Starting UGrad Phys, haven't studied Maths/Phys for a year

[Aaron Rowntree]

Hoping I can find some help here, anyway a bit of context;

I studied Maths/Physics/Computer Science at A-Level (Finished at 18 years old, not sure what that is in America), and passed them all with good grades, and decided to take a gap year to work on some own personal aims/goals of mine before I went to University to continue my studies. Over the year I haven't really done any Maths, apart from helping siblings with GCSE (Age 11-15), so nothing basically. I have however been reading a lot on a range of Physics Topics, but not anything Mathematical.

I am now starting my Course in 6 days, and I have realized how out of practice I am with A-Level Maths and have started to freak out a little bit.

Im making this post in the hopes someone either; Is in the same position and we can wallow in our inevitable failure... OR, someone has some knowledge on how intensive the Maths is in the first year of Undergraduate or BSc Physics, and what Maths ill specifically be using, and some tips on how I can save myself!

Im already using past papers as a main resource, but its going to take me a while to get through all of the content with that method.

Im kinda lost so anything you have helps!

Cheers in advance :)

 

[Matternot]

It's important to remember that not only with other students be out of practice, but additionally many international students will not have studied many of the topics that you studied at A-level. As a result, the mathematics courses in first year of undergraduate are often self contained. i.e. They don't assume knowledge and you might repeat a few topics. It's obviously important to return to full speed as soon as possible and many university courses will give you a short recap example sheet at the start of the year to help you achieve this.

Typical topics in fist year will include: Vectors, Linear Algebra, Analysis, Integrals (including multidimensional), Partial Differentiation, Differential Equations, Complex Numbers, Vector Calculus.

 

[Manny46]

Woah not so different than me, except I messed for some parts, and different nationality.

 

[Manny46]

It's important to remember that not only with other students be out of practice, but additionally many international students will not have studied many of the topics that you studied at A-level. As a result, the mathematics courses in first year of undergraduate are often self contained. i.e. They don't assume knowledge and you might repeat a few topics. It's obviously important to return to full speed as soon as possible and many university courses will give you a short recap example sheet at the start of the year to help you achieve this.

Typical topics in fist year will include: Vectors, Linear Algebra, Analysis, Integrals (including multidimensional), Partial Differentiation, Differential Equations, Complex Numbers, Vector Calculus.

Hey can you answer this not for me https://www.physicsforums.com/index.php?threads/955128/ I'm also in same condition as OP, starting it from complete scratch at a point where I'm not going to make the same mistakes as I made in high school.

 

[Aaron Rowntree]

Thankyou so much for the replies, that's setted me massively! :)

 

[Manny46]

Thankyou so much for the replies, that's setted me massively! :)

So how are you planning to start your studies or recall it? With Math I would suggest you to start with spivak Calculus (not Calculus on manifolds)
With Physics, start with Halliday&Krane Physics (4th edition). Then move on to Kleppner and Kolenkow.
Also check this book for mathematical skills http://www.physics.miami.edu/~nearing/mathmethods/