I have really concentrated this week on practise, practise, practise. Hundreds of exam type problems, that I have collected from text books, the internet and other sources. They have all been problems involving basic maths skills. The plan? To make them second nature. I feel this will make next years course of M208, Pure maths, much easier to navigate. If I can commit to memory and add fluency to handling of inequalities, polynomials, factoring, handling trigonometric identities; then I will be able to concentrate on the more challenging aspects of next years analysis, geometry and other subjects. I also want to aim for a grade 1 exam pass, so fluency will help with timing of exam questions and completion times.
I have now also mapped out my next 18 months of Open University courses. They are as follows:
January 2012 - M208 Pure Mathematics
October 2012 - M337 Complex Analysis (essential for further maths studies at Masters level)
October 2013 - M303 Further Pure Mathematics
Now, there are several comments that I need to make with regards to these course choices. Firstly, I am studying only 30 points level 3, from October 2012 until June 2013. The reason is, that I only need the 90 points from Complex analysis and further pure maths, to complete my Open Hons Degree. It is then straight onto M823 Analytical Number Theory (or its replacement course). Secondly, where is the physics? You might ask. Well, I have decided to study my physics subjects, away from the OU, as self guided study.
I need time to do this, and the above profile allows for this indulgence, whilst gaining my degree as quickly as possible. This will include studying MST209 Mathematical models and also M338 Topology, by purchasing the course texts, without registering for the modules. I will study these between October 2012 and October 2013.
This should leave me with several hundred hours of free time, to dedicate to my own course of scholarly pursuits, which include beginning to develop some embryonic postgraduate research skills and also mapping out a plan to get myself up to the level of passing the Cambridge University Mathematics Tripos Exam paper. I feel that if I can't pass that, then I have no business studying mathematical physics, at post graduate level.
I am very excited about next year, it feels like the real start to my journey. This year has almost been a dress rehearsal for 2012.
Study this week: 25hrs total.
MST121
Week off, no additional work (I still have TMA04 to start and the last 3 questions of the last CMA to finalise, but I needed a fortnight off, before embarking on this work, as it's yet more F***ing Geese populations, recurrence relations and dice rolling. Yawn)
Other Maths Practise
Inequalities
Quadratic Equations
Functions and Graphs
Simplifying monomials and polynomials
Multiplication of polynomials
Multiplication of polynomials, using formulas
Factorisation
Square roots
Four operations on fractions.
Other reading
Fermat's last Theorem (finished it off. It was very entertaining and such a happy ending)
How to Solve it - G. Polya
Next week I am going camping for a few days on the coast, so lets hope the weather is good. What I like about camping, is that once the kids are asleep, I can relax in a camp chair, in the cold and pouring rain, with a hot cup of coffee and a good maths text. It clears the mind and is truly peaceful.
Slightly unconventional plan, my only concern would be that potential PhD supervisors might want concrette evidence that you have done some physics courses. I suppose you could always try and squeeze in some of the level three courses alongside your MSc. Anyway good luck and if you want help with some of the Cambridge physics let me know. See how you cope with MST209 on your own first you can always test your self by downloading the exams and see how you get on.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Cambridge is concerned do the part 1A differential equations course, the Vector Analysis and the dynamics course. Also have a look at the mathematical methods for both mathematicians and scientists. The Bible if you don't have it already is Mathematical mthods for Physic\sand engineering by K F Riley Hobson and Bence. In principle everything you need is there but it's a bit condensed in some places
Good luck anyway
Chris
Chris,
ReplyDeleteYou've hit the nail on the head. I do plan to squeeze in some of the physics, between various courses through the few years of the MSc, but also study it continuously on my own, through the next 4yrs, especially in those 'dead' periods, between course presentations.
What has really put me off doing some physics with the OU, is that I haven't the time or cash to do an extra 60 pts at level 2, via MST209, on route to the degree.
I am planning to go back and complete the proposed level 3 physics course, Dynamics and Partial differential equations MS327, but it doesn't kick off until Oct 2013.
It is unfortunately unconventional, but the blasted O.U, aren't dishing up the courses I want, at the level I want, at the times that I need them.
But, the beauty about not being matriculated, is that one can study what one wants; which is a real lifesaver.
Oh my goodness, I'm going to be busy!
Well that should give you plenty of time to catch up on the mathematical methods and mechanics from Cambridge. I would suggest concentrating on those two initially. If you look on the Cambridge Website the mathematical methods for Natural Sciences seems to cover most of what you would need to cover the gaps and a bit more so as it also includes Green's Functions an important technique which even the MSc doesn't teach. This years past exam questions for both years are here.
ReplyDeleteIf you can do those you will be laughing
http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/nst-pastpapers/2011/index.html
I'm going to have a shot at them myself between October and Christmas