My advice would be this: Before taking multivariable calculus, try to take (or study over the summer) linear algebra. Things like the multivariable chain rule, implicit function theorem, inverse function theorem, Jacobian and Hessian matrices, multivariable Taylor, etc. will make MUCH more sense if you know linear algebra. Unfortunately nobody told me this before I took Calc III :(
It depends on how rigorous or challenging the course is. I think precalculus is enough. All the matrices and determinates you need are covered in pre calc.
@@sapientum8 Study on your own and then test out of the course. But beware, somehow the test to get 'out' of doing a course is harder than the actual final exam for the course.
@@winterrain1947 of course it will be made quite a bit harder, just for you, but the quality of your knowledge will be higher as well, because you will actually understand the material. Which is usually not the case for the majority of the students taking the final exam.
I don't think it is good to read the material of the course before coming to class. I never did this and still succeded. I think it deprives you from the joy of discovering things and trying to be creative and "predict" what comes next (it s like going to the movies while having read the whole script before). Also, why bother coming to class if you do this? It s a waste of time. Also, you get faster and better and keeping up with the pace as time goes by. I think the best is to come to class with 100% concentration, try to understand as much as possible and ask questions to the professor. The rest of the time should be spent reviewing what was done after, doing problems and completing with Facebooks.
DO THE TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS! Maybe this won't apply to you, but it's rare for the exams to be similar to your homework (*cough* Webassign *cough*). I noticed that the exam questions were similar to some of the textbook questions not covered in class and the homework, so do them if you can. BUT don't solve all of them! You don't have time to solve every single question. Rsther, briefly read through all the questions, and solve the ones that look difficult or challenging. This way, you're less likely to be burnt out (I learned this the hard way).
I’ve personally found that the calculus itself isn’t that bad. I actually think it’s easier than algebra. The reason why I think calculus problems tend to be stressed upon is not because of the one calculus step, but rather all the algebra steps that come with it.
I still consider Calc2 tied for the most difficult class I've had to take. You mention at one point "Just take your study habits and multiply them by 10," and this is why Calc2 is so difficult. From what I've seen, this is the class where you start to see what it takes to learn mathematics (or any difficult topic, really.) So, to anyone about to take calculus, my best advice would be to start adopting good studying habits. Read the book, ask questions (even if you're shy, your professors have office hours and emails. You're paying for these things, use them!), use tutors if you have them, find a study buddy to do homework with and make sure both of you understand the concepts, etc. Further, don't just work on good study habits, also work on healthy studying habits. Mathematics makes real world things like hunger and thirst seem far away, so make sure you always have a bottle of water nearby, a healthy snack like dried fruit or nuts, and get enough sleep for your brain to properly function. My final advice to you would be to take the hard professors. The Math Sorcerer was right, the professor makes the difference, but I don't think you can be a good calculus teacher while also having an easy class. If you want to understand calculus and make your life easier in the long run (trust me, if you're in STEM, calculus isn't just going to go away after you finish Calc3), go on ratemyprofessor/ask your fellow students that have already taken the class, then take the professor where they say "the class is very difficult but the professor is passionate, understands the material, and really wants to help students learn." Oh, and buy a mini-white board with magnetic markers/eraser. Best $10 a math/engineering major can spend.
I agree bro. I am like you, I’m good at calculus and can get As. But even when I do get an A, I feel like I still don’t FULLY know calculus because it takes more than just the 15 weeks they allow to fully understand all the concepts and how they connect with each other. But I have come to accept this since calculus is just one step to my ultimate educational goals. Thanks for this chill video I watched during my dinner break!
Overall, calculus isn’t that tough compared to some other classes. However, the workload can be quite heavy for some calculus classes. If you don’t understand something, generally you can go to office hours and pick up the concept pretty quick. Just be ready to sit down and do a really good job on the homework and do a ton of review and you should be able to get the A. Also, something that greatly helped me before college calculus, was taking the business calculus at the community in college in high school. I would recommend this if you have the chance. But also, high school calculus could be a great help too. And honestly the grade you get in high school doesn’t matter as much as you think. But seeing the material before you get to college will help immensely.
Might work in the US, but in Europe things are a bit different. Our Calc 1 corresponds to the US' Calc 2 and so on. Sometimes it isn't possible to get an A despite having worked very hard.
