Study progress

[piscfish]

Just wondering how everyone is in term of their study progress.

I am still reviewing the materials (don't think I am even half finished)....which I think I am running behind.

what about you?

[mallkins]

Working on past questions.

[SirVLCIV]

Finished section 9 in the Actex manual, going to section 10 tomorrow, then will review with a random assortment of problems, memorize distributions over the next couple weeks, and crack down the practice exams, then work some past Exam P exams.

[PistolPt01]

How did you guys like the ACTEX manual? Personally I think it was the best guide out there. Most of the stuff past Section 4 I am learning for the first time, and they do a great job of explaining it.

I just finished section 7, plan on finishing 10 by the end of the month, followed by nights of practice tests. Less than 1 month left until the exam!

[mallkins]

From what I hear you will need to be pushing the midnight oil. The practice questions are the key and to just be starting to review questions from the end of the month will not leave much time. One guy posted that he reviewed all the sample questions 3 times before the exam, which takes time.

Not being critical, just trying to chivvy you along.

[wat]

From what I hear you will need to be pushing the midnight oil. The practice questions are the key and to just be starting to review questions from the end of the month will not leave much time. One guy posted that he reviewed all the sample questions 3 times before the exam, which takes time.

Not being critical, just trying to chivvy you along.

To be fair, it differs from person to person.

For me, I took the old Course 1. I took a probability class in the Fall prior to the exam (not focused on the actuarial exam) and reviewed for about 4 days before that May 2004 exam.

I'm not trying to brag - I'm just saying that different methods work for different people. I'll be the first to say that since Course 1, I've put in quite a number of hours into studying for these exams (300 for Exam M, 460 for Course 5), so I've paid my dues.

Just keep hacking away at it, and keep doing practice problems.

If it takes you a while, keep doing them, and come back to it later.

[piscfish]

I just finished section 7 from Actex manual, I plan to finish all the chapters this week, hopefully to start problems by this weekend.

[SirVLCIV]

I took the first practice exam Monday, got 22/30 in 2.25 hours (missed 2, needed help on 6, solved 22 on my own). Second exam this next week, then will start crunching problems on the train.

[mallkins]

I took the first practice exam Monday, got 22/30 in 2.25 hours (missed 2, needed help on 6, solved 22 on my own). Second exam this next week, then will start crunching problems on the train.
Nice work. I see you are studying to be an actuary in school. Are you following a probabilities course in prep for the exam?

[dgn2c]

I took the first practice exam Monday, got 22/30 in 2.25 hours (missed 2, needed help on 6, solved 22 on my own). Second exam this next week, then will start crunching problems on the train.

Where are you getting practice examinations with 30 questions? I have the 2005 Actex manual for Exam P, but the Comprehensive Tests in the back of the book only have 25 questions. I am taking the practice tests under timed conditions of 2.5 hours, but I would really like to take one with 30 questions.

Thanks for the help!

[mallkins]

You can get questions from the SOA website, so could pick 30 from there.

[Double T]

Where are you getting practice examinations with 30 questions? I have the 2005 Actex manual for Exam P, but the Comprehensive Tests in the back of the book only have 25 questions. I am taking the practice tests under timed conditions of 2.5 hours, but I would really like to take one with 30 questions.

Thanks for the help!


My Actex study manual for exam P has 5 practice exam and 30 questions each!!
Mine is 2005 edition 2nd printing..............

T

[robertr24]

Where are you getting practice examinations with 30 questions? I have the 2005 Actex manual for Exam P, but the Comprehensive Tests in the back of the book only have 25 questions. I am taking the practice tests under timed conditions of 2.5 hours, but I would really like to take one with 30 questions.

Thanks for the help!



http://www.actexmadriver.com/client/client_images/free_downloads/P_F05_supp.pdf

[SirVLCIV]

That's what I have.


My Actex study manual for exam P has 5 practice exam and 30 questions each!!
Mine is 2005 edition 2nd printing..............

T

[PistolPt01]

To be honest, after I finished the last section in the ACTEX study manual, I realized I got about 20% correct on the first go round (of the end of chapter questions) all throughout the book. Did anyone else have this problem, and is there a light at the end of the tunnel??

It is pretty discouraging seeing that I have 20 days until the exam. These questions keep bouncing around from topic to topic, even at the end of chapters, that I can't get a hold of anything before something else stumps me.

I am considering getting my money back from the exam and burning the study guides. :mad: It makes me angry enough that I found out about this profession at 26 -> 7 years after I finished my last Calc/Prob courses.

-frustrated

[mallkins]

Go to the SOA site and work through the questions on there. They are grouped in similar concepts, so you can work through a series of similar questions.

I am 35 and doing this 15 years after I graduated university and did my last calc course, but the answer is hard slog. You have 20 days, so put in the hours with the practice questions from the SOA site and keep on it!:)

[PistolPt01]

A Purse has:
3 Nickels
1 Dime
2 Quarters

The total # of ways of choosing 3 coins from the 6 coins are:
(6 choose 3) = 20 -> according to ACTEX manual.

However, I found only 19:

NNN - 3 Nickels (only 1 possible)

NND - 2 Nickels (6 possible)
NNQ
NDN
NQN
DNN
QNN

NDQ - 1 Nickel (9 Possible)
NQD
NQQ
DNQ
QND
QNQ
DQN
QDN
QQN

QQD - 0 Nickels (3 Possible)
QDQ
DQQ

Thats 19 ways to choose 3 coins from the 6 coins. Prove me wrong, anyone, PLEASE!

[rswami]

Hi,

I think you have made the wrong assumption of considering them as 3 distinct sets and by also taking into consideration the order of choosing the coins. These assumptions are not part of the original problem or solution. The manual says "the total number of ways of choosing 3 coins from the six coins is 6C3". It only means that the 6 objects are distinct and there is no regard to order. This 'number of ways' is used to find the probability of getting a total of 35 cents. Order of picking does not matter.

[amark82]

There are 6 distinct coins - 3 Nickels (N1 N2 N3) 1 Dime (D1) 2 Quarters (Q1 Q2). (6 choose 3) is....

3 Nickels - 1 possible way
N1, N2, N3

2 Nickels - 9 possible ways
N1, N2, D1
N1, N3, D1
N2, N3, D1
N1, N2, Q1
N1, N3, Q1
N2, N3, Q1
N1, N2, Q2
N1, N3, Q2
N2, N3, Q2

1 Nickel - 9 possible ways
N1, D1, Q1
N1, D1, Q2
N2, D1, Q1
N2, D1, Q2
N3, D1, Q1
N3, D1, Q2
N1, Q1, Q2
N2, Q1, Q2
N3, Q1, Q2

0 Nickels - 1 possible way
D1, Q1, Q2

So there are 20 different ways to choose 3 coins from a group of 6 different coins.

In combinations order doesn't matter
(D1, Q1, Q2 = Q1, D1, Q2 = Q1, Q2, D1=....). If there are 0 Nickels, there is only 1 possible way regardless of how you order the two quarters and the dime.

Hope this explanation helps!