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Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 Notes and Worksheets
A complete guide to mastering VCE Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4.
Notes include explanations of course content, worked examples of commonly examined questions and exam style questions for students to practice.

Worksheets may be used to revise course content.

Worked solutions included.
Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 Notes
A$
60.00    
Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 Worksheets and Solutions
A$
15.00    
Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 Notes, Worksheets and Solutions
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70.00    
Details:

​◉  Notes : 180+ pages
◉  Worksheets : 150+ practice questions ​

◉  Click here for free samples of our Specialist Mathematics Notes and Worksheets, and our range of other free materials

Subject Outline

6 areas of study
AOS 1: Functions and Graphs
AOS 2: Algebra
AOS 3: Calculus
AOS 4: Vectors
AOS 5: Mechanics
AOS 6: Probability and Statistics

When compared to Mathematical Methods which has 4 areas of study, Specialist Mathematics has approximately 40-50% more content to learn and therefore significantly more varied exam questions.

School SACs
  • You will be assessed over anywhere between 3-6 SACs which may be distributed over multiple days/parts
  • Your SAC mark in total contributes 34% to your final study score
    ​
End of Year Exams
  • Two examinations
  • Exam 1:
    • 40 marks in 1 hour
    • 1 mark every 1.5 minutes
    • Short answer questions
    • Technology free, no calculator, no bound reference, generic formula sheet provided with exam
    • Your exam 1 mark in total contributes 22% to your final study score
  • Exam 2:
    • 80 marks in 2 hours
    • 1 mark every 1.5 minutes
    • 20 x 1 mark multiple choice questions, remaining marks extended response questions
    • Technology active, CAS calculator permitted, bound reference permitted, generic formula sheet provided with exam
    • Your exam 2 mark in total contributes 44% to your final study score


How difficult is Specialist Mathematics
Units 3 and 4?
  • The following figures and calculations are based on the VCAA 2017 Specialist Mathematics Grade Distribution
  • Results can vary year to year
​Exam 1
Picture
  • Average exam score of 49.75%
  • Approximate study score vs exam score (estimate only):
    • Raw 25 study score:        28-33% exam score
    • Raw 30 study score:        45-50% exam score
    • Raw 35 study score:        65-70% exam score
    • Raw 40 study score:        85-90% exam score
    • Raw 45 study score:        95-100% exam score
Exam 2
Picture
  • Average exam score of 54.19%
  • Approximate study score vs exam score (estimate only):
    • Raw 25 study score:        35-40% exam score
    • Raw 30 study score:        50-55% exam score
    • Raw 35 study score:        65-70% exam score
    • Raw 40 study score:        80-85% exam score
    • Raw 45 study score:        93-98% exam score

Secrets, tips and tricks to mastering VCE Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4
By Dr. Christopher Chew
  • The key to succeeding in Specialist Mathematics is staying up to date with the course content and being apply to apply this knowledge to an extensive range of exam questions
  • If you fall behind in Specialist Mathematics it is the most difficult subject to catch up on quite simply due to the volume of information you must know how to apply
  • There are 3 key components to successfully answering a Specialist Mathematics question:
  1. Interpretation
  2. Process, method and execution
  3. Accuracy
  • The following tips and tricks aim to provide advice to improve your performance in these 3 components.

Secret 1: Grit
  • Ever get stuck on a homework question, try to do the question for a while, find it too difficult, then just move on?
  • It is critical in Specialist Mathematics to understand every type of question you encounter at school and at home and not skip over it to “figure it out later”
  • If you get stuck on a question, use your school examples/textbook examples to try to work out how to do the question and understand the process over completing the question
  • Generally the steps are the same, so once you know how to do it once, you will just have to repeat it for future similar questions
  • Don’t give up just because a question is difficult! Not learning how to do the question the first time you encounter it will only come back to haunt you later
  • If you still don’t understand the question even after consulting written materials, ask your teacher or tutor as soon as possible to get clarification
  • Private tutors can be very helpful in targeting your specific areas of need, and breaking down complex topics into easy to understand chunks of information