One of the FEW subjects I would actually recommend working together on homework. Note: That does not mean "assign one problem to each student in your class and then combine all the work together right before class". That means, sit together while you do ALL the problems and talk stuff out when you get confused or lost in the sauce. You learn way faster when you can stop bashing your head against using the wrong method and WAAAAY faster when you try to explain the right method to a fellow student.
Having the right professor for the student makes a massive difference. But beyond that I feel like the most important factor is really truly caring to understand and use every resource available to do so and to succeed regardless of the professor. Sometimes that just comes with maturity. All through grade school I was a top student but I never cared or studied and ended up dropping out of college to pretty much just get high. A few years later after getting my life together and growing up, when I went back to college I did amazing because I matured enough to apply myself, focus on school, and genuinely cared to learn what was being taught to me. You seem like an awesome professor though, I wish I could have had you for all my math classes.
I think the bit about the teacher is super important. I coach high school track and field. You would be hard pressed to find a sport more dependent on talent. And yet, every team I go to has a disproportionate amount of success. The teaching and learning of skills really matters. I’ve had a lot of teachers over the years and said a lot of them are bad. And it’s true. A great teacher is really rare, and you can often pick them out by their methods. So yes, good teachers will help your success tremendously.
You are right about calculus 1 turning you into an algebra master lol. It really forces you to learn it with all the crazy derivatives you gotta do. I wasn’t great with algebra yet when I went into calculus 1 so I struggled to get myself a B. Calculus 2 was rough for me as well, it was a lot of memorizing integrals, methods of integration, but honestly my but by the time I was in calc 2 I was already kind of used to it. Plus, being confused is just part of learning lol
I got an A+ in calculus 1 (it was released today) and i had the worst teacher in the department. Students hate him to the extent that they kicked him out of our whatsapp math group 😂🔥🔥 the thing that got me A+ is that I studied it by myself in the summer, then when college started and I revisited it, things were much easier. This online term was the toughest .
They give A+ in undergrad at your school? In the schools I have gone to, you could only get an A+ in grad classes ( although it is still a 4.0, so the difference is meaningless).
@@juliosalinas2591 i used for a text book :calculus by James Stewart, which I think anyone can understand since it is easy to read and you can also check the math sorcerer channel for other books. There is also a great series by MIT called single variable calculus which i think it contain both integral and differential calculus, i did not use it a lot since the book was too nice but if you like someone to explain things to you then I highly recommend it.
This probably falls under the algebra bit, but learn what graphs of different functions look like and how to sketch them and 3D surfaces before hand, will make life much easier. That was the most challenging part for me, the computation wasn't hard if your algebra is solid.
My father kept his university notes from the 80s. I've used them to study some things. Even 40 years later the graphite on the paper still looks perfect! You should never get rid of them, after all, they are the result of hundreds of hours of effort.
This is good solid advice. I'll just comment that the tricky thing about calculus, is if you are good at algebra , trigonometry, and know all your functions and graphs. Then you will make your calculus journey less difficult. If you know just 2/3 of the preceding math subjects you've taken. It will make calculus a bit more challenging. So yeah, its best to master algebra and trigonometry techniques. Makes the math life nice.
Concepts regarding calculus are quite intuitive as opposed to more advanced math topics, however our current educational system is fundamentally wrong, especially in that it rushes it. You jump into third order integration, or decide what a certain point is with respect to the behavior of the function at that certain point, etc. You can't understand why is it so before you were given an understanding of what Jacobian is, for example. We even jump into solutions before the proofs of basic derivation rules are even shown. That provides students with a slippery basis, which makes understanding of further calculus harder. I passed Linear Algebra before I passed Calculus II (which was multivariate calculus + 3D calculus in my uni), that certainly made my understanding of Calculus II easier. I think the way our programs are set are fundamentally wrong and rushed.
All of Calc 3 (what my uni called multivariable calculus) I was hitting myself everytime I remembered that I DIDN'T take linear algebra first. That is why I have decided to learn it myself this semester. I'm tired of knowing nothing about such an important topic.
