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VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Mathematical Methods CAS => Topic started by: JR_StudyEd on April 01, 2019, 05:10:39 pm
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Last week, I was actually doing fine. I was doing Checkpoints questions to consolidate my knowledge. I couldn't answer all the questions, but I legitimately felt I was making some inroads. Then today happened. Teacher gave us a quiz, I looked at the first question, seeing it was about solving a trig equation. Let's just say from then on my brain was all like: :'( :'( :'(
Look, I get it. This subject is far from easy. But why, oh why, does this subject make me feel so bad about my maths ability? It's chipping away at my self-esteem. Honestly, I'm not the most mathematically-oriented student, but I'm not completely clueless either. If this were a relationship, the root of the problem wouldn't be that I loathe Methods, Methods loathes me. It's like the content is incompatible with my brain or something. And I'm not lazy. I'm really trying to cooperate. I want to get better. How?
EDIT: Methods is so intensive. What I mean is that it requires such a significant expenditure of effort and time in order to understand, let alone apply the understanding to challenging questions. But the intensity that is required to learn the content is so draining that I can't even be bothered trying to practice it. Circular functions and company, I'm looking right at you.
Finally, I've barely touched the textbook questions lately. And you wanna know why? Because I don't want to fall further behind! I want to be more efficient, doing more work in less time, so I've, for the most part, dedicated my Methods study time to Checkpoints questions, only looking at the textbook and its questions when I'm really stuck. To what extent is this going to help me?
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Hey JR_StudyEd,
Maths is a struggle for a lot of us. Please don't feel too disheartened! You're going in the right direction - the key to doing well is just practising as much as possible.
I think you should try out some of the textbook questions before you do checkpoints questions. Textbook questions are all about practising your fundamental grasp of the basic rules and concepts that you learn, while checkpoints is more about testing how well you can apply that knowledge in a more practical setting. You need the former to do the latter!
Don't worry too much about how efficiently you're using your time when you do methods - just handle it one question at a time. Even if you're stuck on the same problem for aaaages, eventually it'll finally click and things will make sense. From there, as you continue to build up your understanding of the content, things will gradually get easier.
Just persevere and keep working hard and things will eventually fall in place :)
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I think you should try out some of the textbook questions before you do checkpoints questions. Textbook questions are all about practising your fundamental grasp of the basic rules and concepts that you learn, while checkpoints is more about testing how well you can apply that knowledge in a more practical setting. You need the former to do the latter!
Don't worry too much about how efficiently you're using your time when you do methods - just handle it one question at a time. Even if you're stuck on the same problem for aaaages, eventually it'll finally click and things will make sense. From there, as you continue to build up your understanding of the content, things will gradually get easier.
Just persevere and keep working hard and things will eventually fall in place :)
Thank you so much. Exactly what I needed! :)
When Googling for advice on how to improve in Methods, I found something along the lines of 'Spend no more than 20% of your time on exercise questions', which is kind of the reason why I've resorted to mainly the Checkpoints book, and occasionally referring back to the textbook when I have no idea. I will eventually have to use Checkpoints for revision, though, so I can't completely abandon it. What do you think? Should there be a reasonable balance between textbook and exam-style questions?
Also, I absolutely do not have the time nor can be bothered doing all the textbook questions. I've made it a rule that once I understand the section that is being studied, I move on to the next. Is this a good (and more time-efficient) idea?
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It really varies person to person. I certainly think that you should make sure you can do the textbook questions before you jump to checkpoints, but of course you don't necessarily need to do all the textbook questions either.
When it comes to textbook questions, pick and choose. I think a good way of doing it is to just look at the question and ask yourself if you think you could actually get the answer in a reasonable amount of time. For a lot of questions that will be a 'yes', and so it's probably fine to skip those. But for some, you might not really know - those are the questions that you want to try to do.
I wouldn't really tell you to follow some hard rule on how you should split your study time, but I think the best thing to do is to make sure that as long as you encounter a question that you can't do or think you can't do, you make sure you do it and keep doing it until you eventually get to the answer and understand exactly what's happening in the solution. Better to be confident about a smaller number of things than to have really patchy knowledge on the entire course, because it's easier to become a methods expert with the former rather than the latter as your foundation.
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This quiz has shattered my persistence. It's not like I haven't tried to do better. This week, (possibly due to it being the last week of term), I've been so sick and tired of habitually studying, Methods being the epitome of that.
Many people choose to study Methods due to it being a prerequisite. Actually, I originally chose Methods because i thought it would open up more course options post-Year 12, plus at the time I thought I'd be capable of it. That was back in the middle of Year 10. Now, with a bit more knowledge under my belt, I've decided to try to drop Methods, and maths in general. Why? Because I don't even exclusively need maths, let alone Maths Methods for the vast majority of courses I'm interested in. (e.g. My number one goal for VCE is to gain entry into Monash Medicine, but I only need Chem and English).
It takes a lot for me to give up, but Methods has drained my brain power. It's crushed my spirit. Like I sort of touched on earlier, the best way to describe my plight is that the content in Methods and my brain do not mix well. I know a fixed mindset is kind of unhealthy, but I really don't think I can improve enough to pass the upcoming SAC.
Thank you for everything Methods, it was fun while it lasted.
(that is if I can actually manage to drop out of it, otherwise what on earth can I do?)
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This quiz has shattered my persistence. It's not like I haven't tried to do better. This week, (possibly due to it being the last week of term), I've been so sick and tired of habitually studying, Methods being the epitome of that.
Many people choose to study Methods due to it being a prerequisite. Actually, I originally chose Methods because i thought it would open up more course options post-Year 12, plus at the time I thought I'd be capable of it. That was back in the middle of Year 10. Now, with a bit more knowledge under my belt, I've decided to try to drop Methods, and maths in general. Why? Because I don't even exclusively need maths, let alone Maths Methods for the vast majority of courses I'm interested in. (e.g. My number one goal for VCE is to gain entry into Monash Medicine, but I only need Chem and English).
