Testing Luck and pure math exams vs. applied math exams

[rubrix]

has luck been a factor in your exam? How does it compare in pure math exams to applied math exams?

I personally feel that in applied math I'm able to do w/e i have practiced, luck isn't that important. But in pure math i need a luck factor as well, along with a good practice. I feel like have to be lucky enough to comprehend the questions in a certain way that it yields a fruitful answer. Maybe I'm putting this on luck b/c i don't feel secure with pure math exams.

is that just me or happens to others as well?

edit: i suppose in a applied course (say ODE), there are only certain types of question that would be asked in exam/test. One is able to practice them all...and if s/he does luck isn't that important. But in pure math, there are uncountable ways of asking a question and i guess luck is important?

 

[boboYO]

Yes, I remember on a discrete maths exam I sat recently, it was for 3 hours and I finished almost all of it in the first 1.5 hrs. I spent the next 1.5 hrs on this one question worth 4/120 marks. I did get it in the end, and it wasn't even that hard, I was just thinking about it the wrong way. But at my university only the best x out of y problems are counted, so there is a bit of cushion if a particular question just doesn't click on that day.

 

[rubrix]

yeah that happens a buncha time.

anyone else with similar experience?