I did very very well in Calc1 &3. I think what helped me a lot is that I had read and worked several times a book called "precalculus demystified" which is not considered as a textbook but I liked it so much. I think it helped me a lot even I didn't understand calc concepts but I had a solid algebra and precalc background. So when I was trying to understand when I get stuck in a problem I only had to deal with calculus concepts. for example : when you solve a limit of rational function. You don't try to understand how to factorize the polynomials... You only deal with the idea of taking the limit of the fraction of polynomes with higher degrees... Or to use de l'Hopital rule ... or when to use squeeze theorem ... But for people who have already started their semester it is better to focus on your Calc book and solve as many problems you can. Try to find in which step you get stuck and try to formulate the name of it and you can look it up on internet. Once you can solve problems with no mistakes try to develop a way to check your answers without looking at solutions. And time yourself when preparing for your exam and try to go as fast as you can without making mistakes. This will take you from 70%-80% to 90%-100%.
Your point on trig is real. I was one of 6 people who passed with a decent grade in an accelerated trig class. It gave me the confidence to move into calculus and then into science. I am working as a research assistant in geology. I appreciate your effort in promoting confidence.
Calculus was the first maths class I actually fully enjoyed. I finally got to apply all of that stuff I'd learned in earlier courses. When I later took a proper physics course with my calculus background rather than just algebra alone as I had done before, it felt like the difference between driving on a freshly paved highway versus a potholed dirt road. Everything became clear and easy. No ridiculous memorization or sheets of formulae you had to just take on faith, as you could derive everything yourself. It is so useful. It brings to mind that Howard Eves quote: "Surely no subject in early college mathematics is more exciting or more fun to teach than the calculus. It is like being the ringmaster of a great three-ring circus. It has been said that one can recognize the students on a college campus who have studied the calculus -- they are the students with no eyebrows. In utter astonishment at the incredible applicability of the subject, the eyebrows of the calculus students have receded higher and higher and finally vanished over the backs of their heads."
Given the fact that almost, if not all, everything around us has a 'Calculus' element in it. It is safe to say that it is the building block of any other math or non-math related subject. You can do and go to any industry if know Calculus. It's really a huge advantage if you are good at it. It makes everything else simple. Similar to playing basketball, if you are good with dribbling the ball then it's a lot easier to do the rest of the skills like shoot, pass, rebound because good dribbling allows you to move comfortably in the court which makes so much easier to be creative in doing the rest of the skills. Calculus works the same way. It is applicable and it is used widely in any other area you can think of - math or non math related such as subjects in social sciences, biomedical courses, politics and others. Calculus is one of the wonderful gifts that the human race has ever received.
The gist of my experience as well as that of my friends at school and university is that school and later higher education concentrates more on the solutions to math problems and not concerns itself much with in-depth conceptual comprehension. At school there are so many questions that teachers are not even qualified to answer. University provides a little bit more understanding. But real understanding comes after university(Phd or whatever reason that may be).
I’ve been a part of academia my whole life, I am 58, and I have worked for various universities for years. When I was growing up in Amherst, my father was a professor at UMass. My wife is a professor, my wife’s father was a professor. So, I have some experience with academia. And point 2, is the major advice I give anyone in college. It’s all about you AND your professor!
I think people should learn all basic concepts before taking Calculus. During the time I was in India preparing for IIT-JEE we were taught Algebra before being taught Calculus. I personally think that without Trigonometry Calculus cannot be done .
Yep correct, giving my JEE this year and you need a basic and profound understanding of Algebra and Trigonometry before approaching Calculus, it makes understanding more easier
I always recommend my students to read the sections before we cover them in lecture. The student who tried this were very successful. There's just something about reading it, then seeing it again that helps it stick. I think it is similar to what you said about studying calculus beforehand. Though, if that is not an option (Spring semester around the corner for many colleges), then reading each section before class and trying the examples out can be a major boost in prepping them.
Yes something about reading. When you read you form things in your mind. Like if you read a fiction book it creates pictures, stories, characters, etc. Now math is not exactly like that but I think something similar must occur in our minds, it sticks!!! I love books❤️
The secret is that lectures DON'T WORK. Only reading the textbook and doing the exercises does work. But if everyone would tell this honestly, the teachers would go bankrupt.
I have read that calculus is next to algebra. This shows the importance of algebra in calculus. I have also abserved that we do calculus based on algebraic functions.
Another thing that’s vital to know is that many “instructors” are actually grad students. They have had no instruction whatsoever on how to teach, they’re just PhD students who are forced to teach.
All the students and professors at my college will tell you that the 'entry level' calculus was far and away the worst of all the math classes because its the oldest math class and occupies an unhealthy middle ground between 'low level formula' based math and the 'deeper, conceptual, theoretical' math you take at higher levels. They claim the higher level math is much easier to learn because there is far more context.
