[split offtopic] Re: University of Melbourne - Subject Reviews & Ratings

[VivaTequila]

OKAY. If you tried your best got less than 40 in methods (I got 37) and didn't take specialist in VCE, then prepare your....

Anyway, having a free slot on timetable available for breadth, I thought to myself; what do I think I'm good at?  They say do what you're good at and enjoy, so being the fool I was, I thought I enjoyed methods from VCE and did fairly decent so I decided I would take up Calculus 1. I mean it's the easiest standard maths subject available in university, it can't be that bad right? BIG MISTAKE

The lectures are SUPER DRY. They work off lecture slides every lecture by going over questions and concepts one at a time. After the first 2 weeks the attendance went from full house to about 30%. I stayed up until about week 5 and 6 until I realised it was more productive by watching the slides on the lectopia whilst rewinding and pausing, the rate you are forced to learn is very fast and it is easy to dig yourself into a hole.

The exam was definitely not easy, the correct answers required a lot of steps and came out very messy.

Maths at university is definitely no bludge and only for those that are genuinely interested in maths or engineering, I put the same amount of effort across all my subjects and I kept finding myself having to look back and go over concepts again and again, and the worst part is that the  topics are not related to each other.

The textbook is not required or referred to at all - it is useless as they provide you a free book with a list of weekly questions covering each topic

If you're looking to do this because you're not sure what to do as a breadth and want to learn extra maths, stay well away unless you're maths skills are somewhat leet.

Spoiler

Subject Code/Name: MAST10005 Calculus 1

Workload:  3x1 hour weekly lectures and a problem-solving tutorial.

Assessment:  10 weekly assignments worth 2% each (free 20%) and an end of semester exam worth 80%

Lectopia Enabled:  Not sure. Didn't use it... PM me or edit this if you're a mod if you know the answer.

Past exams available:  Yes there are a few, and they resemble the exam very closely.

Textbook Recommendation:  This should be your only textbook

Lecturer(s): Dr Deborah King, Dr Iwan Jensen, Dr Heng-Soon Gan, Mr Iain Scott

Year & Semester of completion: Semester 1 2012

Rating:  3 of 5

Your Mark/Grade: -

Comments: Subject is spesh, minus a bit. If you didn't do spesh 3/4 and wanted to do it so you can tutor it or if you need it for a major, then this is the subject for you. It covers 6 topics from Vectors, Trig Functions, Complex Numbers (which are all new material on Methods 3/4) and then Derivatives/Integration/Differential Equations, which just introduce new methods of doing what you already know.

The first three topics are easy as pi (pun absolutely intended).
The last three topics should have you ripping your hair out, if you're anything like me.

I thought I was on top of this subject because the assignment marks are legitimately a free 20%. If you do your trig functions at the start, which apply to every other topic, you're halfway there. Vectors and complex numbers are for the most part, lone topics, and they don't merge into the others (save for De Moivre's Theorem and Parametric Equations). They are subsequently very easy because there's only so much you can be assessed on. In Differentiation, you learn how to differentiate stuff with two variables, and that's pretty much the only addition to VCE - it's still quite easy. Integration on the other hand is bum-spanking insane.

Having lost a minimum of 70 marks on the exam out of 150, all I can say is this - if you had to work your butt off in Methods to get an only semi-respectable score, then you will die in this subject. Don't pick it unless you have to, and work hard at it. Do all the questions you're given. Twice. And find more.

Maths at uni is only for those who want to do maths - it is not a bludge by any means and if you are doing this subject, it is for a reason.

Oh, and if you hated long division, save yourself now and do not pick this subject.

My reasons for picking this subject was that I figured doing a maths in addiction to Chem and Bio (which I needed for my choice of majors) would help in terms of critical analysis and being able to understand graphs and stuff in Chemistry. If you're going along the same line of thinking, reconsider it carefully for something like physics instead unless you really have it in you for doing Maths.

Moral of the story: Don't pick calculus if you don't want to do higher maths at uni. I also got 37 and struggled with Calc 1. I feel like this warrants a post - just pointing out a common pattern. There are others like Hancock that disagree and did quite well, but I know I'm not the only one who struggled, and I feel like it's a good idea to make a point about it here. It really divides those who can and can't do maths after VCE.

[djsandals]

Moral of the story: Don't pick calculus if you don't want to do higher maths at uni. I also got 37 and struggled with Calc 1. I feel like this warrants a post - just pointing out a common pattern. There are others like Hancock that disagree and did quite well, but I know I'm not the only one who struggled, and I feel like it's a good idea to make a point about it here. It really divides those who can and can't do maths after VCE.

Same here, I failed by 5 because I didn't put in the work.  I worked hard in VCE and you need to keep it up if you want to do well in this, you absolutely cannot just wing it.

[pi]

The Review threads aren't for discussion.

Cheers.