Math Is Fun Forum

Graeme · 2006-01-20 08:04:35

Hi, i have recently joined the forum.

I am Graeme, as you can see from the name . I am 17, and in last year of high school, or the twelfth grade (correct?) as the Americans call it.

I enjoy maths a lot and possibly hope to do it at university for a career in maths.

Thats about all.

Hope that helped, mikau

mikau · 2006-01-20 08:21:49

darn! Clearly america's math education system is too slow. (not that I ever used it)

I bet your from athens greece.

So your in trig then? Or did you get AP and get calculus? I've rarely seen such tough geometry problems, and to think your getting them in highschool. Thats wierd...(98.6% of all americans are IDIOTS! at least mathwise...)

Whats the name of your current math/geometry book? I'd like to see if I can get my hands on it.

Graeme · 2006-01-20 08:36:37

Nope sorry, I'm from sunny (?) UK, Scotland to be exact. (98.6% of them are maths idiots also)!

The UK's maths system is also too slow, I've taught myself most of the complex stuff I know that is above the level at which i'm working, from various internet sites and textbooks.

"So your in trig then? Or did you get AP and get calculus?". I don't really understand that bit since i'm not familiar with how the courses in America work. We just tend to do one broad course covering every topic at some point.

mikau · 2006-01-20 08:40:59

Well then answer me this. Have you learned anything about differentiation and integration? Area under a curve? That sort of thing?

I never went to school and learned everything I know by reading books. (It was about a year and a half ago that I discovered math).

Could you tell me the name of your text book? (The book where your getting these cool problems from)

Graeme · 2006-01-20 08:52:09

Yes, that's what we are doing this year and have done last year...

basic and further integration (inverse trig functions, partial fractions and integration, integration by parts....),
the same with differentiation (implicit differentiation, parametric equations, logarithmic differentiation....)
complex numbers,
sequences and series,
proofs,
etc.

Yes, we have done area under a curve in the first integration unit.

Sorry if i rambled a bit, but just thought i'd explain some of the topics we have done.

For learning everything you know from books some of your solutions are excellent. Even if you had gone to school i'd be impressed.

As for the problems, the sphere one was one my teacher showed me. However, the rather difficult logic/story problem about the walkers came from a small local maths paper copied for me by my teacher. So unfortunately they didn't come from a book as such. Apologies

mikau · 2006-01-20 09:02:20

nice! your doing calculus!

Wish I had discovered math earlier. I could have gone very far by now.

Does everyone in your school take calculus in 11 and 12th year? Here usually you only get calculus if your extra good.

Graeme · 2006-01-20 09:12:48

Wel it's optional.....to a degree. In the way that, you don't get to choose whether or not you do calculus, but you can choose whether or not you do maths as a whole after what will be...year 10 (i believe)(when you're about 15/16).

Those who choose to continue with the subject get taught the same course regardless of ability, ie calculus.

The way it work is that everyone in the year sits what is called a Standard Grade in maths, then the next level - Higher Maths - is optional. If you pass that exam then you can either choose to stop or continue on and do Advanced Higher Maths in your last year. It is Higher and Advanced Higher which include the calculus etc.. but obviously Advanced Higher is much harder than Higher and Higher than Standard Grade.

Do you understand my ramblings?

mikau · 2006-01-20 13:51:45

Sure. I never went to school so I'm not too familair with the american system either. :-P But from what I've heard, you take algebra 1 in 9th grade, algebra 2 in 10th, 11th is trig and 12 is analytical geometry ( I think...). If you excell in math you can get calculus in 12th grade. My dad got calculus in 12th grade but he had to take a summer course in anylitical geometry to get in.

VR Hawks · 2006-01-20 16:20:27

Welcome to MathsIsFun forums. Hope you enjoy and stay while you can!

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2006-01-20 08:04:35

Hi

#2 2006-01-20 08:21:49

Re: Hi

#3 2006-01-20 08:36:37

Re: Hi

#4 2006-01-20 08:40:59

Re: Hi

#5 2006-01-20 08:52:09

Re: Hi

#6 2006-01-20 09:02:20

Re: Hi

#7 2006-01-20 09:12:48

Re: Hi

#8 2006-01-20 13:51:45

Re: Hi

#9 2006-01-20 16:20:27

Re: Hi

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