I just finished a semester of trig, and tested into calculus for the coming fall. Im pre-studying the material for calculus one, and honestly the calculus part of it is not hard. Some of my weaknesses in moving things around in an algebraic expression are definitely being exposed, but Im learning to clean those up now before I get into class. My biggest piece of advice for anyone who might read this is study in advance. I studied in advance of my college algebra course and came out of it with a 98, I studied in advance of trig and came out with a 96. The pre-studying was hard, but it took a lot of the stress out of taking the class because it was one less thing I had to learn along side all of my other classes. Just seeing something, even if you dont fully get it, will at least give your mind some time to stew on it and figure things out.
As someone who self-studied, I learnt calculus with awful algebra. I didn’t know how to FOIL, but as I learnt more calc, I learnt algebra because of the exercises and examples in the book.
I'm considering studying math again at the ripe age of 31 (I have a GI bill so cost isn't as big of a factor), and a little encouragement helps. Thanks for the video.
Although I did not have to take college algebra, I tutored people on it and it was much more work than calc.Deep in conics and other complex formulas. My best profs in calc picked just the right examples in class to help move us forward. And you're right on the algebra; a solid algebra 2 curriculum is critical. What I was not taught or learned well made calculus harder, not to mention my peers who took calculus in HS and had a huge advantage over those of us who did not. I really never understood calc until a buddy of mine asked me to help him with calc 1 for his fourth time. I began with the definition and sketches of what a derivative and integral was and it all came together with just this one question as I was preparing to graduate. I remember that moment to this day.
It is so true!!! Pre calc & trig together was way harder than calculus 1, specially for me that my precalc and trig class was applied math only, after that class i thought i was going to have difficulties in calculus and it was so good to have fun again in a math class.. Calculus , at least calc 1.. was fun, and a good teacher can really make a difference... a good professor can make calculus more enjoyable and relatively easier than a introductory college algebra class
I'm so glad you're saying Trig is so hard. Really, it's a vindication. I have a really good Algebra and Trig book but I even got another Trig book for the second opinion. I was almost ashamed of myself for sticking with Trig for a year more. But, yeah, it paid off.
Greetings sorcerer. I'm going through your videos while getting obliterated by analytic geometry, which noone apparently struggles with, but hey! I'm excited about cal 1 now!
To be honest I went into my calculus class being pretty shitty at algebra but I ended up doing great because I was learning the algebra as I went along. Having a real application of the algebra helped me learn it while learning calculus
I'm a mathematician, really enjoy your videos because I hear you saying all the same things I've been saying to my students for years. You really know how to hit the nail on the head, but how do you make your students believe you? They usually don't.
My students usually believe me I think, because I try to be honest. For example if there is a topic that is extra important I mention it and explain why, and if there is one that is not so important same thing. Also for exams I usually tell them what the important stuff is. And also if it will be hard or easy, just honest. I also tell them the best way to prepare. For example if there will be 3 hard trig sub questions I tell them to hyperfocus on that. I typed this in a hurry but hopefully that makes sense❤️
Math Sorcerer, pardon my expression- you fucking rock. The kind of person I was as a student, I could be or approach genius status in math man. under your tutelage man. Yow word man.
It’s hard to find good math teachers. If one isn’t available, you need to teach yourself, that’s a huge time commitment that’s more or less bypassed with a good teacher. What’s missing? Calculus is essentially being able to define the space under a curve/series of curves. No math teacher explains the symbology in English. They need to touch each symbol and number in the equation and say the words out loud. “In this equation we are... calculating......this symbol is a/an...when we say integrating we mean...” usually the instructor just launches into written solutions=all the algebra without addressing the overall point of what the equation is there for/what we’re using it to do.
1. Should you retake college algebra if you passed with a c? 2. Should you take trigonometry before taking calculus? I've heard that you should know algebra and trigonometry like second nature before taking calculus. 3. Should you take pre calculus before taking calculus? 4. Should you take calculus before taking College Physics I & II? Sure they're algebra based, but I've heard in the beginning there is calculus. So the professor has to spend the first few weeks teaching everyone the calculus. This is because the pre req for the class is college algebra, no calculus is required before hand.
