MAST10008: Accelerated Mathematics 1

6 Assignments (3 Online, 3 Written, 15% total equally weighted), MATLAB Test (5%), 3-hour Final Exam (80%)

This subject covers the entire Linear Algebra, and a bit of Real Analysis (Introduction to Number Sets and Techniques of Mathematical Proofing) and Calculus 2 (Two-Variable Calculus). However, this subject will serve as an alternative subject to only Linear Algebra as a prerequisite. While the subject pace is fast as the content goes from week to week, I find the pace of each lecture to be pretty standard.

Lectures
Alex released the lecture slides every week on the LMS with empty spaces left for us to fill in as Alex wrote on them during the lectures. Everything that Alex wrote on the empty spaces was recorded with the doc camera so it isn't essential to attend the lecture in person.

Considering that Alex used to teach Calculus 1, I believe he's knowledgeable in explaining arcane mathematical terms to most of us that have just finished high school, and I do feel that he delivered the lectures with great clarity. He usually explained each concept slowly to make sure everyone understands. Moreover, I also find Alex's lecture to be enjoyable as he occasionally cracked some jokes. The atmosphere of the lecture overall is light-hearted. "Time flies when you're having fun" - Alexandru Ghitza 2019

I'd recommend doing the problem booklet after each lecture to reinforce the understanding of the concepts taught in lectures, which will be useful in the preparation for the final exam, especially since the exam is worth 80%.

Tutorials / Problem Solving
We received a tutesheet from our tutor, sit in groups of 3 or 4 and solve the problems on the whiteboard. The tutor will go around the class to check on our workings and give feedback. At the end of each tute, we received the solution to the problems, which would also be up on the LMS at the end of the week.

MATLAB / Practical
After the tute, we would walk with our tutor to the computer lab, where each of us was given a lab sheet. We'd then work on the lab sheet using MATLAB while exploring ways we can use MATLAB to solve numerous LinAlg problems. One thing to note about AM1's MATLAB test rather than LinAlg's is that there will be one extra question requiring us to write an 'm-file'. This can be either beneficial (for those with prior programming background) or hellish (for those who don't). But overall, I don't find the MATLAB test to be hard if you're familiar with MATLAB's functions and commands, even if you don't have a prior programming background.

Assignments
I find this aspect of this subject to be the hardest and the most stressful. In this semester, we have 3 online and 3 written assignments. The online assignments were a breeze as long as you understand the content. The written assignments especially the first one, however, are much harder. Often the questions will require you to ponder for quite some time before you'll have the slightest idea of how to start. My tips in doing these questions are to write down everything you know that is relevant to the question and work your way from there.

Final Exam
This will probably be the most daunting aspect of this subject for the cohort due to its weighting being 80%.

I think different people have different methods of studying for a maths exam, but I find grinding the past papers to be the most useful and efficient. I find the exam itself to be straightforward as most of the questions have a similar style as past exam papers and the problem booklet (which justifies my reasons for doing past papers and the problem booklet).

Conclusion
As part of the accelerated stream, this subject covers 4 lectures per week (instead of the typical Maths subject being 3). So in total, there will be 48 lectures throughout the semester. If you're considering whether to take this subject or LinAlg, I think it depends on how much you like Maths and how willing are you to dedicate one extra hour of lecture per week for this subject. Difficulty wise, this subject isn't much harder than LinAlg. We did cover the same topics and the exam questions I believe were similar. The difference in the difficulty would only come in the assignments and the MATLAB test.

The additional lecture per week and the additional contents from RA and Calc2, however, will require you to put more time into studying for this subject. But I don't find them to be particularly difficult compared to the LinAlg contents.

With that being said, I'd recommend this subject for those who enjoy maths and are up for a challenge. While this subject has a higher workload and requires additional effort, the satisfaction of completing this subject is rewarding. (If you're planning to take Accelerated Mathematics 2, I would highly, highly encourage you to take this subject).

Yes, with screen capture (document camera)

Dr. Alexandru Ghitza

Yes, Final Exam 2009-2018. Short answers (excluding proofs) provided only for 2017 and 2018. As well as one practice MATLAB test.

