents.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: Callum on April 18, 2012, 06:43:51 pm
I was in your situation last year. Trust me, giving up isn't the right idea. You need to either keep trying really hard, keep asking questions in class until you grasp the concepts. I gave up on the mid half of the course and regretted it. It took me to the end of the year to realise that I could do it, it just didn't come as easily as it does for others. Your other option is to see if you can try and drop it for further. Hopefully your teachers let you and help you catch up, if you chose that path.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: killer_bot on April 18, 2012, 06:44:48 pm
Haha, even failing VCE isn't the end of the world!

Not a good mindset to have though for someone doing VCE.

The highest of VCE achievers are mostly never satisfied perfectionists and must fear failing.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: 1ne on April 18, 2012, 06:54:54 pm
Yes. But it does provide reassurance that there are other pathways present, if your goal isn't achieved.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: pi on April 18, 2012, 09:04:30 pm
Not a good mindset to have though for someone doing VCE.


Yes. But it does provide reassurance that there are other pathways present, if your goal isn't achieved.

Exactly this.

It may not work for everyone, but knowing that VCE isn't the be-all-and-end-all can be quite calming (it was for me). May no work for the perfectionists, but you can't please everyone :)
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: Ravit on April 18, 2012, 09:09:15 pm
Don't give up mate. Accept the fact that you only have a few more months of methods left, use these remaining months to give your best shot at achieving the best study score possible.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: yellowsone31 on April 18, 2012, 09:34:29 pm
Have a SAC soon for this... they full told us that if we do bad its not the end of the world. Probably preparing us for the worst day of our lives...

Haha, even failing VCE isn't the end of the world!

Trying to keep that out of my mind though haha
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: cyrus_atlantis on April 18, 2012, 11:19:55 pm
Methods is not a difficult subject to grasp if you work hard at it and have someone good at it to guide you (perferably a friend willing to spend some time to help u and give u tips with understanding the concepts). So take a risk, and ask a friend 2 help u out.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: #1procrastinator on April 19, 2012, 07:42:08 pm
I'm just getting started. i procrastinate a lot so i haven't done any real work done.  the other day i worked for about 7hrs straight in the library on specialist (tried to learn 4.4 - 4.8 of the essential textbook, only managed 4.4-4.7, got stuck on one question for 2hrs then realized i just had to divide it haha) so from now on, i'll be spending all my time in the library.

to math methods and specialist: never gonna give you up
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: abeybaby on April 19, 2012, 10:50:49 pm
It's so so so so so so ridiculously important that you don't spend tonnes of time 'studying' if you're not getting anywhere - if it doesn't make sense, you need to find someone who knows that they're doing and get help from them, I'd be seeing my teacher a lot if I were in your positon, but if you're finding that it's not useful to try and learn alone, don't try 'harder', learn from someone who knows a lot about it, whether its your teacher, a tutor or just a friend who's good at maths
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: Special At Specialist on April 22, 2012, 01:14:30 pm
If you're struggling with inverse functions then don't worry. That's as hard as it ever gets in methods. Everything after that just gets easier, especially calculus which is a piece of cake.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: 1ne on April 22, 2012, 02:26:55 pm
If you're struggling with inverse functions then don't worry. That's as hard as it ever gets in methods. Everything after that just gets easier, especially calculus which is a piece of cake.

Not true. Everyone is different, some people are good at grasping particular concepts in methods while they struggle with others.Also take into account that some people have a bad foundation, have teachers which cannot explain very well, etc. So many factors. Some people are Math oriented than others in general, hence why they find it easy.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: pi on April 22, 2012, 02:29:59 pm
If you're struggling with inverse functions then don't worry. That's as hard as it ever gets in methods. Everything after that just gets easier, especially calculus which is a piece of cake.

Not true. Everyone is different, some people are good at grasping particular concepts in methods while they struggle with others.Also take into account that some people have a bad foundation, have teachers which cannot explain very well, etc. So many factors. Some people are Math oriented than others in general, hence why they find it easy.

+1, calculus is much harder than functions imo, and looking at examiners reports, the state would agree with me on this one.
Title: Re: anybody else given up on methods 3-4 yet? or having lots of difficulties
Post by: charmanderp on April 22, 2012, 05:05:06 pm
Personally I find everything reasonably simple except Trigonometry, which I simply cannot do. We all have things that work for us.