ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Specialist Mathematics => Topic started by: curry_bro on May 19, 2012, 10:27:53 am
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hey guys. i was just wondering whether i should do spech or further next year. i noe that further is easy but dreadfully boring, while i heard that while spech can be hard, its interesting. is that true? and also, is getting around 35 murderously difficult or doable (for a reasonably good maths student that used to get low-mid distinctions for the maths competition)? thanks a heap peeps :D
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I think that further maths is very boring with all of its box plots and statistics. It's also very easy to make mistakes, just from doing something stupid like entering the wrong value into your calculator. In specialist maths, we have tech-free SAC's and exams which I find a lot better. It means you can't just depend on your calculator and notes, you have to think for yourself.
As nerdy as this might sound, I really enjoy specialist maths. To me it's like solving a puzzle, completing a Sudoku or playing a game of chess: at times you can come across a difficult position and it might be a bit frustrating, but the challenge is fun and it entertains me. There is also a sense of accomplishment when you solve a difficult problem by yourself without notes or a calculator.
And don't worry, specialist maths isn't as hard as it is made out to be. No matter how hard a question might appear at first, it is a VCE level maths problem and it can only get so hard. Some questions you will come across will be long and might take you a good 15 minutes to answer, but they are really just extended versions of problems you have already done which have been worded in a different way. You just have to recognise which technique you're going to use to solve each problem (and some have multiple different ways of solving which makes it easier).
If you're thinking of doing specialist maths, then ask yourself one thing: are you prepared for a challenge? Don't worry if you're not very good at maths: if you're willing to persist, then that's all that is required to succeed in this subject.
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^ I concur. Specialist is super fun. I found Further was super boring, don't even do that if you don't like math, it may make you hate math even more
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Spesh was easily the most enjoyable subject I did in yr12 :D
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I think that further maths is very boring with all of its box plots and statistics. It's also very easy to make mistakes, just from doing something stupid like entering the wrong value into your calculator. In specialist maths, we have tech-free SAC's and exams which I find a lot better. It means you can't just depend on your calculator and notes, you have to think for yourself.
As nerdy as this might sound, I really enjoy specialist maths. To me it's like solving a puzzle, completing a Sudoku or playing a game of chess: at times you can come across a difficult position and it might be a bit frustrating, but the challenge is fun and it entertains me. There is also a sense of accomplishment when you solve a difficult problem by yourself without notes or a calculator.
And don't worry, specialist maths isn't as hard as it is made out to be. No matter how hard a question might appear at first, it is a VCE level maths problem and it can only get so hard. Some questions you will come across will be long and might take you a good 15 minutes to answer, but they are really just extended versions of problems you have already done which have been worded in a different way. You just have to recognise which technique you're going to use to solve each problem (and some have multiple different ways of solving which makes it easier).
If you're thinking of doing specialist maths, then ask yourself one thing: are you prepared for a challenge? Don't worry if you're not very good at maths: if you're willing to persist, then that's all that is required to succeed in this subject.
Yep. Spec maths Q can only get SO hard ( im looking at dr. G)
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If you find maths fun! do spesh (also, if you find it fun you'll do well) Maths is my favourite subject at the moment and i'm currently doing Further. For me it's so easy.......You shouldn't do spesh if you wont to show off, you'll struggle. ALOT.