I'm a student at the Actuarial Society of South Africa. I have been for the past 20 years. This demo question, while not easy for a non-technical person, should be a piece of cake for someone who has completed the initial few technical subjects of the curriculum, the core technical series of subjects. I actually think any numerical calculation isn't a very good example or benchmark of what a good actuary should know or be.
Most students who start Actuarial Science here are mathematically strong and getting through the technical subjects just needs dedication to study and know the numerical theories and proofs.
It's the latter subjects that are the really difficult ones. They are wordy questions and answers. The exams don't necessarily exclude numerical calculations, but if calculations occur, it will be relatively simple (compared to the initial subjects). Exams of the final subjects require you to think out of the box and questions often involve areas that weren't included in the subject's literature. You are expected to apply your knowledge of earlier subjects to a novel scenario and propose solutions that you can't study for ahead of the exam. You can practise using past exam papers, but your exam is guaranteed to throw you a real curveball.
Example: F202 LIFE INSURANCE SPECIALIST APPLICATIONS
November 2021 Exam [1]
November 2021 Examiner's Report [2]
And this is the test of a true actuary. Is he/she a problem solver and not just a number cruncher? (It's also why I haven't been able to qualified yet.)
I remember in my first year at university a professor claimed that the actuarial science curriculum is like initially learning the basics of the decimal number system. 10 digits, 0 to 9, carry over or borrow digits from the neighbouring power of 10. 0 is a placeholder, etc. Then, in your final exam, you see a question: Design an abacus. You have all the knowledge, but now you have to apply it.
We all thought he was exaggerating to scare us. 20 years later, I'm totally on board with him. It was a realistic analogy.
Most students who start Actuarial Science here are mathematically strong and getting through the technical subjects just needs dedication to study and know the numerical theories and proofs.
It's the latter subjects that are the really difficult ones. They are wordy questions and answers. The exams don't necessarily exclude numerical calculations, but if calculations occur, it will be relatively simple (compared to the initial subjects). Exams of the final subjects require you to think out of the box and questions often involve areas that weren't included in the subject's literature. You are expected to apply your knowledge of earlier subjects to a novel scenario and propose solutions that you can't study for ahead of the exam. You can practise using past exam papers, but your exam is guaranteed to throw you a real curveball.
Example: F202 LIFE INSURANCE SPECIALIST APPLICATIONS
November 2021 Exam [1]
November 2021 Examiner's Report [2]
And this is the test of a true actuary. Is he/she a problem solver and not just a number cruncher? (It's also why I haven't been able to qualified yet.)
I remember in my first year at university a professor claimed that the actuarial science curriculum is like initially learning the basics of the decimal number system. 10 digits, 0 to 9, carry over or borrow digits from the neighbouring power of 10. 0 is a placeholder, etc. Then, in your final exam, you see a question: Design an abacus. You have all the knowledge, but now you have to apply it.
We all thought he was exaggerating to scare us. 20 years later, I'm totally on board with him. It was a realistic analogy.
[1] https://www.actuarialsociety.org.za/download/f202-november-2...
[2] https://www.actuarialsociety.org.za/download/f202-november-2...