It takes a lot for me to give up, but Methods has drained my brain power. It's crushed my spirit. Like I sort of touched on earlier, the best way to describe my plight is that the content in Methods and my brain do not mix well. I know a fixed mindset is kind of unhealthy, but I really don't think I can improve enough to pass the upcoming SAC.
Thank you for everything Methods, it was fun while it lasted.
(that is if I can actually manage to drop out of it, otherwise what on earth can I do?)
what if you don't get into Monash medicine ???
number of students than move on the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences and than later down the track pursue medicine.
But to get in bachelor of biomedical sciences you need a study score of at least 25 in Math Methods ...
:(
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what if you don't get into Monash medicine ???
Slightly off-topic, but many Health Sciences courses don't require maths. Monash Science lists Maths as one of the prerequisites, but also lists Bio and Chem. So yeah basically my reasoning behind wanting to drop it is because I have more reasons to drop it than to keep it.
But if anyone is able to help me out in terms of persevering in Methods, then feel free! I'm kind of hanging by a thread.
MODIFICATION (I'd love to double post, but I can't) (9/4/19): I'm in a state of limbo with Methods at the moment. I still want to drop it, but have got no response as to what further action can be taken. So, I have to stay put until the head of learning does anything. I don't think my cries for help last week were a one-off anymore, or just a fleeting expression of emotion, as I went to the Methods lecture last weekend and I still am deadset on wanting to drop it.
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Mods, allow me to double post just this once. Pretty please? No one's responded to this thread in quite a while.
So I've just changed the title of this thread. I've realised that I don't have the same problem with the entire course. It's just Circular Functions (so far, anyway). About all I know is special angles and the unit circle concept, and that's about it. Sketching sin, cos, tan graphs? No. Solving trig equations? Nope.
I don't know if it's just me, but I just can't seem to grasp it. And I'm really trying, but not really getting anywhere.
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Been more than a week since I last posted here, and since then I've changed up the thread title again.
If you couldn't already tell from previous posts in this thread, to say this subject is a pain to study would be an understatement. I already knew after finishing 1/2 Methods last year that I wouldn't be scoring highly in 3/4 Methods. I know how to do a few things, but likely not enough to pass. The stuff I don't know how to do consumes my mind and makes me forget about what I am able to do. I'd be kidding myself if i said that I've mastered Algebra, but I can do a little bit of it.
A Mt Everest's worth of work is left for me, and even taking that first step seems so daunting. At this point, the only way for me to get me to start on any Methods work would be if I had a Methods class. No way would I start work on my own, because I know I'll be stuck, and get a throbbing headache immediately afterwards in an attempt to understand and apply the method. And I know the only way for me to get help is to get started, but I'm at a crossroads. Dropping it is not an option for me (given there's so little time left), so what is? Persevering and weathering the storm that will only get stronger? I've suffered enough at the hands of this cruel slave driver.
Would now be a good time to ask for a tutor?
(And I would like to apologise to those students who actually love this subject. Hope you understand where I'm coming from.)
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Persevering and weathering the storm that will only get stronger? I've suffered enough at the hands of this cruel slave driver.
Would now be a good time to ask for a tutor?
(And I would like to apologise to those students who actually love this subject. Hope you understand where I'm coming from.)
Hey there. I totally understand where you're coming from. In fact, as I was reading through your post, I was astonished by how much everything you were saying resonated with me and my feelings towards this fairly unpleasant, unforgiving subject. Literally everything you've said makes a lot of sense. So maybe you won't think much of what I have to say since I'm no maths whiz or genius, but I thought I'd offer it anyway. I absolutely despise circular functions and have always been annoyed with the sheer amount of time and effort I have to put into comprehending concepts, let alone answering textbook questions (incredibly time consuming) and furthering my knowledge with checkpoints/additional applied questions/vce exam questions.
First off, I don’t think solely focusing on checkpoints is going to be the best approach. I feel you on the falling behind at a rapid rate (my teacher does an average of 3-4 exercises per lesson and that’s 4 lessons a week so I would know about falling behind A LOT), but as guac said, in order to do further questions, harder questions, checkpoints, exam questions etc, you really need to consolidate your understanding of the concepts first. You need to properly and fully grasp the content before hurtling ahead and doing all the more practical questions. Now, when you’re doing textbook questions, don’t do them ALL. My school has excel spreadsheets of selected questions, but I’ve never looked at those, instead, since you are the best judge of your own abilities, strengths and weaknesses, if there’s a topic/concept you’re struggling in, as much as it’s boring and repetitive and time-consuming, the only way it will get easier, is to do MORE of those types of questions. Also more of the challenging chapter review questions. Whereas if you find certain topics/concepts simple and you find after doing a few questions you grasp them easily, as I said they are repetitive so move on to other types of questions. But I can not stress the importance of textbook questions enough.
In terms of efficiency, while I used to stare and stare at a hard question for hours, that is not a productive way to use your time, I can guarantee the solution won’t magically pop into your head all of a sudden, so make a note (do NOT just skip it and ignore it and never come back to it, I have been guilty of this, but really you shouldn’t), and then the next day maybe have a look again, and it might come to you, but if in most cases you are still stuck, ASK your teacher. Your teacher is an incredibly valuable resource, they are there to help you achieve your very best, they WANT you to do well. I ask my teacher for help almost every lesson, and with me and other students, once she’s finished teaching the class the material, she will spend as much time as needed with us individually to make sure we understand, even going into recess and lunch and just book times with your teacher outside of class too. If your teacher isn’t willing to help you then don’t be afraid of asking previous maths teachers you had or other maths teachers. Otherwise, I would highly recommend a tutor. I have one, he has greatly improved my understanding, and is so so helpful. Once you ask for help, things will start clicking into place. Methods is not an easy subject by any means, and I know you know this, but you won’t see results unless you keep pushing.
I definitely understand the feeling of ‘Mt Everest worth of work’, and you and I have probably heard this a million times, but you just need to take that step and start again. Once you start, you will keep going, Methods is only for 6 more months, not for a lifetime. Try your best to keep going and pushing till then.
You can’t give up, I can tell you, with effort, time, dedication and perseverance, it will all work out, and you will see results.
Hopefully you found this helpful. If you need any more help with anything, just ask me!