Really interesting video! I'm definitely finding that the second time around, I'm understanding more and really appreciating where these concepts of calculus come from. It's definitely tough, but at least it stays interesting, if a little trying at times :) thanks for the video!
lol the trig talk, I'm in calculus 3, almost finished (i can't believe i might actually get an A) and most of the time when I seek help from other students it's about incredibly trivial things , like reference angles, yes it's embarrassing but I don't care, we all have our weaknesses somewhere. Now admittedly my trig has EXPONENTIALLY improved over calc 2 and 3, especially using things like cylindrical, spherical coords, trig sub, identities, etc. but it's just always been a topic that I forget very quickly, it just doesn't stick the same
Calc 2 is atrocious. It's integrals at their worst. The only other class in my undergrad career that compared was Theory of Electromagnetism, which sucked for the same reasons: TOO MANY INTEGRALS!!!!
I struggled harder in trig because the nitty gritty trig can be cumbersome..but calculus is more like a algorithm..learn the rules..know algebra decently and won't be bad. I found the algebra in calculus to be easier than in algebra courses because they focus on the calculus and not the tricky algebra..but again teacher does matter
As a First year Student of Electronics Engineering, I realized that I have to do a lot of Algebra, thanks to khan academy and the available resources I have, I have no regrets relearning the foundation which is algebra. Nowadays I wanted to be a self learner like Leibniz or Newton who are the founders. Therefore I have to find the weakspots I have and learn them.
As someone who is in their last year of an engineering program, I can say with absolute confidence that calculus was the most beautiful class I've taken so far. I took it in high-school and did okay. Meaning, I passed. I retook it when I came to college for a better grade, easier transition to college, and to better understand the material on an implicit level. My high-school class was full of theory and was difficult. But when I came to university, I just knew the material on a whole different level. I finished the class with a 98% and massed up the curve for everyone. But the thing is, calculus is really just fancy algebra. It's framing problems to ask you more in depth questions. But it's algebra. Derivatives are just slopes which are just rates. There are so many mental connections to be made. I found that graphing everything helped me visualize and therefore further conceptualize what was going on
@@maalikserebryakov no the real problem with calculus is nobody uses it for any real world applications. Even if they do they hide that from students. If you ask the teacher how to use calculus in real life they either ignore you or flat out refuse to answer.
I got a course on udemy today that covers trigg and precalc. I think the only reason I've been having trouble with calc is the lack of knowledge in trigonometry
I also feel like the vibe you get from the Teacher/Professor gets transferred to the work they're trying to teach you. If I hit it off with the teacher, I'll feel more positivity toward the material and be more inclined to even study it. For the spring semester, I'll be taking Calculus 2 online through Webassign so I can develop my own relationship with the work. Besides, if you type in any math topic in RU-vid, you are sure to find some explanation that is congruous with your brain's wiring.
I think the calculus series would have been much easier for me if I had professors who explained the broad concepts of the course and the best way to approach them. I think each step in the sequence represents a shift in thinking, and if you don't know how to approach the big picture you can get lost in the trenches.
I agree with algebra getting sharper in calculus, I am taking calc 1 again right now to get a refresher before finishing the sequence and I have to say my algebra is strong this time around. I will be taking calculus 2 in the summer, I’m a little intimidated but I think I can do it.
To analyze (you know, like in "analysis") = to DIS-solve = to dissolve ... to reduce to zillions of smaller parts. To integrate = the opposite of dis-solve = to solve = to put back togther again. Analysis and integration -- dissolving and solving -- are duals.
The Calculus classes seemed difficult while doing them; however, I realized how easy they were once I got to Analysis. The good news is that they are all fun! I'd rather be punching the wall in frustration over some Calc 2 integration technique problem or an Analysis proof than working on some group project for a GenEd course!!!!
It may not seem obvious when you are taking calculus, but other than basic derivation and integration, Taylor's Theorem and series may be the most important topics for future math courses, especially in applied math and statistics.
Calculus is a solid brick wall, until you get the insights to help you build the doorways to enjoying it. Understanding the fundamentals is a good starting point.
One thing my teachers never told me is how key it is to get the big picture first of key concepts and then get down to detailS. Eg. on the definition of limit of a function you may get, mechanically, pretty good at dealing with all the deltas and epsilons and absolute values, but if you don't really, truly grasp the big picture of it, you will not get it.
