How I got a 50 in Further Mathematics - By Stick

[Yacoubb]

People who underestimate Further Maths don't get that 45+ study score they were so certain about because. further maths is so easy..

It's an advanced version of year 10 maths but the exam questions can trick you if you're not thinking straight.

This is so true - I've been acing all of my SACs and I have constantly been telling myself that the exam will have lots & lots of tricks that I'll need to surpass in order to achieve a good score. Nevertheless, practice makes perfect. I think one thing I'll have to work on is probably perfecting basic things like written answers and reading the exam qs properly to maximise my score. I'm actually quite excited, as weird as it sounds. Hopefully VCAA doesn't make it difficult!

[Zealous]

This is so true - I've been acing all of my SACs and I have constantly been telling myself that the exam will have lots & lots of tricks that I'll need to surpass in order to achieve a good score. Nevertheless, practice makes perfect. I think one thing I'll have to work on is probably perfecting basic things like written answers and reading the exam qs properly to maximise my score. I'm actually quite excited, as weird as it sounds. Hopefully VCAA doesn't make it difficult!

Ahahah. Good job with your consistent scoring in SAC's. I actually hope that VCAA makes the exam very difficult, it would help separating the top bunch, maybe I'm weird, although it would be very disadvantageous for weaker math students.

[Yacoubb]

Ahahah. Good job with your consistent scoring in SAC's. I actually hope that VCAA makes the exam very difficult, it would help separating the top bunch, maybe I'm weird, although it would be very disadvantageous for weaker math students.

I hope its tricky, but not difficult enough that it is impossible to attempt! At that point, dropping 2-3 marks all up on both exams could potentially give a 50.

[vcestudent94]

I hope its tricky, but not difficult enough that it is impossible to attempt! At that point, dropping 2-3 marks all up on both exams could potentially give a 50.

Lol its further, I doubt it would ever be impossible to attempt
VCAA exams tend to be fairly consistent in terms of difficulty anyway.

[Snorlax]

Ahahah. Good job with your consistent scoring in SAC's. I actually hope that VCAA makes the exam very difficult, it would help separating the top bunch, maybe I'm weird, although it would be very disadvantageous for weaker math students.

I'm pretty sure Further Mathematics was a maths designed for the weaker students. The stronger maths students just destroyed the purpose of Further. Nowadays it's like more of a "don't lose a mark" competition between the stronger students.

[Professor Polonsky]

I'd much prefer a more mathematically challenging part/question per module (and proportionally for core) rather than harsh marking.

[SunnyB]

I'm pretty sure Further Mathematics was a maths designed for the weaker students. The stronger maths students just destroyed the purpose of Further. Nowadays it's like more of a "don't lose a mark" competition between the stronger students.

haha +1, back in the day ~

Weaker Students = "I'm only in this course to have a math as part of my VCE education"
Student's Nowadays = "Need to be rank #1" "Don't lose a mark" "shit i lost 1 mark on the sac, no more 40+"

[Professor Polonsky]

I'm not sure I understand the logic of having an 'easier maths'. Further really should either become harder, or be abolished. It's not like there's an easy chemistry, or history, or English.

[SunnyB]

I'm not sure I understand the logic of having an 'easier maths'. Further really should either become harder, or be abolished. It's not like there's an easy chemistry, or history, or English.

I guess it's their for people who dont want to do 'foundation maths', since Foundation doesn't link on to year 12 nor does it contribute to your ATAR.

I believe having further in place is a good idea, but the academically stronger math students, who show very high capability in year 10 math, or have plans to do Specialist in year 12/ or co currently with further shouldn't be allowed.

[Stick]

I'm at a bit of a loss as to why VCAA lifted the restriction in the first place.

[SunnyB]

I'm at a bit of a loss as to why VCAA lifted the restriction in the first place.

Not sure about this, but before what group of people was Further Maths only available to? only methods students?

[Stick]

The deal was that you could only enrol in two Maths subjects in your VCE.

[Professor Polonsky]

Presumably because it discouraged stronger students from doing spesh.

[BubbleWrapMan]

I believe having further in place is a good idea, but the academically stronger math students, who show very high capability in year 10 math, or have plans to do Specialist in year 12/ or co currently with further shouldn't be allowed.

For someone who just needs to do further to get into the course they want, I don't really see the difference if there are a bunch of stronger students competing against each other at the top end. I can't imagine a course requiring a 45+ score in further, so there's really no need to stop stronger students from "taking" all of the high scores, since no one really needs them. About 16000 kids get a 30+ score every year, and such a score should be sufficient for most purposes.

It's not like anyone's life was profoundly ruined by not getting a 45+ score in further (although I'd be happy to take that back if I see a counterexample). Might as well let the spec kids have their fun.

That said, I don't think doing further is a great idea if you're good at maths, but that's another story.

[Stick]

Well in my case, I committed to Further because I honestly thought that I'd only be doing Further and Methods in my VCE. I did Methods 1/2 in Year 10 but I wasn't allowed to do the 3/4 in Year 11, so I did GMA in Year 11 just so that I didn't have to repeat Methods 1/2 again or go without it for a year. It turned out that I was good at the subject, and hence why I'm doing Specialist in Year 12. It's not really the ideal situation for me or in fact what I had planned to do (Italian stuffed up everything for me >_<) but I just have to hope that I will do well in all three and that I won't hurt my own ATAR.