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Once you ask for help, things will start clicking into place. Methods is not an easy subject by any means, and I know you know this, but you won’t see results unless you keep pushing.
I definitely understand the feeling of ‘Mt Everest worth of work’, and you and I have probably heard this a million times, but you just need to take that step and start again. Once you start, you will keep going, Methods is only for 6 more months, not for a lifetime. Try your best to keep going and pushing till then.
You can’t give up, I can tell you, with effort, time, dedication and perseverance, it will all work out, and you will see results.
Hopefully you found this helpful. If you need any more help with anything, just ask me!
Hi mango8. Thank you. I'm so conflicted on what to say to you. Upon reflection, I guess it's mostly down to mindset. I'm sure you've heard of the whole fixed mindset vs growth mindset thing, yeah? Well, like yourself, I'm definitely NOT a maths-oriented person and probably never will be. I've approached Methods with a fixed mindset, thinking that because I can't seem to get anything right and/or even understand what I'm doing, I'll never be able to improve, and that'll be the end of that. The difficulty of the work prevents me from thinking I will ever get better.
I know it's too early to generalise, seeing as we still have an entire unit to go, but I feel it is fair to state that studying and learning Maths Methods provides me with absolutely no satisfaction whatsoever. Not one topic has gained my interest so far. It's like the end-of-period bell is a signal to end my misery. I thought learning was supposed to be fun, or if slightly painful, the suffering wouldn't last the duration of an entire year so far, like it has with this subject. I can do it, but a) there's too much to learn and apply, b) it's painfully tedious to learn and apply, and c) because of the tedium, I'm lured by either other subjects which are comparatively much more interesting, or away from studying entirely.
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I relate so much to this thread it's freaky. We literally just had our first Methods SAC and I feel so useless. I could spend twenty times more effort and time on something compared to people who look at something once and understands right away. It's so tiring and I feel so useful and dumb and *insert 200 more negative adjectives* and I just hope this can all come to an end. :(
Thanks for the post - it felt nice knowing I'm not the only one.
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damn . . . methods sounds like it gets hella hard in year 12 :-[
guess I'm doing average in methods 1/2 even though I spend a vast amount of time on the subject.
The only reason I'm doing methods is incase I don't get into BSci at Monash than I can go to Melbourne. . . but after high school ( methods can go away)
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I relate so much to this thread it's freaky. We literally just had our first Methods SAC and I feel so useless. I could spend twenty times more effort and time on something compared to people who look at something once and understands right away. It's so tiring and I feel so useful and dumb and *insert 200 more negative adjectives* and I just hope this can all come to an end. :(
Thanks for the post - it felt nice knowing I'm not the only one.
Thank you! Suffering together is always better than suffering alone! And yeah, I don't know if it's the subject's fault, but it does make me feel pretty bad knowing that there are others in my class who seem to be doing so much better and having a deeper understanding, whilst I just flounder.
damn . . . methods sounds like it gets hella hard in year 12 :-[
Hey Ionic Doc! Methods is only as difficult as you make it out to be. If you seek help persistently, then you should be fine. Do NOT be scared to ask for help. Please do not worry about what others or your teacher will think of you or your aptitude in Maths. Asking questions shows that you care about your learning. This subject is far from a cakewalk, but constant practice (especially on weak areas) will benefit you! :)
I'm not aiming 'high' in Methods (i.e. 40+ study score) or anything specific. I just want to be able to cope with my maths anxiety that has slowly built up over the years. Last week, I wrote out what worries me about Methods. Hopefully this gives you a bit more of an understanding of my thoughts and perspective on my situation:
What worries me about Maths Methods
- I'm not able to grasp Circular Functions, and this affects my ability to complete questions from other chapters
- My belief that Maths, in particular Methods is boring and monotonous leads me away from doing any work
- Fear of getting it wrong and accepting that it is something that I will never be able to rectify because it takes lots of time and effort to learn, understand and apply
I can't really control what content is taught in Methods, nor how my teacher teaches. I can only really control my own approach to doing questions and SACs, and my attitude towards learning.
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Is Methods really that hard?
Also, what's the workload like?
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Yeet I dropped it
I hope you're feeling a lot better now! :)
I just discovered this thread and I totally relate to you! Methods is killer :(
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Methods can definitely be frustrating! I have a love/hate relationship with it - when it makes sense it's great, but when it doesn't I want to smash my CAS against a wall. ;D ;D
I think the main thing with methods (and maths in general) is consistent practice and revision. The concept may seem straightforward when you see your teacher do the problem on the whiteboard, but tackling them yourself is a different matter. For me, the best way to study for it is to make sure you solidify all the content the first time you learn it. After that, keep practicing to REALLY drive it home. It can definitely get tedious, but sometimes smashing through practice question after practice question is really the best way to learn. Unlike English or humanities subjects, you can't get by in methods by reading the textbook or going through the content in your head. You actually have to APPLY it.
Is Methods really that hard?
Also, what's the workload like?
The difficulty is subjective. Obviously, if you're naturally talented at maths then you probably won't find it too challenging. But for most of us, yeah methods is definitely a hard subject. The workload, again, depends on the person. As I personally find it difficult, I have to do a lot more practice questions to be on the same level as someone who's more mathematically minded. Thing to keep in mind is, the textbook questions are never enough for SACs or for the end-of-year exam, so you're expected to go beyond that.
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Methods can definitely be frustrating! I have a love/hate relationship with it - when it makes sense it's great, but when it doesn't I want to smash my CAS against a wall. ;D ;D
I think the main thing with methods (and maths in general) is consistent practice and revision. The concept may seem straightforward when you see your teacher do the problem on the whiteboard, but tackling them yourself is a different matter. For me, the best way to study for it is to make sure you solidify all the content the first time you learn it. After that, keep practicing to REALLY drive it home. It can definitely get tedious, but sometimes smashing through practice question after practice question is really the best way to learn. Unlike English or humanities subjects, you can't get by in methods by reading the textbook or going through the content in your head. You actually have to APPLY it.
