ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE General & Further Mathematics => Topic started by: C.A.T on November 24, 2015, 03:44:48 pm
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And yes I know its kinda a subjective question.
I've decided to pick this subject up because I figured out that I actually like math (who would have thought) but I don't know that I like this specific math subject anywhere near as much as methods (based on orientation week and the bit I did of further this year before I dropped it for bio). I don't know that I want to do it and I don't know that it'll even go towards my atar as I'll end up with too many subjects. I also don't feel I did as well in the methods exam as I thought could have. Am I better off repeating methods (a subject I know I like) and better my score or do further (where I don't like it as much) but possibly could get a good score for?
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Welcome to the club! I love people who love maths ::)
Honestly though, I found most of further maths dreadfully boring and mechanical. Conceptually, some of the content was nice, like statistics and trigonometry; but they were still quite dry because of the focus on skills and computations rather than understanding. On the other hand, you learn mostly practical stuff and since business maths is part of core now that's two-fold.
If it's your ATAR that's most important to you though, I'd recommend further maths over methods. There's less content that's less difficult and it's a lot easier to maintain your ranking in most cohorts. It scales down but at the high end you probably wouldn't even notice it. It's probably important to note that a good portion of questions on each of the exams will be written with the intent to still confuse people who do spesh and methods, so it won't be a cake walk no matter which subject you choose.
Obviously I still recommend you do something you enjoy, and if you think you'd enjoy repeating methods (on the new study design) more than doing further, definitely do that. Is there any reason, given that you like maths, that you aren't considering spesh?
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And yes I know its kinda a subjective question.
I've decided to pick this subject up because I figured out that I actually like math (who would have thought) but I don't know that I like this specific math subject anywhere near as much as methods (based on orientation week and the bit I did of further this year before I dropped it for bio). I don't know that I want to do it and I don't know that it'll even go towards my atar as I'll end up with too many subjects. I also don't feel I did as well in the methods exam as I thought could have. Am I better off repeating methods (a subject I know I like) and better my score or do further (where I don't like it as much) but possibly could get a good score for?
yup do spesh if you like maths :)
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If it's your ATAR that's most important to you though, I'd recommend further maths over methods. There's less content that's less difficult and it's a lot easier to maintain your ranking in most cohorts. It scales down but at the high end you probably wouldn't even notice it. It's probably important to note that a good portion of questions on each of the exams will be written with the intent to still confuse people who do spesh and methods, so it won't be a cake walk no matter which subject you choose.
Obviously I still recommend you do something you enjoy, and if you think you'd enjoy repeating methods (on the new study design) more than doing further, definitely do that. Is there any reason, given that you like maths, that you aren't considering spesh?
Yeah I do think that I could possibly get a good score but on the other hand I might not and just waste time and effort I could be using for other things (I'm thinking of applying for uni extension programs as well so I'd like to cut back on some subjects). I also feel like I'm kinda in limbo until I get my results as to what I should study :(
About spesh, I haven't done 1&2 of it and I feel like it would a be a step too far out of my capabilities - I could do methods this year but it was challenging and I had to put a lot of effort in to it.
Thanks for your opinion :)
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I did Spesh 3&4 without the 1&2, I don't think I missed anything at all. The courses are in fact really different, the only things which carry over are complex numbers and vectors
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Fun fact - methods usually has much more difficult questions than spec does.
More fun facts - specialist 1/2 relates to 3/4 as much as my hair does to Crown casino.
If the only hard part about methods was the super difficult questions, but you understood the content, you are capable of doing specialist. On top of that, if you like maths and want to continue it in some way, specialist will put you on the best path forwards.
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Fun fact - methods usually has much more difficult questions than spec does.
More fun facts - specialist 1/2 relates to 3/4 as much as my hair does to Crown casino.
If the only hard part about methods was the super difficult questions, but you understood the content, you are capable of doing specialist. On top of that, if you like maths and want to continue it in some way, specialist will put you on the best path forwards.
Thank you for your opinion (it actually made me laugh ;D ) - I will look into spesh (with my luck it'll clash with my other subjects). I could do methods it was just more an issue of me psyching myself out.
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its so boring - no way near as engaging as methods
However.
Freelo.
Easy marks
Tldr: boring but atar> fun
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And yes I know its kinda a subjective question.
I've decided to pick this subject up because I figured out that I actually like math (who would have thought) but I don't know that I like this specific math subject anywhere near as much as methods (based on orientation week and the bit I did of further this year before I dropped it for bio). I don't know that I want to do it and I don't know that it'll even go towards my atar as I'll end up with too many subjects. I also don't feel I did as well in the methods exam as I thought could have. Am I better off repeating methods (a subject I know I like) and better my score or do further (where I don't like it as much) but possibly could get a good score for?
For me personally, what I like about Math is when I get something right. I only did Further Maths in year 11 because I wanted to do two year twelve subjects in year 11 (did Further + Bio 3/4) and also because my year 10 Math teacher told me to do it. It isn't the most interesting, but because it's something you can do well at, you tend to get things right and thus enjoy it. Further is easy, it's just difficult to do really well in Further.
Good luck wit your decision!