Today in class we had to reflect on our experience in HL maths for the first term. Compared to what I thought it would be, I think it is slightly harder, not in terms of the syllabus but rather in terms of the application of our knowledge. For instance, many questions test our ability to be able to connect different aspects of different topics, no matter how different they may be, in order to solve the question. I had hoped that the questions would be more straightforward but the questions we get are a bit hard to understand but once I understand how to solve it, it gets easier while solving. I enjoy learning the new topics and being able to draw connections between various topics. I also enjoy exploring different ways of solving the same question because I get insight on how I could solve other questions using new techniques. One thing that I found very useful is the applications of the second derivative of a function because it makes the graph so much more easier to graph. I also find that connecting some topics can be useful because they make the question much easier to answer. I think I learned best through practicing my skills in order to improve my mathematical abilities. Once I get some practice, I can start to understand how to formulate answers and figure out a sort of pattern for the type of questions that are asked. I find physics to be quite similar to maths because we have to solve questions in various situations using our mathematical skills and I think that a good knowledge of maths is also needed for physics.