The difficulty is subjective. Obviously, if you're naturally talented at maths then you probably won't find it too challenging. But for most of us, yeah methods is definitely a hard subject. The workload, again, depends on the person. As I personally find it difficult, I have to do a lot more practice questions to be on the same level as someone who's more mathematically minded. Thing to keep in mind is, the textbook questions are never enough for SACs or for the end-of-year exam, so you're expected to go beyond that.
What do you mean by going beyonf the textbook questions?
Doing more questions than the teacher's sets or finding other resources?
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What do you mean by going beyonf the textbook questions?
Doing more questions than the teacher's sets or finding other resources?
Finding other resources would be the best. I'm not too sure about the Cambridge book, but for Maths Quest, most of the questions are just for you to understand the theory and can probably only get you as far as the first page of the tech-free exam. They do have a few application Qs at the end but those are nowhere near the VCAA-level you need to be at by the end of the year.
Textbook questions are a good place to start but once you've gone through them, ask your teacher for extra resources and worksheets. Past SACs and VCAA exams would be the most ideal, company exams are great as well (personally recommend MAV).
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So today, I completed SAC 1. I froze up several times in the process of completing it. Throughout this year so far, out of fear of looking stupid and dumb, I've greatly hesitated in asking questions to my teacher, unless if absolutely necessary. I'm almost impressed with how badly I managed to stuff that SAC up. The whole experience of completing the SAC was painful and gruelling. The fact that while in the SAC, I STRUGGLED to sketch the BASE cos function, let alone the dilations of it, epitomises my struggles with Methods. One of the worst parts of completing the SAC was that I didn't know what I was getting wrong, because I thought I understood what was going on.
I'm glad that's over.
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So today, I completed SAC 1. I froze up several times in the process of completing it. Throughout this year so far, out of fear of looking stupid and dumb, I've greatly hesitated in asking questions to my teacher, unless if absolutely necessary. I'm almost impressed with how badly I managed to stuff that SAC up. The whole experience of completing the SAC was painful and gruelling. The fact that while in the SAC, I STRUGGLED to sketch the BASE cos function, let alone the dilations of it, epitomises my struggles with Methods. One of the worst parts of completing the SAC was that I didn't know what I was getting wrong, because I thought I understood what was going on.
I'm glad that's over.
What topics from Maths in previous years did you find really important to know for Methods?
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What topics from Maths in previous years did you find really important to know for Methods?
Hope you don't mind me asking, but are you doing Methods Unit 1/2 or 3/4? I'm doing Methods now, so I'm probably not the most qualified to give you such information, since I haven't gone through the entire course yet!
Regardless, you need to have a solid grasp on linear functions, quadratics, function notation, polynomials, transformations of functions, probability, exponential and circular functions (plz be solid on unit circle and exact values) and differentiation.
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Hope you don't mind me asking, but are you doing Methods Unit 1/2 or 3/4? I'm doing Methods now, so I'm probably not the most qualified to give you such information, since I haven't gone through the entire course yet!
Regardless, you need to have a solid grasp on linear functions, quadratics, function notation, polynomials, transformations of functions, probability, exponential and circular functions (plz be solid on unit circle and exact values) and differentiation.
I'm not doing Methods now, but I plan to do Units 1 and 2 next year.
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I hope you're feeling a lot better now! :)
I just discovered this thread and I totally relate to you! Methods is killer :(
Oh I didn't create this thread, but yeah a lot better :)
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I'm not doing Methods now, but I plan to do Units 1 and 2 next year.
I didn't do year 10 maths since 1/2 pretty much teaches you everything you need to know. You do need to know basic algebra, index laws, quadratics etc off the top of my head though.
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This is the most relatable article I have ever read in my entire life.
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How do I know when I'm ready to do Checkpoints questions? I'm going to be honest, that week when I was doing the Checkpoints questions was one of the few times I felt that I was making progress in Methods. But I guess you're only supposed to use Checkpoints for either revision or preparation for exams, since internal SACs are so different to the actual exams.
How do I know when I'm ready to move to the next exercise or section in the textbook, seeing as we're not really given homework anymore. The class will continue to move on, and I'm already behind on Integration.
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How do I know when I'm ready to do Checkpoints questions? I'm going to be honest, that week when I was doing the Checkpoints questions was one of the few times I felt that I was making progress in Methods. But I guess you're only supposed to use Checkpoints for either revision or preparation for exams, since internal SACs are so different to the actual exams.
How do I know when I'm ready to move to the next exercise or section in the textbook, seeing as we're not really given homework anymore. The class will continue to move on, and I'm already behind on Integration.
I'm not really the biggest fan of Checkpoint as they're all just past VCAA questions jumbled up, scattered, and re-ordered into a little A5 book, so it spoils the questions if you ever want to attempt a proper VCAA exam under timed conditions in the future. But maybe it's just me.
I think you'll know when you're ready to move on if you're able to complete any difficult application-style questions from that topic. But IMO the term ""move on"" is a bit misleading - you can't just 'move on' from a topic. You have to keep coming back to it throughout the year, even after you've finished the relevant SAC, to make sure you have the concept 100% consolidated in your mind, that way you won't be desperately cramming before the final exams.
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A few months ago, I asked this question in the Methods question thread:
Any tips for making Methods more fun (or less boring/monotonous/painful) to study? Just in general, not referring to any topic.
This was the response I got:
Methods can be an extremely dull subject if it is approached as a list of basic skills / knowledge to memorise or rote learn (not suggesting this is what you are doing, of course, it sounds like you want to avoid this). The strengths of the subject lie in the many opportunities for connecting the various concepts (which is often tested in tougher exam questions). So if possible, try to minimise the amount of routine textbook questions you are doing, and prioritise exam qs and qs from good quality commercial papers. The course will feel more rewarding if you are spending your time doing questions that require more application and understanding.
As you can see, it's contradictory to much of the advice I've been given in this thread. No disrespect to those who like maths and problem-solving, but for the most part, I simply find it a chore and a drag. It doesn't help that the only way to 'study' for maths is to do practice questions. And I know that saying that something is boring, therefore I'm free to not do it is a poor excuse, but what else can I do?