5 out of 5

You're provided with a textbook (Elementary Linear Algebra, Applications Version (H. Anton and C. Rorres), 11th edition, Wiley, 2013.) and a problem booklet + short answers on the LMS. But tbh the lecture slides and the problem booklet are sufficient to prepare you for the exam.

For each week: 4x 1-hour lecture, 1x 1-hour tutorial, 1x 1-hour lab

2019 Sem 1

H1 (95)

> 6 written assignments (15% total, equally weighted)
> MATLAB Test (5%)
> Examination (80%)

Important Notes: MAST10008 Accelerated Mathematics 1 is the first of two subjects in the first year accelerated mathematics stream. Taking both MAST10008 Accelerated Mathematics 1 and MAST10009 Accelerated Mathematics 2 is equivalent to taking the three subjects MAST10006 Calculus 2, MAST10007 Linear Algebra and MAST20026 Real Analysis. MAST10008 Accelerated Mathematics 1 covers all of MAST10007 Linear Algebra, and selected parts of MAST20026 Real Analysis and MAST10006 Calculus 2 (where the rest is covered in MAST10009 Accelerated Mathematics 2). The accelerated mathematics stream requires a minimum raw score of 38 in VCE Specialist Mathematics, or equivalent (roughly, top 13%).

This was, by far, my favourite subject that semester and is a great way to introduce strong maths students into the world of university maths. Unlike secondary school, you are not protected here by omitting difficult concepts. In university you are taught maths rigorously and Alex is very careful to cover everything. Further, content is also covered very quickly even with the extra lecture each week, so it will be very important that you stay on top of things and are studying regularly. There is a fair chance you won't understand some difficult concepts upon first presentation, and so it is also important you follow up with questions during consultation times, reread notes, do practice questions, etc.

Lectures:
I think the lectures were amazing. Alex delivers them very well. However, given the pace of the subject, it means losing focus during a lecture is very unforgiving since you will probably not catch up. You are given the notes to the week's lectures on the weekend. You should print these and annotate them as Alex does.

Practice Classes (Tutorials):
Tutorials were my favourite classes. You are given a problems sheet which you work through in small groups of 2-3 on whiteboards. The solutions are then given to you at the end of the class. You should also use these classes to ask questions about content you do not completely understand. Your tutors are your friends!

Computer Laboratory Classes:
Here, like the practice classes, you are given a booklet to work through on your own where you complete tasks to build up your knowledge of MATLAB. The only reason I don't give this subject a 5 out of 5 is that sometimes, this class can be a bit boring if you have previous experience in programming.

MATLAB Test:
In week 12, you will take a short 45-minute test on MATLAB. The questions there are designed to test your ability to use technology to solve simple Linear Algebra questions.

Assignments:
All assignments are handwritten (as of 2019 since 2018 presented with technical issues with online assignments, and so Alex gave up on it). Generally there are a wide range of questions - some are very accessible and there will always be one question to separate out the cohort. It's important to realise that assignment questions are not the same as exam questions, and so it's important that you do not start assignments the night before they are due. The questions are not necessarily straight forward and trust me, Alex generally designs questions to make you think and ponder for sometimes many hours before making any sort of progress.

Examination:
Worth 80%, this assessment is the most important of them all. You have no calculator and no notes - just a pen and some script books, and 3 hours to yourself. The exam is fairly straight forward if you have done the work prior to it. But even with poor preparation, you are not doomed. The exam is always designed so that it is easy to pass, but hard to score well in. There are enough questions there that are accessible and easy to make progress on. But, there are equally many questions that will really test your ability and push you to think.
Overall, I think the accelerated stream is generally a hit or miss for most people. You will either like it or dislike it - there is not much in between. However, if you put in the effort, I believe the subject is very enjoyable.

Yes, with document camera capture.

Dr. Alexandru Ghitza

Yes, 10 available (2009 to 2018) plus many MAST10007 Linear Algebra exams (see comments for explanation).

4.5 out of 5

Elementary Linear Algebra: Applications Version, 11th Edition (Howard Anton & Chris Rorres) is a great textbook for reading and selected questions, but is not required. You are given a problem booklet, the lecture notes, the practice class sheets and the computer laboratory sheets, which is more than enough study material.

