Maths Core 4 Revision Help

Nzyme · 10 May 2007 at 22:33

Rebelius said:
what does it do? Maple's on every computer I use, so I don't really have any need

matlab owns maple

Rebelius · 10 May 2007 at 22:34

I got given maple. And it does me fine, so I'm not gonna buy matlab

DaveF · 10 May 2007 at 23:22

Calder said:
If my exam turned out to be 100% trigonometry I don't think I would be able to stop myself getting up and dancing.

Of course, there are some pretty scary trig questions if your examiner is nasty enough.

e.g. Show that sum from k=1 to n of tan^2(k pi / (2n+1)) = n(2n+1)

(extract from a STEP III paper).

Calder · 10 May 2007 at 23:22

DaveF said:
Of course, there are some pretty scary trig questions if your examiner is nasty enough.

e.g. Show that sum from k=1 to n of tan^2(k pi / (2n+1)) = n(2n+1)

(extract from a STEP III paper).

More of a series question than a trig question.

Rebelius · 10 May 2007 at 23:25

what's Step 3?

Dave · 10 May 2007 at 23:27

Nzyme said:
this man looks like hes got it,

im half way through my engineering degree and i still don't know any of them luckily i get a book in my exams

Sheffield Engineer? Snap

(chemical here)

Calder · 10 May 2007 at 23:29

My friend is doing Mechanical Eng at Sheffield. Just finishing his second year, although I think he's off to America next year.

DaveF · 10 May 2007 at 23:32

Rebelius said:
what's Step 3?

The (hardest) Cambridge entrance exam for maths. So, on the one hand, it's pre-university. On the other hand, the questions are really hard for pre-university questions. (IMHO, some are as hard as the questions in the final exams, even though they obviously don't require as much knowledge).

Of course, compared with IMO questions, they're pretty easy. But you don't get many trig questions in the IMO.

Arcade Fire · 10 May 2007 at 23:39

1. STEP isn't a Cambridge entrance exam. There are at least three universities that include it in their offers, and probably more.

2. I answered a trig question in the IMO.

3. MATLAB is awesome.

4. ...

5. Profit.

DaveF · 10 May 2007 at 23:55

Arcade Fire said:
1. STEP isn't a Cambridge entrance exam. There are at least three universities that include it in their offers, and probably more.

Technically, yes. But I don't think any of the other universities ask for anything other than STEP I. I'd guess well over 90% of STEP III entrants are applying to Cambridge.

2. I answered a trig question in the IMO.

What year was that? (I did a cursory search for trig IMO questions before deciding it would be easier to find a STEP one).

mrmoose · 10 May 2007 at 23:56

im absolutely battered and still managed to half work them out. goes to show a decent a level and 2 years of civ eng do work wonders(aswell as 65467546546546546units of alcohol)

Arcade Fire · 11 May 2007 at 00:09

DaveF said:
What year was that? (I did a cursory search for trig IMO questions before deciding it would be easier to find a STEP one).

Firstly, I lied - it wasn't an IMO question at all, it was BMO. I just got eager to prove a point.

Would have been either 2001 or 2002.

As to your first point, you're probably right. Again, I saw the word 'STEP' and jumped to a conclusion. I've heard of Warwick offers which include STEP III though, and I really wouldn't be surprised if Oxford or Bath included it for candidates taking F. Maths.

DaveF · 11 May 2007 at 00:27

Arcade Fire said:
Firstly, I lied - it wasn't an IMO question at all, it was BMO. I just got eager to prove a point. Would have been either 2001 or 2002.

Having a look, I think Calder would consider them more geometry than trig (unless you're talking the preselection papers rather than the "proper" BMO1/2 questions). When I had a look at doing BMO (would have been 1985 or thereabouts), I recall there were some out-and-out trig questions, but my memory for maths doesn't extend to individual questions that far back.

As to your first point, you're probably right.

Actually, I'm sure you're right that I shouldn't think of STEP as synonymous with Cambridge entrance. But there is a very strong correlation.

Again, I saw the word 'STEP' and jumped to a conclusion. I've heard of Warwick offers which include STEP III though, and I really wouldn't be surprised if Oxford or Bath included it for candidates taking F. Maths.

I don't doubt you, but if the standard Warwick offer is a 2 in STEP I, asking for anything in STEP III seems a little bit harsh!