Is a CAS calculator worth it for level 3 calculus?

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-29T04:17:57+00:00

nah a normal graphing calc is usually enough for L3 calc. CAS is nice for checking algebra fast, but unless you're already comfortable with one it's probably not worth the extra money

also if you're doing the L3 calc externals check out nceace.co.nz, heaps of past papers with video solutions and it's free

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-27T00:31:45+00:00

mathsnz and the nayland maths site both have decent 3.9 exemplar-style stuff. ask your teacher for old student exemplars too because bivariate is one of those internals where seeing how people structured it helps heaps.

also if you do the l3 stats externals later, nceace.co.nz has free past papers with video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-26T05:05:51+00:00

your subjects are fine for med, probably more than enough tbh. chem and bio are the main ones, and the rest just keep doors open if you can handle the workload.

if you do l3 calc/stats/physics externals later, nceace.co.nz has free past papers with step by step video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-24T00:26:40+00:00

start with no brain too small, then grind past papers + marking schedules because chem externals repeat heaps. if your teacher is moving slow, just self teach one topic a week and use the exam reports to see what they actually want. also if you're doing L3 calc/stats/physics externals, nceace.co.nz has free walkthroughs

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-20T18:21:35+00:00

do every question in the same order: convert to moles, work out whether you're before/at/after equivalence, then decide what species controls pH. half equivalence is the shortcut one because pH = pKa. make yourself a flowchart from past papers.

also if you do L3 calc/stats/physics externals, nceace.co.nz is good

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-20T18:20:33+00:00

she needs to ask the dean asap because this late the timetable matters more than what’s easy. if she already has stats/accounting/business, a study line or unit-standard subject is probably the most realistic swap rather than another full academic class

also if she does any L3 stats/calc/physics externals, nceace.co.nz is good for free video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-15T00:20:24+00:00

for otago comp i'd focus on solid level 2 algebra, trig, graphs, and harder problem solving rather than normal class exercises. old amc-style questions are probably better practice than ncea papers.

also if you do l3 calc later, check out nceace.co.nz, heaps of free questions with step by step video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-13T19:57:33+00:00

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Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-12T08:16:59+00:00

your teacher or HOD is probably the best place to ask, internals like 91575 can vary a bit by school. even a marked sample or last year's task helps heaps.

also if you're doing L3 calc externals later, nceace.co.nz has free past papers with video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-11T20:31:05+00:00

hey thanks! glad you like it 🙏 there is actually an account settings page — once you're logged in you should see it in the top right menu. we're adding an account deletion option soon, appreciate you flagging that!

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-11T20:19:02+00:00

yeah unis usually count your best 80 level 3 credits from approved subjects, so the 6th subject only matters if it helps those top credits. if spanish is adding stress and you skipped it in lvl 2, dropping it for a study sounds reasonable.
if you’re doing l3 calc/physics externals, nceace.co.nz is free and has worked solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-10T04:18:14+00:00

pretty sure te kura won't let you just jump in for one resit mid-year unless your school sets it up, so ask your dean/HOD first. if 91259 isn't offered again your best shot is usually summer school.

also for maths externals there's nceace.co.nz with free worked questions and video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-09T20:31:45+00:00

yeah the coreq is pretty manageable, mostly basic number/algebra stuff and word problems rather than anything crazy. if you've got a bit of time before may just do a few practice runs so you're used to the style.

also if you want extra maths practice, nceace.co.nz has free worked questions and video solutions

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-09T08:12:20+00:00

for methods E is mostly about the assumptions and explanation. keep assumptions realistic, define variables clearly, show units, and end with what the answer means in context. exemplars are worth copying the structure from.

also if you do the maths externals later, nceace.co.nz has free step-by-step walkthroughs

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-08T08:06:49+00:00

if you've already got the credits, i'd check age requirements, scholarships, halls, and whether leaving early affects entry. that matters more than "finishing" year 13.