Also, I don't seem to be learning anything in Methods, no matter how hard I try. I really try and contribute in class, but my teacher's lecture-style method makes it difficult for me to process anything he says. It only helps me forget more easily.
And it's the holidays right now, and not only do I have work to catch up on (as always), but I got an N for the first SAC and have to complete a task to change that to an S. Can't really ask for help, though.
I suppose doing questions slowly, but understanding what I'm doing is better than going quickly, but having no idea, right?
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A few months ago, I asked this question in the Methods question thread:
This was the response I got:
As you can see, it's contradictory to much of the advice I've been given in this thread. No disrespect to those who like maths and problem-solving, but for the most part, I simply find it a chore and a drag. It doesn't help that the only way to 'study' for maths is to do practice questions. And I know that saying that something is boring, therefore I'm free to not do it is a poor excuse, but what else can I do?
Also, I don't seem to be learning anything in Methods, no matter how hard I try. I really try and contribute in class, but my teacher's lecture-style method makes it difficult for me to process anything he says. It only helps me forget more easily.
And it's the holidays right now, and not only do I have work to catch up on (as always), but I got an N for the first SAC and have to complete a task to change that to an S. Can't really ask for help, though.
I suppose doing questions slowly, but understanding what I'm doing is better than going quickly, but having no idea, right?
Don't worry too much on doing questions.
I strongly recommend you reading the textbook and doing the example questions for each topic and compare your working out with the given solution for the examples.
THEN, you do the textbook questions listed on the checklist given to you by the teachers (you can of course 'skip' a few if you think you know the concept fully - but you never know where you struggle without doing them all!)
I strongly disagree with using checkpoint questions as a main source of learning for methods! During my VCE times, i have not used the checkpoints at all and still did fine! You should always nail the concepts before moving on to harder, exam style questions.
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Upon re-reading and reflecting on the major responses to the questions that I have asked in this thread, I have identified two main issues with my progress in Methods:
1) I don't enjoy studying maths (trying to learn and understand the content is still a pain)
2) The content is difficult to understand (I've tried asking my teacher, but I haven't found it all that helpful. Tutoring is not an option for me, given my family's financial situation. As I've previously mentioned, I've tried and expended so much effort into trying to understand, but it has been mostly fruitless and I haven't got much satisfaction out of it. Just letting you know that I've at least tried my absolute best to seek help, both on AN and in real life. I've used Edrolo, and it's a mixed bag in terms of its helpfulness.)
Now that I think about it, I think #2 is the reason for #1. (I find the content difficult to learn, understand and apply, hence why I don't enjoy it) I can't make the content easier to learn for myself, can I? And with probability to come, the dark clouds probably won't go away until early November.
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A few months ago, I asked this question in the Methods question thread:
This was the response I got:
As you can see, it's contradictory to much of the advice I've been given in this thread. No disrespect to those who like maths and problem-solving, but for the most part, I simply find it a chore and a drag. It doesn't help that the only way to 'study' for maths is to do practice questions. And I know that saying that something is boring, therefore I'm free to not do it is a poor excuse, but what else can I do?
Hi JR, I think the reason you're getting contradictory advice is because different people have different study methods and techniques. One study technique might be really helpful to some people, but not to others.
Like, with me when it comes to maths, I just smash through as many exam-style questions as I can to prepare, and it really works for me. Meanwhile if I had to sit down and read through the theory in that godforsaken textbook, I would drop dead from boredom on the spot. But I know people who find learning the theory useful and doing questions not so much. It's all about what works for YOU.
So I suggest you should just try a bunch of different study methods and see which one helps you the most. Reckon a good place to start would be to adopt a positive mindset around maths, even if you do think it's a pain in the ***.
Btw have you tried online tutorials when it comes to concepts? I personally love khan academy, there are also a bunch of really useful (and free!!!) youtube series readily available, and some of them explains things REALLY clearly.
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Hi JR, I think the reason you're getting contradictory advice is because different people have different study methods and techniques. One study technique might be really helpful to some people, but not to others.
Like, with me when it comes to maths, I just smash through as many exam-style questions as I can to prepare, and it really works for me. Meanwhile if I had to sit down and read through the theory in that godforsaken textbook, I would drop dead from boredom on the spot. But I know people who find learning the theory useful and doing questions not so much. It's all about what works for YOU.
So I suggest you should just try a bunch of different study methods and see which one helps you the most. Reckon a good place to start would be to adopt a positive mindset around maths, even if you do think it's a pain in the ***.
Btw have you tried online tutorials when it comes to concepts? I personally love khan academy, there are also a bunch of really useful (and free!!!) youtube series readily available, and some of them explains things REALLY clearly.
if u can, pls pm me the name of the youtube series. I'm just trying to find as much resources for practice as possible .
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if there’s a topic/concept you’re struggling in, as much as it’s boring and repetitive and time-consuming, the only way it will get easier, is to do MORE of those types of questions.
Once you ask for help, things will start clicking into place. Methods is not an easy subject by any means, and I know you know this, but you won’t see results unless you keep pushing.
I definitely understand the feeling of ‘Mt Everest worth of work’, and you and I have probably heard this a million times, but you just need to take that step and start again. Once you start, you will keep going, Methods is only for 6 more months, not for a lifetime. Try your best to keep going and pushing till then.
You can’t give up, I can tell you, with effort, time, dedication and perseverance, it will all work out, and you will see results.
The quote that I've highlighted in bold is so many levels of ironic that it's almost funny. :P Like, you're telling me that doing work will make it easier for me? How? Won't I just get confused and stuck on a difficult question? And the cycle continues.
As I've said, I've most certainly tried to learn and be engaged in this subject, but I haven't had much success. I don't know if it's perfectionism, but it genuinely angers me that I can't understand a good majority of the Methods course. Sure, I know a few things, but even that knowledge is crumbling with the awareness that those exam questions are even less forgiving. I acknowledge that I do have weaknesses. But what do you do if you feel like you're struggling with the entire course?
For me, Maths definitely has the potential to be interesting. I am aware of its applications and beauty. It's just unfortunate that this beauty is outside the scope of the study design and I feel like I am stuck with trying to decipher an alien language. It feels like total luck whether I learn something in class or not. It's either I understand what is being taught, or I don't. If I 'get it', great! If I don't, well then that's just too bad, I'll never understand this.
