thanks for all the fish

[Bryn]

Just likes to say thanks to you lot for answering my dumb (and sometimes intelligant) questions on the maths forums over the last few months. Thanks to you lot I may just get the B I need to get into Bristol uni (to do Biochemistry, not maths thankgod).

[bloodhound]

y not. maths is very good and there is a real shortage of mathematicians in UK. maths has quite a broad career range as well.

[Dave]

It does have to be said that maths at uni is a lot different to maths at A-level though.

[mossoi]

I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bristol and spent most of the first year in the Maths Department. It's not my cup of tea but Bristol excels at maths so I knew I was learning worthwhile stuff.

 

However, this doesn't change the fact that I would rather have my teeth replaced by a blind dentist every day for the rest of my life than attend those maths lectures again!

[JaKiri]

It does have to be said that maths at uni is a lot different to maths at A-level though.

 

Unless you've sat step, in which case it's pretty similar.

[Dave]

Even so, the STEP papers can only do so much. The major difference is the rigorous way in which things are proved (in my opinion anyway).

[JaKiri]

Even so, the STEP papers can only do so much. The major difference is the rigorous way in which things are proved (in my opinion anyway).

 

STEP is the half way house between A-level and degree; it's not about axiomic proof, but it's about actually thinking your way through a problem instead of being lead every step of the way.

[Dave]

I agree with you there - A-level maths is much more to do with getting the answer, whereas university maths is definately to do with how you got to that answer.

 

(for the record, I didn't do STEP, I did AEA because my school didn't do STEP unless you had an offer from Oxbridge, which I didn't - however, similar sort of thing)

[bloodhound]

I did STEP 2 and 3. it was absolutely mad. but now that i am accustomed to style of maths in uni, i think i could do them now.

[Dave]

Yeah, looking back at the papers, they don't seem too hard now. A-level looks pretty trivial compared to some of the stuff we're doing atm (delta-epsilon definitions still confuse the hell out of me sometimes).

[bloodhound]

yeah. It does get a bit confusing at some times. What modules u doing next year?

[JaKiri]

Mathematics is all about familiarity though, so that makes sense.

[Dave]

yeah. It does get a bit confusing at some times. What modules u doing next year?

 

Lots, mainly pure though. Doing a couple physics modules as well to keep my hand in.

[bloodhound]

I am quite well spread next year. Not too much pure. i would love to do them, but you have to think of future as well. So i have plenty of mechanics modules and two or three stats as well. Was about to to Number Theory but left it. can still change my mind if i want to

[Dave]

Was going to do a stats module until I found out that I scored 45% on Probability A

[bloodhound]

hehe, i found stats quite boring, but it was quite easy to revise. you just have to remember all the various hypothesis test and the critical values and such. I basically revised the whole of the stat module the night before the exam cos i didnt go to many lectures as most of them were 11 in the morning. and thats very early by my standards

[Dave]

My problem was I did no revision for the module

[bloodhound]

and u still passed. but probably brought ur average down. but that doesnt matter cos ur first year dont count rite?

[Dave]

Well, mine counts 10%, so not lots really. Brought my average down, but still got 79% overall

[bloodhound]

good on ya maaaaitte.

[Dave]

Cheers

 

Congrats on your high result as well