First Real Dip in Performance

For the last two weeks, I have been experiencing what all distance, adult learners dread and fear.  It is the overtaking of life events, family, work and business, that all add untold pressure to the long-time adult learner.

I normally get at least one or two periods in each year, when I experience a nasty combination of events, that cause a drop in study motivation or performance.  And for me, my first of this year, has just occurred.

Thankfully, I have managed to pull through the back end of it and plan to get well back on track with my study hours.  The effects have been minimal, in that, when I kick started the Groups units, I was four weeks ahead of the course's suggested study timetable.  I am now nearer only two - three weeks ahead, as due to some horrible work problems along with dreadful sciatica causing me to take brain-melting painkillers, I have only managed 6hrs of study per week, for the last two weeks.

But, it is only temporary, as I am now used to the medication and the work issues have subsided.

The good news is that I have finished TMA01; I am finding the Groups units relatively straight forward; and I am able to attend the next three day schools.  So, barring any other disasters, I should get back on track and I look forward to leaving Groups temporarily at the end of March and moving onto Linear Algebra, which looks exciting.

How important it has proved, to be ahead of the curve, when studying independently.

The Joys of Group ...Theory!

So far, I am about half way through the M208 Unit GTA2, having completed unit 1, in the last 9 days.  And it's so far, so good.  I have found that Group Theory has actually felt more straight-forward, than some of the Introduction units that launched M208.  However, having read another blog, http://matrices-reloaded.blogspot.com/, I fear that Group Theory may take a turn for the complicated, later this year.

But this is just an introduction to Group Theory, rather than some heavy tomb covering the finer aspects of this vast subject, so I am hoping that it is not too problematic.

I am also possibly planning to study the level 3 course Groups and Geometry M336 in 2014, alongside an MSc mathematics module, so a thorough understanding of M208, is essential.

It is a shame, that apart from M208, it appears that M336 is the only other O.U course, that seems to cover Geometry or groups, in any real depth (apart from the MSc Dissertation, that covers some geometry).  So I feel that it is probably important that I have a go at M336; in order for me to have a more rounded mathematical field of view, before I decide to specialise further, beyond the MSc.

Having said all that, I have found the first two books of Group Theory in M208 a little bit, dare I say it, dull, and not very intellectually stimulating.  But on reading ahead, it does seem to pick up a bit, in the next two books.  Here's hoping so.

M208 TMA 01 Part 1, passed.

Okay,

Just a quick post, as I have received my results and feedback from TMA01 part 1, for M208 Pure mathematics.

I am thrilled to say that I managed to pick up 100% of the marks available, for this first 'toe in the water'.  However, I am also acutely aware, that sketching a few graphs, does not, a mathematician, make!

But it is still 35 marks in the back pocket, which should hopefully compensate for when things get tough and those TMA marks get dropped, in later units - Analysis B: I'm looking at you!

Next on the list, is posting Part 2 of TMA01 which I have now completed.

Now, where did I put that dodecahedron?

Obsessing about Mathematics

Hmm, this week, I struggled with a TMA question regarding equivalence relations.  I won't go into the details, for fear of breaching Uni regs; but all I will say, is that the question asks you to prove certain aspects of a relation.  Now, there are some relatively difficult parts of the question, but these weren't the parts that I had trouble with.  No,  it was more of a mental block and some slightly rusty, algebraic skills that caused my issues.  The marks that I was chasing, were only probably worth about one or two out of a  possible one hundred, in the whole paper.

So, one could argue that on the balance of things,  I should have had a go at the part that I struggled with, and not spent more than perhaps an hour on it, before moving onto some of the 'low hanging fruit', in the rest of the paper.

But, as I found when studying MST121, I can't let go of a TMA, unless I know that I have made every effort to understand the maths and produce reasonable answers.  I think if I ever found myself having to make-do by submitting a half-complete TMA; I may end up in a mental institution.

This is a concern as, apart from taking a slightly obsesive approach to O.U Maths study; I worry that if things get out of hand, that I may end up falling behind on study material, whilst chasing those last TMA marks.

In total, this week, I have spent 6hrs, chasing those one or two marks.  I don't know how good that is going to be, long term.  However, one good thing came out of it.  That is, I was forced to spend time with my brain, a pen and a white board.  I went down about 20 blind alleys, using all sorts of crazy methods, testing and probing.

And the outcome?  I think I have solved the problem and in the process of doing so, I have done so much thinking about the study materials, that I feel like I have a much better understanding of the more subtle ideas, that weren't aparant on my first study of the material.

So, it was time well spent, but I am exhausted and may well turn to a few pints of Bishop's Finger tonight.
I think I'll post part 2 of the TMA on Monday and then really start concentrating on Group Theory; only to do it all again at the end of March, via TMA 02!

Groups, a Gentle Introduction

Well, I attended my first day school on saturday, for M208.  It was at Aston University, where I handed in my part 1 of TMA01 (graph sketching exercises).  We ran through the strategies at the day school, so I believe that I have managed to pitch the solutions in the right way.  It just boils down to whether I have made silly accuracy mistakes which tend to creep in for me, when a TMA solution takes 15 + pages to write down.

I had also completed a final draft of part 2 of TMA01, however, having now attended the day school, there are a couple of changes that I will now make to my answers.  This was prompted by the tutor's advice regarding actually proving a statement, rather than picking one example, and showing that it is true.  Having leafed back through my draft, I realised that I had made the odd mistake in this regard.

So the day school attendance has already paid dividends, and I am looking forward to the rest.

Well, I began my study of GTA1 (Group Theory A, unit 1), yesterday.  And, so far so good.  I whizzed through sections 1, 2 and 3 in about 5hrs, which has left me the rest of the week, to enjoy the videos that accompany this unit.

I say enjoy, because the videos are a relic of the 80's, with the archetypal O.U professors giving lectures, adorned with kipper ties, mullets and the sort of wooden acting that one would find in a local Am-Dram production, in my village.

I don't pick out these points as criticisms, I actually find them rather charming; and I have been looking forward to watching the videos, since the course began.  I hope they keep them for future courses, because as a child of the 70's and 80's; I find them nostalgic and compelling to watch!

It does lead me to wonder, what those professors look like today?