Do I ever walk away from maths class exclaiming, 'wow, I learnt something new today?'. No, I don't. I feel like we're just studying to do well on an exam, not genuinely trying to understand the mathematical processes involved. And when we do go over mathematical processes, I feel so lost and even further behind than I already am. I guess that's just the nature of VCE, which I can't do anything about.
I feel helpless. I feel that I am unable to improve my situation in Maths.
I apologise in advance for what I'm about to say:
I feel like I don't genuinely learn or understand anything in class. It all seems like a fruitless exercise, like a waste of time.
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JR,
MM is not the easiest exam, but is quite doable. And judging by your choice of subjects, you are keen and capable. If there are topics that give you headache, there are two options:
1) Go through the past exams, and practise solving them; or
2) Check whether they actually matter much - maybe they bring few points, and are not worth your time.
Online guides can help with both!
Cheers
Nirvana
Mod edit: removed advertising
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if u can, pls pm me the name of the youtube series. I'm just trying to find as much resources for practice as possible .
Hey sorry it took me so long to reply!
There are plenty of different youtube series which all work pretty great depending on personal taste. I mostly rely on Worm's maths academy which is specifically made for VCE methods. They do very detailed solutions and work-through's for past VCAA exams too and explain things very clearly.
Link to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/andrewworm
The quote that I've highlighted in bold is so many levels of ironic that it's almost funny. :P Like, you're telling me that doing work will make it easier for me? How? Won't I just get confused and stuck on a difficult question? And the cycle continues.
Duh! How would you expect things to get easier if you don't do any practice?
Sure, you could get stuck, but once you figure out how it's done you won't be getting stuck on future questions as you've mastered a new concept, and it will soon become easy.
I think you need to change your attitude towards methods, bc it seems that you hate this subject to the core.
Do I ever walk away from maths class exclaiming, 'wow, I learnt something new today?'. No, I don't. I feel like we're just studying to do well on an exam, not genuinely trying to understand the mathematical processes involved. And when we do go over mathematical processes, I feel so lost and even further behind than I already am. I guess that's just the nature of VCE, which I can't do anything about.
That's what I'm referring to by attitude. Your teacher is there to help you do well on the exam, but if you want to learn about real-world applications and all that jazz, then go the extra mile to learn about it yourself. It's not the nature of VCE. In most subjects, things can be very applicable.
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Hey sorry it took me so long to reply!
There are plenty of different youtube series which all work pretty great depending on personal taste. I mostly rely on Worm's maths academy which is specifically made for VCE methods. They do very detailed solutions and work-through's for past VCAA exams too and explain things very clearly.
Link to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/andrewworm
Thanks so much ! :D
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I think you need to change your attitude towards methods, bc it seems that you hate this subject to the core.
How do you reckon I should go about replacing my negative attitude towards maths with a more positive mindset?
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How do you reckon I should go about replacing my negative attitude towards maths with a more positive mindset?
remind yourself that there are only 120 days till the final methods exam.
and after that
Goodbye Methods 👋
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How do you reckon I should go about replacing my negative attitude towards maths with a more positive mindset?
Idk, you know yourself the best so I think you need to take personal responsibility about changing your own attitude.
For me, I never really liked maths and was never good at it, until some late night research led me to read up on how maths is incorporated into art which was really interesting, and gradually my attitude towards the subject changed when I was able to apply it to stuff I actually liked.
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For me, I never really liked maths and was never good at it, until some late night research led me to read up on how maths is incorporated into art which was really interesting, and gradually my attitude towards the subject changed when I was able to apply it to stuff I actually liked.
If this interests you, there is heaps about this online. I know that the Bridges conference is a conference where mathematicians spend an entire week focusing on how maths connects to creativity and art. There is also Maths Craft Australia who I was lucky enough to volunteer with a few times. They run events open to the public the involves the blending of maths and art. It involves a lot of fibre work and origami (and also a wide variety of other things).
There are also a lot of things in maths that relate to crochet. ( This and this and also this.)
My mum is a maths lecturer who loves to knit and crochet so we have a lot of items on those lists just around the house. There is lots of hyperbolic crochet and modular origami but the most impressive is the Lorentz Manifold that just randomly sits in the corner of our loungeroom.
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Hi JR,
1) It is easier said than done, but you have to work towards eliminating your paralysing fear of Maths Methods. Do not be like a frog that gets paralysed at a sight of a snake , and then becomes an easy prey instead of easily hopping away to safety.
2) I believe this could help for starters: post here two or three most painful problems that caused you grievous harm, and then we can help you by providing step-by-step solutions. Sometimes a student needs just a little bit of assistance to gain traction and overcome the initial obstacles.
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So I have managed to get a tutor for Methods. Desperately needed one, as I was running out of options. I'm going to try and not let my emotions affect my perceptions of this subject and my performance in tests, but I'm human. It's inevitable that my feelings will influence how I do problems. I know I have to do a lot of practice in order to get better, but I don't even feel like I will improve all that much. I fail, and fail again, without getting much out of it other than knowing that I suck at Methods. Other people are simply better than me. The pain will linger until November.
All this wouldn't be a problem if I was at least passing. But I'm not even passing. I'm on the cusp of another SAC, this time on Differentiation and Integration. I am reassured that I won't be kicked out of the subject. Why did I even choose Methods? Because I thought I was capable. Ha.
This subject makes me feel a cycle of sorrow, anger, fear and apathy. I get no joy out of it, other than knowing that it will all be over soon.
Painful problems, where do I even begin? I've already posted one on the Methods question thread. But in case you haven't seen it, I'll leave a pdf attachment. My tutor couldn't even help me. He said that you need to fully understand Differentiation and Integration first.
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Hi JR!
