HL Maths mature student, what to focus on?

photosteve

I'm sitting the HL Maths exam this year hoping to get in to engineering in DCU as a mature student, I sat pass maths 20 years ago
I've been studying hard but as the exam draws closer and time is getting short I could do with a clearer picture on what to focus on.
I recently read an article that said some of the exam like Integral calculus were there to sort the A students from the rest, also if a question had say 4 parts that the last part was generally to do the same. I think this was written for the pre project maths exam so I'm wondering if this still holds true?
I need a C3 to get a place in college, how much of the course do I need to know?
Any help or pointers would be hugely appreciated.

Giotar

I have zero experience, as I'm sitting HL Maths for the first time in June, but here are a few things I've noticed.

- There are some questions that are a free 25 marks if you just bother to sit down and learn them. This includes the Trigonometry derivations, Geometry constructions, Geometry proofs, and then things like the steps for the Induction proof, Contradiction proof and Binomial Expansions.

- I don't find Integral Calculus that difficult at all, in fact its again something where you can learn the steps off as the same type of questions seem to pop up every year. (Increase the power by 1, put it over the new power, and add a constant C. In a case where you're finding area, just sub the numbers given into your integration, taking the lower number away from the higher number... if that makes any sense at all)

- I think you're correct with the part d's and e's being very difficult to sort the A students from the rest, but there's definitely no reason why you shouldn't attempt them and normally they are only worth about 5 marks anyway. Odds are you might pick up 2 marks for jotting down something that slightly resembles a formula or an answer relating to the question.

- Relating to the last point, don't leave anything blank. You can almost pass the exam purely from attempt marks and then just getting some of the easier questions correct here and there

Good luck, hoping to go to DCU myself to study Computer Applications! Can't wait!

A97

Obviously it's best to cover everything if you can, but calculus and statistics and probability are the two biggest topics on the two papers and are worth knowing well.

As stated above, the first half of the two papers are good places to pick up marks as the questions tend to be easier.

I was a bit annoyed last year because I felt that people who only knew calculus would have done as well if not better than someone who knew everything else on the paper 1 syllabus as all of the long questions were dedicated to it. That's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose but it appears that the emphasis is on differentiation and integration.

Not to mention you'll be doing a ton of calculus next year.;)

Peg14

A97 wrote: »

Obviously it's best to cover everything if you can, but calculus and statistics and probability are the two biggest topics on the two papers and are worth knowing well.

As stated above, the first half of the two papers are good places to pick up marks as the questions tend to be easier.

I was a bit annoyed last year because I felt that people who only knew calculus would have done as well if not better than someone who knew everything else on the paper 1 syllabus as all of the long questions were dedicated to it. That's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose but it appears that the emphasis is on differentiation and integration.

Not to mention you'll be doing a ton of calculus next year.;)

Yes I remember our paper last year being heavily calculus orientated. Like you need a grasp of everything but certainly calculus can't be dismissed!

photosteve

Guys thanks a lot, that's a big help. I'll get stuck into the calculus today!!
Giotar hopefully bump into you on campus

A97 wrote: »

Not to mention you'll be doing a ton of calculus next year.;)

Fair point, I'd like to hit the ground running in September.

PistolsAtDawn

I was in your position a few years back. Had a C in foundation maths from a previous attempt at the leaving cert. Needed a C3 in honours maths in order to get into a Level 8 course (Electronic Engineering) in University. Got a C3 by the skin of my teeth and subsequently got accepted onto the course. Starting my final year in September on track to graduate with first class honors.

In terms of the leaving cert maths exam; make sure to attempt every question, even if you havn't a clue whats going on. Write down everything you do know. Attempt a problem one way then attempt it another way. You'll start picking up marks all over the paper using this technique. They just want to see you have some sense of problem solving ability. I was full sure i'd failed that exam and ended up with a C3. Another thing, if you know how to do a part (b) that relies on an answer from part (a) but you can't figure out how to get the answer to part (a), just make up an answer to part (a) and use this as your staging point for part (b). Keep the head up and don't stop trying until the invigilator rips the exam paper from your hand.

Best of luck with your exams and your future college course. You'll need to get good at differential and integral calculus at college. Don't mind them telling you that they'll start from scratch and teach you everything you need to know, that sh't only lasts for the first couple of weeks of first year then everything goes turbo.

Also, most universitys now have a maths enterance exam usually held in August for students who did not make the required grade at leaving cert. If your serious about your studies start these straight after your leaving cert exams to ensure your ready if the worst comes to the worst.

photosteve

Cheers for the advice, I'm hoping to get into Electronic engineering too in DCU. Nice to hear from someone on the flip side that was in the same boat.