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Quick help! Further Math HL


helpwithib

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I am in Calculus BC as a junior which would technically be Further Math HL 2 right? So does that mean I take the HL test this school year? But this is my school's first year doing IBDP so my calc teacher is focusing more on the AP students for the AP tests rather than the 6 IB students who are in Calc BC while the other 80 students are in Calc AB. So I'm worried that I won't be prepared for the HL test this year? Should I take Calc BC this year and Stats next year and then take the HL test that year or is that risking forgetting a lot of things? Or should i take Calc BC and AP stats this year together? But then I would not have a math next year, which will look bad on college apps won't it?

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I don't really know how the AP system works, but I don't think all of the Further Maths content is covered in Calc BC and AP stats. You'll probably cover the majority of stuff in the calculus and statistics&probability chapters along with a couple of other small topics, but you wouldn't have done most of the content in linear algebra, set and group theory and discrete maths.
 
Here is the syllabus for further maths, I would suggest looking through it and seeing what topics you haven't done.

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Calc BC is not even close to further maths. Calc BC will cover almost all of the Calculus core + Option + few other topics. There's much more to math HL, let alone Further Math HL

Yes, this.

 

To name a few subjects that I do not believe are covered in Calc BC but are in Math HL(or at least not as in-depth): Vectors (not sure about this one actually), complex numbers, any of the non-calc SL topics, and any of the non-calc options. Further math covers even more. I would think you'd be able to go into math HL with your calc knowledge if you would learn the other topics in your Senior year. Don't do further math unless you're a math prodigy (it's like taking the hardest IB class, and then making it harder :) ).

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Calc BC is not even close to further maths. Calc BC will cover almost all of the Calculus core + Option + few other topics. There's much more to math HL, let alone Further Math HL

Yes, this.

 

To name a few subjects that I do not believe are covered in Calc BC but are in Math HL(or at least not as in-depth): Vectors (not sure about this one actually), complex numbers, any of the non-calc SL topics, and any of the non-calc options. Further math covers even more. I would think you'd be able to go into math HL with your calc knowledge if you would learn the other topics in your Senior year. Don't do further math unless you're a math prodigy (it's like taking the hardest IB class, and then making it harder :) ).

 

 

@Thrashmaster I've taken Spanish 1-4 already, but my school only offers Spanish HL. I pretty much have an identical schedule to what you have/had except I have Physics HL since it is the only science HL offered at our school. I am a non-native speaker and want to major in Biology. The only other language option offered at our school is ab initio German SL. Should I take German or Spanish? I already have 4 HLs so taking Spanish will be a 5th HL, and isn't that impossible to do? Or not allowed? However, Spanish HL is the only way I can get an extra gpa point in the language group, but considering that it is IB does the extra point even matter that much to colleges? So I was thinking to take the Spanish B SL test senior year but stay in the HL class, or would that be pointless to do since I am doing an HL course load for an SL test? Can you also please clarify this for me: we are not allowed/cannot take 5 HL classes? Is there a minimum requirement for 2 SL tests in order to earn the diploma or something?

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Calc BC is not even close to further maths. Calc BC will cover almost all of the Calculus core + Option + few other topics. There's much more to math HL, let alone Further Math HL

Yes, this.

 

To name a few subjects that I do not believe are covered in Calc BC but are in Math HL(or at least not as in-depth): Vectors (not sure about this one actually), complex numbers, any of the non-calc SL topics, and any of the non-calc options. Further math covers even more. I would think you'd be able to go into math HL with your calc knowledge if you would learn the other topics in your Senior year. Don't do further math unless you're a math prodigy (it's like taking the hardest IB class, and then making it harder :) ).

 

 

@Thrashmaster I've taken Spanish 1-4 already, but my school only offers Spanish HL. I pretty much have an identical schedule to what you have/had except I have Physics HL since it is the only science HL offered at our school. I am a non-native speaker and want to major in Biology. The only other language option offered at our school is ab initio German SL. Should I take German or Spanish? I already have 4 HLs so taking Spanish will be a 5th HL, and isn't that impossible to do? Or not allowed? However, Spanish HL is the only way I can get an extra gpa point in the language group, but considering that it is IB does the extra point even matter that much to colleges? So I was thinking to take the Spanish B SL test senior year but stay in the HL class, or would that be pointless to do since I am doing an HL course load for an SL test? Can you also please clarify this for me: we are not allowed/cannot take 5 HL classes? Is there a minimum requirement for 2 SL tests in order to earn the diploma or something?

 

Okay, HL Spanish is arguably more than Spanish IV. My school considers it IV-V and even VI. You could take Spanish HL for the GPA and then test SL if you work it out with your school first. I would do that, but on the other hand, working to be trilingual is also an attractive idea. I think you should take whatever route you think is easiest for you given the difficulty you've already accepted for yourself - your record will be good enough that no one will care about the extra difficulty at that point. They'll be looking for a good essay, interview, that kind of thing at that point. So, choose the easier path for you: Can you learn German easily as a non-native speaker? Would it be easier for you to just continue in Spanish, or even take a lower Spanish? I don't want you bored either, but do what you think is best :)

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helpwithib,

 

I would highly recommend taking Statistics first and then Calculus.  I took IBHL Math which was mixed in with AP, but I took Calculus first.  I felt as though it would be a lot easier to review Statistics for the HL Math and have a better grip on Calculus because only about 2/3 of the AP Statistics course is covered in IB HL Math.  As "thrashmaster" and "Ossih" said, there is a lot of material in IB HL that is not covered in AP.  On Paper 3, you have options.  In most schools, your teacher will choose these for you since they have to declare which option before you take the test.  Ask your teacher or IB coordinator which option you have to take.  If it is the Calculus option, definitely take Calculus the second year.  If you have to take the Statistics option, maybe it would be best to take Calculus first and Statistics second.  I would highly recommend taking one and then the other because you will have to do a lot of review if you take them both now but then don't take the test until your senior year.  

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