OK, this is a typical complex problem of the type that comes in Test 2. It consists of several sub-problems, involving several different topics. I will go step-by-step and address (a - d) tonight.
a) This is a basic geometry problem involving a triangle, and is solved with Pythagoras. The distance d is the longest side of the triangle ACx, and is therefore the square root of the sum: 1502 + (200-x)2, i.e. the square root of 22,500 + (40,000 - 400x +x2) =
=( x2 - 400x + 62500) (1/2)
b) In general, velocity = distance / time, hence time = distance / velocity. In this case, distance is the 'd' calculated above, divided by Wendy's velocity. Here I see a possible trap. (i) If Wendy runs over grass, her velocity is vg. Hence, time = d / vg. Since vg = 1 m/s, time (in seconds) is:
( x2 - 400x + 62500) (1/2).
---> But, (ii) what if x = 200, i.e. Wendy does not run over grass at all? The formulation of the problem does not exclude this, which complicates the matter. Then d would be 150 m, and Wendy's velocity would be vc, and the time would be d / vc = 150 m / 2 m/s = 75 s.
c) The total time T(x) is this sum: Wendy's time over the distance x + Wendy's time on the grass. The time on the grass is as derived above, in (b). The time over the distance x, which is concrete, is x / vc = x /2:
(i) If Wendy runs over grass at all, T(x) = ( x2 - 400x + 62500) (1/2) + x/2
(ii) If Wendy runs over the concrete only, T(x) = (200 m + 150 m) / 2 m/s = 175 s.
d) The domain of T(x) is the range of x. If Wendy does not run over the grass, x = 200. If Wendy only runs over the grass, x = 0. Since both x = 0 and x = 200 m are possible, those values are included in the domain and it is [0, 200].
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Hi JR,
I have now added the solutions to the problems (e-j), presented reasonably neatly in the attachment.
Before I proceed to the remaining problems, please let me know if the solutions provided so far are helpful.
Cheers :)
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Hi JR,
These two attachments contain solutions for tasks k, l and m. I will address the task (n) soon.
Cheers
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91 days to go until Methods Exam 2
I've given up on trying to keep up with my class. I'll just fall behind again. I struggle on a daily basis with this subject, but that doesn't mean I'm a weak person. I believe that I am an awesome person, and even constant failure and frustrations with maths won't stop me from achieving my future goals and aspirations (whatever they may be).
Exams, ah. They are finally in sight. My days with this subject are now numbered, and won't I be glad when the supervisor tells me to put my pen down after the 2nd Methods exam. I don't think I'll breathe a greater sigh of relief because I will be finally free of this unforgiving subject. (Even though Methods 2 isn't my final exam)
I'll just focus on what I do know, and try to consolidate the basics, then slowly work my way up to exam questions. Any other suggestions?
Failure is inevitable. But I've learnt nothing from my struggles in Methods. OK, so I'm bad at certain chapters. I'll try my very best to improve from now until that day. I dislike maths. But I won't use that as an excuse. I can at least learn to tolerate it. Maths is essential for life. I'm just lamenting what could have been if I just had better maths teachers.
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I don't think the problem is necessarily your teacher? Like, I'm sure there are still students in your class who achieve impressive scores despite having the same teacher as you.
Reckon the reason you aren't doing as well as you hoped is cos you're stuck in this very negative mindset where you keep telling yourself you suck at maths and that you can never be good at it and you spend more time lamenting over this than actually trying to overcome it. You're treating maths as a chore instead of something that could potentially help you in the future.
(Sorry if that^ sounds a bit rude)
Just wondering, is there any reason why you're doing methods? Like, do you need it as a prereq or something?
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Looking back at it, the reason why I chose Methods was pretty dumb. But at the time, I thought it made sense. I am studying Methods now because my Year 10 self thought it would open up more course options post-Year 12 (a check of VTAC course search confirmed this). When I was in Year 11 selecting Year 12 subjects, I kept Methods because I thought "it wasn't that bad" and it still had the benefit of keeping my options open. Through not much fault of my own, and even after finding out that literally none of the uni courses I'm interested in require Methods (or even any Maths at all), I have decided to just keep going. The end is coming, but I won't give up. All I need to do is devote some time to it, and it won't be as infuriating. It's just challenging. And that's good, as I have proven that Methods is indeed a subject I can get on top of eventually. At least before the exams come around.
I hope that made some sort of sense.
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How do I pick myself up after consistent failures in this subject? I know that I am not great at maths, but it still hurts when I see a grade below 50% on the front of the paper (because that means I failed). I know the exam will make up the majority of my final result, but having a look at some past VCAA exams just made me feel even worse. I don't go to school to fail. I want to be confident. This is going to take every last inch of resilience left in me. 70 days left. Don't even know what to do first.
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i think having good teachers is really important, if you have a teacher who can't teach well then that's going to have a detrimental effect. Sadly I had a couple of bad maths teachers :(
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i think having good teachers is really important, if you have a teacher who can't teach well then that's going to have a detrimental effect. Sadly I had a couple of bad maths teachers :(
Having a good teacher is sort of a nice bonus IMO, but at the end of the day you must rely on yourself. I think VCE is that transitional period where we are all moving away from being spoon-fed content and material to doing independent learning. Having a bad teacher is outside of your control but your own approach to learning isn't. ;)
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I have tried my very best this year. But I just keep failing. 2 SACs. 2 fails. The pain I experience from getting the wrong answer hurts. But what hurts even more is the pain of leaving a question blank. What I'm trying to say is, the pain is not worth it anymore. But giving up is never an option. Two contradictory sentiments. But they are the truth. I do not get any joy out of it. I don't even need it for uni anymore. I don't learn a lot, other than proving that maths is not my thing. I will keep trying. But how do I do that? My reasons to surrender are more numerous than my reasons to keep fighting.
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I have tried my very best this year. But I just keep failing. 2 SACs. 2 fails. The pain I experience from getting the wrong answer hurts. But what hurts even more is the pain of leaving a question blank. What I'm trying to say is, the pain is not worth it anymore. But giving up is never an option. Two contradictory sentiments. But they are the truth. I do not get any joy out of it. I don't even need it for uni anymore. I don't learn a lot, other than proving that maths is not my thing. I will keep trying. But how do I do that? My reasons to surrender are more numerous than my reasons to keep fighting.