Every week:
> 4 hours of lectures (2 hours + 1 hour + 1 hour lectures)
> 1 hour practice class
> 1 hour computer laboratory class

2018 Semester 1

First Class Honours (H1)

3 written assignments (9%), 3 online assignments (6%), 45 minute MATLAB test (5%), 3 hour end of semester exam (80%)

Overall: As the subject name suggests, this is a fast paced and difficult subject, however if you like maths and you're willing to put in the effort, it's an interesting subject that will teach you many new concepts. Also, a book of practice questions is on LMS at start of year which is an awesome resource.

Lectures: Personally, I found the 4 hour/week load a lot to take on as a new Uni student. In hindsight, if I knew how the AM1 lectures operated, I would have only attended Uni 2 or 3 times/week, and watched the rest at home (Craig records everything, so unless the capture wasn’t working – happened once – you can pretty much get everything at home. However, I’d heard this is not the case for AM2, and you must attend these unless you can self-teach yourself). In terms of the content, be prepared to not understand a t lot that goes on when it’s first presented to you – understanding will usually take you to really look over notes, do practice questions, rewatch lectures ect. I know a lot of people said they had no idea what was going on in lectures. However, if you put in this effort, thinks eventually come together, although you must keep on top of it due to the fast pace.

Tutorials: I would highly recommend going to all tutes, even if you’re not understanding the content yet. You received a sheet (and full worked solutions), and work through it on the board in groups. Obviously it’s not the end of the world if you miss a session as you can get copies of these from a friend, but IMO the tutors input really helps, especially with regards on notation/setting out, which they’re really picky about in assignments and the exam.

MATLAB: I’m not really qualified to say much here as I failed the test, but you have a lab after your tute once a week. MATLAB is basically a big calculator, and the lab teach you the basics, then go into different concepts, some related to lectures and some not. The test will be on concepts learnt in lectures with usually one programming/’create m-file’ question; make sure you’re on top of these for the test - you may have to do extra research.

Assignments: There are two types of assignments – online and written. IMO, online assignments are the closest thing you get to a participation mark. If you’ve kept up to date and can do the basics, full making them is very possible, as you get unlimited time (up to due date) and three attempts. Written assignments are a lot tricker, and you should be pedantic about notation, and there’s usually at least one very difficult question. But again, good scores are possible if you’re on top of it.

Exam: Most likely due to the difficulty of the subject, most the questions are just straight up theory based. It is non-calculator, so make sure you can do everything by hand. It’s a big chunk of the subject, but usually they are enough ‘basic’ questions so that if you’ve kept on top of everything, you can put at least a 70, with some very difficult questions to separate the cohort. Personally, I had a bit of time, but made some very silly mistakes, so be careful with your answers!

Yes, with screen capture

Craig Hodgson

Pretty much all the past papers for this subject can be found on the library website. The solutions for the past 4 papers were placed on the LMS near exam time. Also, a sample MATLAB test without answers was provided

4 Out of 5

Elementary Linear Algebra, Applications Version (H. Anton and C. Rorres), 11th edn, Wiley, 2013, is recommended. IMO it doesn't need to be purchased, the lecture slides and work book that is provided is enough.

4×1 hour lecturers per week, 1×2 hour 'tutorial' per week (A prac, followed by a computer lab session - must be in this order, together in a 2 hr block)

2017, Semester 1

H2B (74)

3 online assessment tasks worth 6% in total, 3 written assignments worth 9% in total, 45 minute MATLAB test worth 5%, and a 3 hour exam worth 80% (no calc)

For a lot of people, Accelerated Mathematics 1 is the first taste of university mathematics. Together with Accelerated Mathematics 2, it covers the content of the three subjects Calculus 2, Linear Algebra and Real Analysis. This subject doesn't quite have the same mathematical rigour as its successor, but still requires a deep level of understanding to get the most out of the subject.

