Warsash maths test. Mathematical formula sheet

[Ross154]

Afternoon everyone,

I start at Warsash on the Deck Officer course next month and I apparently have a maths test on day 2. Do we get a formula sheet for this test, or do we have to memorise all the formulae for volume, mass, density, area, etc for every different type of shape?

Cheers,
Ross

[thebrookster]

Is it not Warsash that sends you an email out with revisiony stuff for Maths?

TBH, if they are doing a Maths test on the second day, it will not be a pass/fail affair, rather their method of looking at your ability, which will determine which classes you may or may not need to take. So other than revising your basic maths from GCSE/A level's, I would not panic about it.

There are a couple of guys on here whom have a better knowledge, no doubt they will be along soon enough to give better information

[Ross154]

Aye I've got some maths revision stuff from them. With the formulas I'm doing fine, but if I have to memorise all of them I'm bound to get something mixed up.

Cheers for the reply.

[thebrookster]

I did engineering, not deck, so I don't know what the stipulations are for you. However, on the Engineering side we were expected to know the basic area and volume formula's (triangle, circle, cube, cylinder etc etc).

TBH, you want to learn the basics if you don't know them. Formula sheets are all very well for the more advanced stuff, but if you have to search the darn thing for every wee formula, you'll find yourself running out of time for every exam and assessment.

Also, look at the formula, and work out where they come from. Your square shapes are easy, they mostly follow each other, so area is the two sides multiplied by each other. Volume is always area by length, so that is all you need to remember for most shapes. Once you understand how this all works, you'll find many formula do not need to be memorised, instead you simply need the initial formula (here this is normally area) and then everything else comes from that.

I don't want to sound old-fashioned or anything, but the old saying about having a decent grounding in the basics is pretty accurate!!

[Ross154]

Roger. Yeah I've been working out the formulas for things when I can't remember them because, like you suggest, I know the principle behind where they come from. But having to reinvent the formula every time I can't remember it takes even more time than just looking it up would. I can remember the obvious ones but tend to get muddled when trying to work out things such as the spherical surface area of a cone, or the volume of half a sphere.

However I'll heed your advice and try my best to commit them all to memory. Thanks.

[Vetinari]

Aye I've got some maths revision stuff from them. With the formulas I'm doing fine, but if I have to memorise all of them I'm bound to get something mixed up.

Cheers for the reply.

Ross, are you doing the FD or the HND? And how did they send you this maths stuff, or is it just the stuff from their website? Clyde sent me a maths test to complete in one hour, but due to me not having done maths in 5 years I struggled and did it in about three. I did manage to get it all right (it was fairly straightforward) but I wasn't familiar with a lot of the formulae as I haven't done A-Level maths or Physics so it did take me a long time. The formulas I had to keep double and triple checking were the things like how to calculate power output or work done.

I'm a bit concerned that I've been put on the FD without having done A-Level Maths, but as long as I can get the help I need with the maths hopefully it won't hinder me too much!! I'm going to try and work on it as much as possible between working and just hope that things start sticking.

[Ross154]

I'm on the FD Vetinari. The maths stuff just came in the post amongst the academy joining instructions. You don't need A-Level maths or physics to do the FD. WMA have got years of experience so if they say that you don't need them at A-Level then they probably know what they're talking about, so I wouldn't worry too much. I left school in 2008 so have also had a few years formula free! I haven't been given any kind of 1 hour maths test to do, but I've been sent a pre-entry maths CD that has a number of sections and questions in each. I'm getting along fine with most of it, but I got about 80% of the percentage questions wrong (read that carefully and you'll discover it's a joke, albeit not a very good one ).

[thebrookster]

GCSE Maths is really all you need, if your course is similar to the Scottish courses (they call the FD a PD, but it is still essentially the same thing). The HNC/HND part should be nigh on identical to ours.

As a rough guide, I reckoned the HND Maths course was harder than what I studied at Scottish Higher level, but easier than Advanced Higher. At the time I sat Adv Highers, they were reckoned to be rated slightly harder than the A level courses. However, considering the change in standards to what family friends are studying now as Adv Maths, that may now mean the HND is roughly equal to A Level?

Anyway, unless you are ridiculously bad at everything (which is pretty doubtful, seeing as you have been taken on in the highest academic stream!!) the college and your company normally provide extra help if you are getting stuck. Clyde Marine offered extra tuition if you asked for it, and I would guess other companies may have similar? So really, don't worry about it, and also remember all the other guys turning up for your course will have the same issues!

Also, you'll enjoy playing with the Bridge Sim they have their, I was in the big one on Friday being shown around. Looks a fun bit of kit to play with

[Ducki52]

This maths test is nothing to sweat about. If you are doing HND all it does is give the tutor a rough idea of your mathematical ability. If you are doing FD, it is pretty pointless except for if y get less than a certain percentage you have to attend maths lectures in the first four weeks.

[Vetinari]

I'm on the FD Vetinari. The maths stuff just came in the post amongst the academy joining instructions. You don't need A-Level maths or physics to do the FD. WMA have got years of experience so if they say that you don't need them at A-Level then they probably know what they're talking about, so I wouldn't worry too much. I left school in 2008 so have also had a few years formula free! I haven't been given any kind of 1 hour maths test to do, but I've been sent a pre-entry maths CD that has a number of sections and questions in each. I'm getting along fine with most of it, but I got about 80% of the percentage questions wrong (read that carefully and you'll discover it's a joke, albeit not a very good one ).

When did you get the joining instructions? I've still not had them yet... Thought it might be because I've only got everything back to Clyde about a week and a half ago, and I only just applied for accommodation in the past week. Ehh, I'm sure they'll turn up!! Also, its reassuring that everyone is saying the Maths isn't too bad, hopefully if I do a bit more practice at it I'll clear away all the rust from that part of my brain anyway. :P

[Ross154]

When did you get the joining instructions? I've still not had them yet... Thought it might be because I've only got everything back to Clyde about a week and a half ago, and I only just applied for accommodation in the past week. Ehh, I'm sure they'll turn up!! Also, its reassuring that everyone is saying the Maths isn't too bad, hopefully if I do a bit more practice at it I'll clear away all the rust from that part of my brain anyway. :P

Got them about a week ago. Had my ENG1 on 26th November and the joining instructions arrived about a week later, after I'd informed my sponsoring company that I'd passed. How come you had to arrange your own accommodation? I had to fill out the form on Warsash and all that but mine was pre-booked by Viking (my sponsoring company). If you're worried about the joining instructions you could always call or email Clyde and ask. But they'll probably arrive in the next few days if you only got your stuff away about a week ago.

[Vetinari]

Hmmm, yeah it's probably just Clyde being a bit slow on their side of things. As long as they arrive before we start I'm sure I'll cope! And I think it was a poor turn of phrase on my part, I filled in the form on the Warsash website too. I'm assuming the fees listed on the website for 2011/12 still apply, it seems the website hasn't been updated in months!!

[Ducki52]

As a Warsash phase one cadet, your Accomodation is reserved for you when your company books you n the course You then apply personally to Warsash and pay a deposit if necessary.

[Ross154]

Ducki, at what point do you tell them your meal preference? There was a box on their form for single or shared room, but not for 5 or 7 days catering.

[Vetinari]

Ross, that was one of the reasons I ended up ringing them, they said that phase 1 cadets are automatically put on the 5 day plan unless you ask them to put you on the 7 day one specifically. No complaints from me, ?40 extra is a lot of money for two day's food. When I was at uni, I once survived a whole month (of food) on that!!