-
Finished your HSC? Check out our University Discussion, Non-School forums or help out next year's HSC students! -
YOU can help the next generation of students in the community! Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
Mechatronics and General maths (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter PopeXIII
- Start date
Flop21
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2013
- Messages
- 2,807
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2015
You should really check out the specific subjects required for the degree at various unis. At UNSW you are required to complete math 1a and 1b. It's pretty difficult, 3 unit math is assumed. You will struggle a lot to pass IMO.
The math courses required at other unis might vary, you'll have to check up on that.
There's always the option of taking a foundations in math course at uni, where you learn 2/3 unit math. Obviously you will probably be behind a semester or two in math - but if you really want to do it, doesn't sound like a big deal at all (I'm doing this with chem). Doing this at uni, rather than trying to cram 2 unit AND 3 unit before uni sounds much more doable IMO.
The math courses required at other unis might vary, you'll have to check up on that.
There's always the option of taking a foundations in math course at uni, where you learn 2/3 unit math. Obviously you will probably be behind a semester or two in math - but if you really want to do it, doesn't sound like a big deal at all (I'm doing this with chem). Doing this at uni, rather than trying to cram 2 unit AND 3 unit before uni sounds much more doable IMO.
Squar3root
realest nigga
These people are very rare if at all they exist
3u is pretty average and a high talent for math
(Current mechatronic student)
3u is pretty average and a high talent for math
(Current mechatronic student)
I just don't get why Uni can't make it a prerequisite.
Didn't I suggest possible reasons to you already?
I don't remember.
I have to go back to your post, because I don't get reply notifications on BOS or follow up on threads.
Interesting
davidgoes4wce
Well-Known Member
Do you think thats a good thing ? bad?
Im going to say it right here, I reckon a Band 5 or better General Maths students would be able to cut the mustard in Sydney Uni Science courses (i.e major in Chem, Biology, Psychology)
Depends on which branch of Chemistry? The more qualitative areas of Chemistry, perhaps. And certainly not for Physics.
Flop21
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2013
- Messages
- 2,807
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2015
I think the unis should just instead have courses that give students who didn't do those required subjects the needed knowledge. They have this already for chem, and for math they have 3u equivalent courses I'm pretty sure - wouldn't hurt to have a course for those who did general that included 2u.
I don't really agree with cutting a student out entirely just because they didn't do a subject. Let them sacrifice a bit of time and do those requirements at uni. Or does TAFE or another institute have courses just for 1 HSC subject over a shorter period, like 13 weeks or so, so not too much time is lost? Either way, I think it'd be easier to do it at uni, so the student could also get on with their other courses that don't require that thing they missed out on.
clementinez
Member
Completely agree with this.
General Maths is of no help for engineering so to the OP - you will struggle immensely with only general. General maths is not "real" maths so to say. I started off in general in year 11 because I wanted to do maths but was afraid of failing and two weeks later I dropped it and moved to 2 unit because I couldn't handle the repetitive, boring nature of the course.
If you want to do engineering 2 unit is the bear minimum for surviving and even then you'd have to go through 3 unit in your own time.
I have heard of a couple students doing engineering with a background in general but they spent the time between their HSC and uni catching up on 2/3 unit maths. You can't go in with just a knowledge of general.
turntaker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2013
- Messages
- 3,908
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- HSC
- 2015
General is the way to go with engineering since high school maths teachers never teach correctly and general maths teaches you basically no maths.
This means you can get good quality maths education at uni from scratch which will highly benefit you since others who have done 2u or higher will have to spend hours eliminating their bad high school maths habits.
So do not worry
This means you can get good quality maths education at uni from scratch which will highly benefit you since others who have done 2u or higher will have to spend hours eliminating their bad high school maths habits.
So do not worry
clementinez
Member
two words for you OP: Khan Academy
turntaker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2013
- Messages
- 3,908
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- HSC
- 2015
this^two words for you OP: Khan Academy
Basically taught myself the whole subject in a week using Khan.
davidgoes4wce
Well-Known Member
I'm going to say there is hope for General Maths students out there. Currently, tutoring a General Maths student and I seriously think the kid , (Band 6) at the moment could have and would be able to do Engineering or Science related maths course. I have tutored a student in the past who also said to me he wanted to do Engineering , with only a General Maths background. There are bridging courses, Youtube links out there that enable that knowledge to be gained.
I said this before in another thread , if you are in Year 9 or Year 10 5.3 maths class, you should without any hesitation choose 2 Unit maths or higher in Year 11. The standard is no more difficult than General.
General Maths is only slightly behind in content in comparison to the IB Mathematical Studies. (In studies they cover the basics of differentiation which is more than catchable in about 4-6 weeks)
I also am not sure how strict universities , over here are with pre-requisites and what not. But I do get the feeling if you believe you have good reason to do a certain course, the university will let you do it. (i.e you did a bridging course like http://sydney.edu.au/science/fstudent/undergrad/entry/bridging.shtml where if you showed you have taken some assessments and have sufficient background THEY will let you do a course. )
I said this before in another thread , if you are in Year 9 or Year 10 5.3 maths class, you should without any hesitation choose 2 Unit maths or higher in Year 11. The standard is no more difficult than General.
General Maths is only slightly behind in content in comparison to the IB Mathematical Studies. (In studies they cover the basics of differentiation which is more than catchable in about 4-6 weeks)
I also am not sure how strict universities , over here are with pre-requisites and what not. But I do get the feeling if you believe you have good reason to do a certain course, the university will let you do it. (i.e you did a bridging course like http://sydney.edu.au/science/fstudent/undergrad/entry/bridging.shtml where if you showed you have taken some assessments and have sufficient background THEY will let you do a course. )