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Math exam in 2 days .. help!


Guest Linnsan

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Guest Linnsan

I've been lazy for 3 years.. that's my excuse. My mathematics SL paper 1 is in 2 days and I've been last-minute-studying in panick the past 3 days.

I now know the following topics very well: Algebra, matrices, vectors and nearly everything on calculus.

BUT.. what about the rest? What can I NOT miss studying? Time is an.. issue.

Thanks in advance.

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........

And i thought i am the most f*** ** around.

One of the thing about IB that you cannot afford to miss anything. NOTHING SHOULD BE MISSED.

I'd advice you to get on Matrices and Statistic with Probabilities. I've seen all those three pretty prevelant in the last few years.

For myself i still on the process of finishing Calculus *with natural logarithm*, and for the dreadful Statistics. After that i should have done everything.

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Guest Linnsan

We're both **** ups, but you got half a year to get things straight while I have 2 days...

As said, I've already gone through matrices. I'll do statistics and probabilities after I finish the last bit of integrations. The thing here is that while everyone else is doing revision, I learn and do these things for the first time.. days before the exams.

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It's a small thing, but from observing past papers I'd say the odds are there will be a question on binomial expansion. Make sure you can do that. Can be on either paper, so you should be able to use Pascal's triangle and the nCr function on your TI84 or something similar on other calculators

Edited by Jyrgen
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Look, matrices, exponents, logarithms, and basic algebra functions will get you easy marks in Section A on both papers and they are topics that are very small and relatively easy if you've been doing them all through high school and understand them, it's stupid to screw them up because that's like half your marks.

As for the longer type questions usually in Section B, tons of probablility, normal & binomial distribution will come and it will be a lot of marks. I advise you at least learn how to do it on your GDC so if its on paper 2 you have a chance to get some amount of points even if you don't understand what you are doing. Same goes for caculus and integration. Otherwise if you arent skilled in stats, probalitity, trigo, calculus, transformations of graphs in general you are looking to lose out on half your marks.

Honestly, I've done TONS of past papers and you aren't likely to get away without knowing any particular concept. but sometimes relatively easier questions come and sometimes the complicated ones come on paper 2 where your GDC can save you a lot of heartache. Take advantage of your graph function, of the matrices option, and derivative/integral option, and your solver option/simultaneous equations, know how to make your Lists for data when there's numbers and a given frequency and you can use it to find standard deveiation. At least you will get some amount of marks.

Edited by ro_1293x
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It's a small thing, but from observing past papers I'd say the odds are there will be a question on binomial expansion. Make sure you can do that. Can be on either paper, so you should be able to use Pascal's triangle and the nCr function on your TI84 or something similar on other calculators

Binomial expansion is also really easy to learn but I've seen them come on paper 1 more often then not, so learn pascals triangle and how to do nCr manually, i've seen expansions to the power 9 come before and pascals triangle is annoying at that point and you are more likely to screw it up. Learn the equation to find termT(r+1) because it isn't in your booklet. Though its almost the same as the equation for finding Binomial distribution.

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Guest Linnsan

That's good, cause I went through binomial expansions today (*coughs* for the first time) and can do everything you said (nCr both on calculator and manually+ Pascal's triangle). I have no idea what binomial distribution is yet.

Probability and statistics seem to be the big part that I have left.. ugh.

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Theres still some time left. Try go over everything! You never know what the examiners might throw at you. Its always better to enter the examination room over prepared than under prepared. <always the better option> good luck :)

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Guest Linnsan

Oh trust me, I manage to learn A LOT during these days. I've studied maths 24/7 for a couple of days now and have managed to cover at least half of the course which I now know very well. Doing previous papers is no good if you don't know anything in the first place.. but once I feel more secure, I'll have a look at them.

Besides.. stop freaking out. I freaked out last week, and the weeks before that, becoming completely paralyzed by the stress and pressure. But no one is going to write the exam for you. Studying now DOES help :)

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stats and trig.. man trigonometry kills people cause they can put it with everything! Study and practice the identities and the double angel formula! Also learn how to complete the circle and read information from it! Good luck! I'm sooo sleep deprived that I'm not sure how I'm gonna do my English A1 HL P1 tomorrow at 9am......

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Guest Linnsan

Well, I don't know any trigonometry. Damn triangles...

I also have my English Paper 1 tomorrow, so I'm not going to stay on here any longer. Off I go, studying :clap: Thanks for all great advice, I really appreciate it.

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