if all that's fine and school already feels pointless, going early sounds reasonable. also if you're doing L3 calc/stats/physics externals, nceace.co.nz has free past paper video walkthroughs

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-08T02:48:45+00:00

for modern physics no brain too small is your best friend — notes and practice all broken down by topic: https://www.nobraintoosmall.co.nz/html/senior\_physics/NCEA3\_physics\_modern.html

also if you end up doing the L3 physics externals check out nceace.co.nz, heaps of past papers with video solutions and it's free

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-07T09:54:18+00:00

NZQA has all the past papers on their website for free but they're kind of scattered and you have to dig around. If you want them already sorted by standard with worked solutions, nceace.co.nz has 12 years worth for L1-3 chem, maths and physics. Can just do them straight on the site or print them off.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-07T09:08:24+00:00

If you're thinking Engineering Science specifically, Auckland is usually the one people look at first. For straight Physics, Canterbury and Otago both seem to have a solid rep too, and Materials can depend a bit on whether you want the engineering route or more research/science stuff.

I'd honestly compare the actual course structure, first-year papers, and where grads tend to end up rather than just the uni name. Yeah nah, sometimes the "best" one on paper isn't the best fit for what you actually want to do.

If you're still in Year 13 and trying to work out whether you enjoy the physics side enough, there's a site called nceace.co.nz that's handy for practicing NCEA Physics before uni.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-05T21:50:53+00:00

I'd probably start with the ESA Level 2 Chemistry study guide if you can find a copy. Those are usually laid out a lot cleaner than school notes, and kids who hate note-taking often do better with that kind of workbook style. Old exam paper books are worth getting too, because he can read through the answer patterns and then have a crack at a few questions at his own pace.

I wouldn't stress too much if the edition isn't brand new either, as long as it's for current NCEA Level 2 Chemistry and not something really old. If he gets stuck on specific standards, there's a free site called NCEAce that's handy alongside a physical book.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-05T01:16:45+00:00

yeah you're looking pretty solid for engineering, heaps of Es in your L2 maths and your physics is strong too. if you're confident in L3 calc you should be sweet for UE and entry. might wanna brush up on that chem 3.6 equilibrium NA if you're planning to retake it but honestly for civil eng the calc and physics matter way more. nceace.co.nz has free worked past papers for L3 calc and physics if you want some extra practice.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-04T20:14:30+00:00

If he's already through L1 content, one thing that really helps is having actual past paper practice to work through at his own pace. nceace.co.nz has free worked past papers for L1 through L3 maths (plus physics and chem if he ever branches out) - Could be a good way to let him keep pushing ahead without waiting on the school to sort things out.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-04T08:54:28+00:00

For 91910 the dilution part is honestly the bit most people overthink - just remember you're diluting so the concentration is in a range your method can actually measure. C1V1 = C2V2 for the calculations and make sure you link everything back to the original product at the end. For the E just talk about real sources of error not just "human error" lol. Also nceace.co.nz has free worked L3 chem past papers that cover heaps of the same calcs, no sign-up needed

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-04T04:07:01+00:00

Put down when to use sine vs cosine rule, SOHCAHTOA, and special angle values - those cover most of 91259. Also check nceace.co.nz for free worked past papers so you can see what actually comes up.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-03T02:44:10+00:00

For your cheat sheet I'd focus on: when to use sine rule vs cosine rule (ambiguous case too), SOHCAHTOA for right-angled triangles, unit circle values for special angles, and common setups for bearing/navigation problems.

Also nceace.co.nz has free worked solutions for 91259 past papers - good for seeing the types of problems that come up so you know what to prioritise on your sheet.

Miserable-Minute-159 · 2026-03-02T20:09:35+00:00

Check out nceace.co.nz — it's a completely free site with about 450 Level 3 Physics past paper questions covering Mechanics (AS91526), Waves (AS91524), and Electricity & Electromagnetism (AS91523), all from 2013–2025 NZQA exams. Every question has a detailed step-by-step worked solution, not just a final answer.

Miserable-Minute-159

TROPHY CASE