What to know before? Algebra. If you understand the structure of Math, then it's not out of your reach at all. Know your Pre-Calc and a chunk of Trig. The more, the better. That Unit Circle diagram will come in handy, and understanding bijection/injection/surjection from Pre-Calc will help you greatly -- you should've covered function, their inverses and the concepts of One-To-One and Onto. Once you're in the class, don't skip really digging into the FTC, Limits (e-d definitions, and taking from each side), Continuity, and Rolle's Theorem. Armed with those, and understanding about eight small example problems, you'll find the rest of Calc I to be about leaning fun procedures. And yes, Calc is fun.
It is not the calculus part that is hard, but it is _all of the other concepts, not just the algebra,_ that makes calculus hard. You first have to learn to understand the questions, and prepare everything as good as you can, before making the differentiation or the integration. If you integrate by partial fractions, for example, you first have to make the partial fractions, which is the hard part. And then, if you have done that, the integration is mostly just applying some standard integrals. Or, if you do multiple integrals, you first have to define the parts of the integration domains, and split them up in the best way, including knowing in what order to integrate. If you have done those preparations, the integration(s) is (are) not the hard part. The same with partial differentiation of functions of Rm to Rn. You first have to figure out the vectors; what goes to what exactly. Once figured out, the rest is fairly easy.
Math programs should really prioritize algebra before calculus, even for majors and those with high school experience. A mandatory course in "advanced college algebra" would have prevented me from failing later math courses because it wasn't the calculus that I failed at, but the algebra. I didn't know what I needed to know. Also, there should be a mandatory course on study methods for math, covering topics like "how to read a math book," "How to use a math book," "how to _really_ study math," etc. Kids don't know this stuff, and it makes no sense to me why professors and colleges don't teach it. There should be a course like this for all disciplines.
I agree completely with your comments. You made some really really good points. I love your idea of the study methods course. I mean they do have like a "student success" course but one specifically that is subject based would be good. I think there are a A LOT of roadblocks that make mandating such a course difficult though. I don't know if we will ever see stuff like that in our lifetimes, maybe, one can hope:) For now, we have RU-vid at least:D Great comment man.
Algebra for sure, since that is how calculus is manipulated. I can remember that we were doing some group problems and, naturally my group got stuck on a problem. After three of us hammered on one step for 10 minutes or so something clicked. We had a stupid polynomial in the numerator that we needed to factor to then continue, and it was not a complicated numerator at all. Probably 8th or 9th grade intro algebra would have had a problem like it. So, even if you are good at maths, before taking calculus, go buy a teaching book for algebra and review it in the few weeks before your first class. I found that anytime I got hung up on a calc problem (calc 1) that it always boiled down to over complicating things in my head and forgetting sometimes the simplest of algebra rules.
I learned calculus at age 15 from the book Mathematician's Delight. Then I took a couple quarters of it while still in high school, tested out of two more quarters when I got to college, and was done with two years of it before the end of my first year in college. I thought it was easy. Now partial differential equations: ugh. That was hard. Admittedly, by that point I was losing interest in math and was drifting over to philosophy.
@@yukisnow6058 I myself ordered it a couple months ago just to remind myself of what it was like. And it's as good as I remembered. However, it is from many decades ago, so it talks about slide rules. Young people might find that section confusing, but just keep in mind that the point is to teach you about logarithms and how they are calculated and how they were invented in the first place. I've never seen any other math book that does that.
I understood calculus 1 when I took it, however calc 2 and 3 I could go through the motions, but I really didn't understand it. It was when I was taking calculus 3 that I really learned that if I wanted to get my degree in math, I would have to put in real effort if I wanted to get good grades and and actually learn the material. The lectures and homework are good starting points for sure, however, to really understand the material that is being taught you almost certainly need to go beyond what your teacher goes over! Read the book, do practice problems not assigned in class, watch videos online, form study groups to see if others can help you understand. There are a lot of things you can do beyond what is done in class and in homework that will help you truly understand what you are learning!
My Advice for Any math level: Know your mathematical vocabulary. No math teacher I ever had EVER had us keep a list of vocab, and yet Every math teacher I ever had would always say we should know words like Radicand, Quotient, numerator, multiplicand, etc. It's really hard to listen to a teacher using words like this if you don't know what they mean. He's ten sentences ahead of you and your brain is stuck on wondering what she meant by a word you heard before but never thought to look up the meaning of it. You don't know what the word means, and if you're in algebra 2 or higher, you don't stop the teacher in mid-lecture to ask, 'which one is the numerator?" because you should have learned that word in grade four and don't want to get laughed at by the entire class. (even though probably most of them don't know that either.) But, being lost for even two minutes during a math class past algebra one can cost you a lot of frustration over your homework.
