ATAR Notes: Forum

Uni Stuff => Universities - Victoria => University of Melbourne => Topic started by: Ilovemathsmeth on November 27, 2009, 12:29:12 pm

Title: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: Ilovemathsmeth on November 27, 2009, 12:29:12 pm
Hi everyone,

I'm in year 12 this year, but I haven't done Specialist Maths.

I want to do Actuarial Studies, and want to do the Specialist Maths course in my own time.

Which areas of Specialist are relevant to the Maths needed for Actuarial Studies?

Many thanks!
Ilovemathsmeth
Title: Re: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: Ahmad on November 27, 2009, 02:01:37 pm
Is it even possible to do actuarial studies without having done specialist maths?

I'm not as attuned as I once was to what specialist maths involves, and I'm not studying actuarial studies but I'd say all of it except for the physics. Complex numbers don't make much of an appearance at least in the first two years, but they're fundamental enough that you're expected to know them. The most important part would have to be calculus, so make sure you know calculus well! :)
Title: Re: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: Ilovemathsmeth on November 27, 2009, 02:21:19 pm
Spesh fortunately isn't a pre-requisite for Actuarial Studies! =)

Would you advise doing checkpoints or other revision materials for the Calculus section to know it really well? I think it looks really interesting, but am not sure whether just doing the text book (Essentials) is enough.
Title: Re: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: Ahmad on November 27, 2009, 02:44:34 pm
That is fortunate. I'm not worried at all about your math ability judging by some of your posts!

Do checkpoints if it helps you understand. Getting one of those thick introductory calculus books (Stewart, Thomas etc) and going through it is what helped me, and could help you, provided you're motivated enough. This would mean you'll know most of first year actuarial maths, too.
Title: Re: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: /0 on November 27, 2009, 02:57:02 pm
I found this book online somewhere. From what I've seen, there is a lot on probability and calculus, which you learn in methods.
Not much on kinematics/dynamics/vectors/complex numbers :)

http://rapidshare.com/files/312764701/Actuarial_Science.pdf.html

(The file is 2.20MB and the vcenotes attachment limit is 2048kB  :'()
Title: Re: Specialist Maths preparation for Actuarial Studies
Post by: Gloamglozer on November 27, 2009, 03:11:08 pm
Quote from: Ilovemathsmeth on November 27, 2009, 12:29:12 pm
Hi everyone,

I'm in year 12 this year, but I haven't done Specialist Maths.

I want to do Actuarial Studies, and want to do the Specialist Maths course in my own time.

Which areas of Specialist are relevant to the Maths needed for Actuarial Studies?

Many thanks!
Ilovemathsmeth

I was thinking of doing that as well since I'm planning to do Calculus 1 as well, provided I get into UoM.  But I just need the motivation...  Argh...