Secret 2: All mistakes are still mistakes
  • Do not fall for the trap of attributing errors to ”careless mistakes”
  • Your teachers, examiners and study score don’t care if your mistake was due to a simple algebra or calculation error, or whether or not you don’t understand the question at all
  • Each error has a consequence, so your goal must be to eliminate your errors
  • Tips that can help do this:
    • If you make careless mistakes frequently, make sure you practice checking your answers at home. Checking answers doesn’t mean looking at the solutions or making sure your working out appears correct. It involves going through each step  one by one to determine if your calculations are right, and also where possible using an alternative method to find the answer or back substituting your answer back into the question
    • The best time to practice checking your answers to your homework question is at least 1 hour after finishing them. This gives your brain a bit of time to rest, so that when you revisit your homework you are more likely to find your inaccuracies.
    • For all questions you do not understand, once you learn how to do the question, record it down into a separate book  – I call this a log book or error book. Before the next time you do your homework, sit a test, SAC or exam, take a brief look through this book to remind yourself of the question you previously could not answer, and how the correct method to complete the question should look.

Secret 3: Practice, practice, practice
  • The only way to improve question interpretation and accuracy is practice
  • The most useful types of questions to practice on are practice exams and SACs because they questions model your end of year exam questions
  • Some textbook questions are very repetitive and do not always have much benefit in helping you improve your ability to do hard exam questions. It is still important that you know how to do these questions, however it is less important to invest large portions of time to doing textbook questions you can already successfully answer
  • Students who performed well in Specialist Mathematics in the past typically finished the course early and then used the rest of the year to do practice questions for exams
  • If you are interested in finishing the curriculum early and practicing for your exams, Conquest Education has a team of experienced private tutors, as well as weekly classes tailored towards exam performance which covers the entire curriculum by the end of term 2. Conquest Education also runs weekly exam training sessions after finish the course to give you 4-5 months of intensive practice exams skills and experience which can be used in your end of year exam
  • Find a private tutor here, join a weekly class here, learn about our exam training program here

Secret 4: Practice using your bound reference
  • You are permitted to use a bound reference in your end of year technology active examination
  • Many students prepare their bound reference too late in the year and are inefficient at using this resource on the day of their exam
  • Prepare your bound reference throughout the year as you learn the content and use it regularly (if you need it) during your technology active SACs and practice exams
  • A well-made, structured and comprehensive bound reference, regardless of whether it is made by yourself, ex-student or private tutor, are all equally effective as long as you practice using the bound reference
  • Conquest Education's Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 Notes have been used by hundreds of students in their end of year exams and technology active SACs as a clear and effective bound reference
About Us
Conquest Education is an educational organisation which aims to assist students in reaching their true academic potential and dream ATAR score. We offer a range of high-quality educational services, including private tutoring, small group tutoring, online tutoring, weekly classes, lectures and subject notes.

At Conquest Education, we strive to maintain the highest standard of private tutors so we can maximise the success of our students. We also guarantee that our tutors are clear and effective communicators who places the success of their student at the top of their priorities.

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  • Home
  • Tutoring
    • Private Tutoring
    • Group Tutoring
    • Information for Students and Parents >
      • What to look for in a tutor
      • FAQ for Students and Parents
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    • Weekly Classes >
      • Class Timetables
    • Exam Training
    • Unit 3 Headstart Workshop
  • Notes
    • Free Materials >
      • VCE SAC and Exam Tips, Questions and Answers
      • Scholarships
      • Free Notes Giveaway - VCE & High School Notes Melbourne
      • Competition Winners
    • Mathematical Methods >
      • What is a Bound Reference
      • Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 Notes/Bound Reference
    • Chemistry
    • Specialist Mathematics
  • Careers
    • Become a Tutor
  • News
  • Contact Us