The topics covered were:

• Matrices and Linear equations
• Lines, planes in 3-dimensional spaces
• Number systems and proofs
• Complex Numbers
• Vectors in n-dimensional spaces
• Inner Products
• Linear Transformations
• Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
• Functions of two variables

Topics 4 and 9 were Calculus 2 topics, topic 3 was a Real Analysis topic and the rest were Linear Algebra topics. The subject covers a lot of material in a short amount of time, so it is important to stay on top of things by completing the questions in the booklet and rocking up to tutes.

Paul is a great lecturer who talks a lot about stuff that isn't on the course, but nevertheless interesting. Some of the things he says can be pretty confusing, but as long as you're understanding the slides then you're all set. He always holds a short break halfway through the lecture, so you always have the chance to ask the person next to you what the hell is going on. Make sure you print out the lecture slides so you can fill in the blanks during the lectures.

There are 3 online assessment tasks during the semester. Each test has a maximum of 10 questions, some of which are short multiple choice, but most of them will require a bit of working with a pen and paper. For each online test, you get 3 attempts and your best attempt is recorded. For the written assignments, you may get a sheet of 8 or so questions, with only a few of the questions being marked. If you are keeping up to date with the homework then you can definitely score quite well in them.

I had a pretty good tutor in this subject. He recognised that almost all the class was far behind so he gave a summary of the previous week's lectures and worked through the set questions with the class. Straight after your class tutorial you generally have your computer lab session, where you learn some of the basics of the software program MATLAB, and some applications of the stuff you do in class. At the end of semester, there is a 45 minute MATLAB test worth 5%. Around half of the test is quite easy, while the rest of it involves some tricky code or function that is hard to get working.

The 3 hour long exam might be daunting at first, but it isn't as bad as it seems. There are plenty of practice exams and practice questions which prepare you well for the real thing. If you can be up to date with the problem sets by the start of the mid semester break, you're can definitely set yourself up for a good mark.
So if you're thinking about taking this subject, be aware that it is very fast, and you will have to work hard so you don't fall behind. However, the hard work pays off and it can be a very rewarding subject.

Yes, with screen capture

Paul Norbury

Yes, 6 past exams along with a long list of exam questions. No solutions are given.

4/5

The textbook for the subject was "Elementary Linear Algebra: Applications Version, 10th Edition" by Anton and Rorres however the lecture notes are all you need.

4 x 1 hour lectures per week, 1 classroom tutorial per week, 1 computer lab tutorial per week

2014 Semester 1

87

If you think you're good at maths, YOU MAY BE PROVED WRONG once you have a taste of this subject. AM1 is an introduction to university mathematics and trust me it is hard. Countless lectures during the break, where he has gone through several insane concepts and you have no time to absorb it, you automatically turn your head to the person next to you. Of course he also does the same thing and gives you the same look...DAFUQ?!?! If I can relate this subject to VCE Maths, it would be: VCE Maths has a few big topics but the questions are really in depth and really try to test your knowledge. On the other hand, Accelerated Maths 1 is an overload of topics in just a few months, you are required to do an exam which tests you all these topics with quite a few in depth topics. It's really hard to catch up once you fall behind and not even SWOTVAC may be enough. If you want to excel in this subject, make sure you study your ass off CONSISTENTLY. There is no point listening to a lecture and copying down notes if you had no idea what just happened.
Finally, this subject has a few MATLAB classes. It's basically just going into a computer lab and learning how to use MATLAB. Honestly these are kind of pointless and you can learn everything you need for the test worth 5% at the end in like a few hours. One last word on tutorials, these 'classes' are quite different from your other subjects because you don't actually sit in class and listen. What actually happens is you sit in groups and discuss problems.

Yes, with screen capture.

Dr. Paul Norbury. This guy is a genius. Though he's sometimes too smart for the students as he often goes on about things where the majority of the class has no idea what he's talking about. Other than that, he's voice strangely sounds like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UVlXckI5js. Despite how hard this subject is, he is nevertheless quite liked by all the students. I shall never forget his abrupt "Let's finish here." at the end of every lecture.

There are a few but 2011 is a weird year. Not as similar to past exams as other subjects.

4 Out of 5

Don't need it, lectures are your best friend.

4 x one hour lectures per week, 1 x one hour practice class per week, 1 x one hour computer laboratory class per week (6 hours in total)

2012 Semester 1

H2A