How to pass the unit#
Some general advice to students:
Attend all of the classes – the key to successfully passing the unit is to attend all of your classes. Mathematics is not a subject that can be learned easily in isolation just by reading the lecture notes. You will get much more out of the unit by attending, and more importantly, actively engaging in the classes.
Complete all of the exercises – you would not expect an athlete to get faster or stronger without exercising and the same applies to studying mathematics. The tutorial exercises are designed to give you practice at using the various techniques and to help you to fully grasp the content. Try to make sure that you complete all of the exercises before the following week’s lectures. Full worked solutions are provided but do try to be disciplined and avoid looking up the answers before you have attempted the questions.
Catch up on missed work – for whatever reason there may be a day when you cannot attend your classes, if this happens make sure you make the effort to catch up on missed work. Read through the appropriate chapter in the notes (as specified in the teaching schedule), complete the examples and attempt the tutorial exercises. It is very easy to start falling behind and the longer you leave it the more difficult it will be to catch up.
Start the coursework as soon as you are able – the coursework is released to students early in the teaching block so you are not expected to be able to answer all of the questions right away. As we progress through the unit you will be told which questions you should now be able to answer. Try to start these questions as soon as you can and not leave it to the last minute.
Ask questions! – perhaps the most important piece of advice here, there will be times when you are not quite sure about a concept, application or question. You can ask for help from the teaching staff and your fellow students. Mathematics is a hierarchical subject which means it requires full understanding at a fundamental level before moving onto more advanced topics, so if there are any gaps in your knowledge don’t be afraid to ask questions.