Geezus mate, stop treating maths as capital punishment and it might just stop torturing you.
On another note, maybe you could leave methods aside to focus on your other subjects if you think it's bound to be in your bottom two?
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On another note, maybe you could leave methods aside to focus on your other subjects if you think it's bound to be in your bottom two?
You could, but it might be a risky especially when you don't know how your internal SACs rank against the rest of the state. Also you wouldn't want to completely disregard one of your subjects (such as methods), just in case you don't perform as well as expected on another subject. You never know what could end up in your top 4. ^-^
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Geezus mate, stop treating maths as capital punishment and it might just stop torturing you.
Fair enough. I've been contemplating on your comment ever since I first read it. It's a tough statement to take but I will accept it. Thank you very much.
On another note, maybe you could leave methods aside to focus on your other subjects if you think it's bound to be in your bottom two?
Yeah...I agree more with colline. But I will say that I really do not care about the technical side of VCE at all. I personally don't think it is worth the effort in trying to get my head around the stuff that will matter less in the long-term.
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Fair enough. I've been contemplating on your comment ever since I first read it. It's a tough statement to take but I will accept it. Thank you very much.
I think you definitely have the right attitude which is great. Some people would've been offended by what i said but I think if you can use it to improve then you have a good attitude for doing well in not just methods but with your vce studies in general. Good luck :)
Yeah...I agree more with colline. But I will say that I really do not care about the technical side of VCE at all. I personally don't think it is worth the effort in trying to get my head around the stuff that will matter less in the long-term.
I think it's very admirable to not care about the technical side of vce. What's important is to do your best. ;)
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I don't need to reminded about how many days are left until those two Methods exams. I don't need to be told that I'm just not good at this level of maths. I get it - this guy has some sort of unknown limit on his mathematical ability that cannot be mitigated in the time left before he has to sit down and actually do not one, but two exams on it.
All year, I've tried my absolute best in all internal assessments, attempting to convince myself that Maths is something I will get better at with practice. But nothing significant has come of it so far. As you can probably tell, these are the two exams I will dread the most. What might provide me with a slight scrap of solace is that it is Maths. It's pretty objective. You either get it wrong or right.
I would ask you to wish me luck, but I don't know if that would even help me at this point. I just hope that I will do something Methods-related between now and next Wednesday. Knowing me, my ability to procrastinate will likely improve.
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I don't need to reminded about how many days are left until those two Methods exams. I don't need to be told that I'm just not good at this level of maths. I get it - this guy has some sort of unknown limit on his mathematical ability that cannot be mitigated in the time left before he has to sit down and actually do not one, but two exams on it.
All year, I've tried my absolute best in all internal assessments, attempting to convince myself that Maths is something I will get better at with practice. But nothing significant has come of it so far. As you can probably tell, these are the two exams I will dread the most. What might provide me with a slight scrap of solace is that it is Maths. It's pretty objective. You either get it wrong or right.
I would ask you to wish me luck, but I don't know if that would even help me at this point. I just hope that I will do something Methods-related between now and next Wednesday. Knowing me, my ability to procrastinate will likely improve.
As long as you've tried your best then you should be happy. I know everyone says this but is really is true. For example I tried my best for English but I just couldn't get my mark in English to be that good. It happens, so don't feel down over it. No one in this world is good at everything =)
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As long as you've tried your best then you should be happy. I know everyone says this but is really is true. For example I tried my best for English but I just couldn't get my mark in English to be that good. It happens, so don't feel down over it. No one in this world is good at everything =)
It's gotten to the point where I don't really care too much about the result I get for Methods. Is it okay to think this way? I mean, I originally created this thread because I was struggling so badly in Methods to the point of wanting to give up on the subject. After lots of conversation and encouragement from others that I can improve and do better, I'm still convinced that I am utterly inept at the advanced parts of the course. These things can't rectify themselves in the space of five days (that is how many days are left until the 1st paper, the 2nd paper is on the following day).
I have wanted to get better. It's just that the subject has not helped me to think mathematically. It has only helped to confirm in my mind that complex calculus, algebra and probability are things I have to avoid at all costs for the rest of my life. I don't think it's fair to blame the subject, though.
Anyway, I've gotten this far. Might as well sit down, take a deep breath, try not to mentally break down, try not to cry, and show all of my limited mathematical ability on these two exams. And when the time is up, I can move on with my life. But I won't study for them. Not worth it anymore.
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I totally feel like that with Methods as well! It's the subject I spend the most time on and I don't really see the value-for-time relationship I'd like.
It's worth it to study for this subject, though, as it can open up so many doors for the future.
I think that working on questions that aren't in your textbook is a good strategy - you can be doing practise exams, application-style questions, watching youtube videos and doing so many other useful things
In case you're interested, I recently posted something on my blog that relates to how I study for maths. Feel free to read it here --> https://chamomileandcolour.wordpress.com/2019/10/10/how-i-revise-for-maths/ .
Hope that helped!
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It's gotten to the point where I don't really care too much about the result I get for Methods. Is it okay to think this way? I mean, I originally created this thread because I was struggling so badly in Methods to the point of wanting to give up on the subject. After lots of conversation and encouragement from others that I can improve and do better, I'm still convinced that I am utterly inept at the advanced parts of the course. These things can't rectify themselves in the space of five days (that is how many days are left until the 1st paper, the 2nd paper is on the following day).
I have wanted to get better. It's just that the subject has not helped me to think mathematically. It has only helped to confirm in my mind that complex calculus, algebra and probability are things I have to avoid at all costs for the rest of my life. I don't think it's fair to blame the subject, though.
Anyway, I've gotten this far. Might as well sit down, take a deep breath, try not to mentally break down, try not to cry, and show all of my limited mathematical ability on these two exams. And when the time is up, I can move on with my life. But I won't study for them. Not worth it anymore.
You are correct tbh at a point. It is not much you can do to study to rapidly improve grasp of the course in such little time. However, getting a good, calm, composed mindset may actually help you achieve a result better than expected. Be confident in what you have done so far, and cherish the stuff you have learnt so far and this should help you get a decent result!
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How have your exams gone thus far, John?