I wish this video existed and I had seen it in 2010. I basically designed my plan around avoiding calculus. I ended up not going beyond the Associates level at that point bc of "life events" but the only college level math I took was college algebra. In high school I was torn between industrial engineering and a business major, and my terror at repeating my experience in geometry in ninth grade, dictated my choice. As I am exploring continuing, I really don't want to look back and say twenty years from now that I picked my undergrad based on fear of calculus. I have decided to self study math, starting with algebra if for no other reason than it's been over twelve years, then trig and then calculus. Then reassess my options degree wise.
Work with others and do lots of problems. Be good at algebra before taking calculus. I will also admit that I did not understand algebra until econ grad school despite all the math courses I took.
Have fun! This channel and PatrickJMT are really good resources. If you watch Dr. Trefor Bazett, he recently made a really solid study habit video. I highly recommend it.
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aLPhBVkhE6I.html Basically don't ignore the RU-vid part of math just because you have a teacher. Read through your textbook before class, and watch some videos on the topics.
Calc I in college was a weeder class. Hundreds of students, jammed into recitation groups of 20-someodd each. 1. It's college. No one cares if you skip class. That's your mistake. 2. It's a "101" class. You have to study, not the teacher. You have to want it. 3. It's a fun class...if you do the homework. 4. It's college. You're expected to have read the section BEFORE the lecture. 5. Don't do the bare minimum homework. Go above and beyond, and you'll find it is easier than you think. 6. Form a study group. Yes, this is not a "nerd" thing. It's a smart thing. Commiserate, and you'll all do better. That's just from my experiences. I know people who did poorly, and other who ripped through the class. It's Math. Enjoy it! I did.
After watching a calculus pdf online i believe the intention of calculus is reprogram ur future. I even bought some calculus book to have it as goal and a bible. I hope someday to do the problems and learn it. #haveadream
At the beginning when you say your audience are calculus , pre calc or post calculus students ….Wrong on all accounts! I’m not , will not , did not take calculus, I just watch your videos because I think you are fascinating and you have some great advice 💕
Unfortunately, I've seen calculus used as a weedout class, but I thankfully realized that the whole point of inventing calsulus was to make solving problems easier. This helped me wrap my head around what we were actually talking about in class. .....I think I was reading a bio of Kepler or Newton at the time and the author actually walked through the sum they had to do. :P
Take it and you'll love it, but you won't fully understand the scope of what it truly is until much later (years even), but be ok with that:). Enjoy the process and be patient with the journey. A good analogy is like working out at the gym..you won't see true results for maybe a year or two, and further on, you'll be able to climb mountains.
Very true-I’d say easily that 90% of Basic Calc 1 topics require you have a VERY GOOD working of algebraic manipulation Every class SLOWS DOWN dramatically when the Instructor has to explain why abs value and exponential algebra are necessary to solve a problem.
If you’re beginning Calc 1-I would reemphasize the necessity to have a very good working knowledge of key topics found in Intermed & College Algebra AND DO NOT DISMISS the multiple advantages of being hands on ready with a TI-84 Graphing Calculator-definitely a tool which will assist you in confirming what you have done algebraically. There is nothing more satisfied in knowing that your root intercepts, axis of symmetry, and any max or min points you found through algebra formulas MATCH UP with the final graph you plotted in your Y1 editor. Has helped many students meandering in C+ territory all semester into B+ or even A students.
It's the basic algebra that people struggle with, not the big calculus concepts. They then fail because their basic algebra is not good then blame it that, "Calculus is hard"
In order to learn algebra you should take a pencil and a sheet paper and practice all the time ,it is like training harder you training a better results in muscles ! The same thing with math !!
I really think I need to review Calc 2 and Calc 3, because I took Calc 2 during the start of the pandemic and rushed everything at the end, and Calc 3 I did well in but my teacher often got very laid back and I didn't feel I fully absorbed everything.
Almost every calculus book covers the same topics. If your about to take calculus, then you could pick up any calc book and start reading before class.
I am ok with trigonometry, as I had learned much of that in mechanical/technical drawing in school. Technical drawing taught me theorems of triangles, circles, arcs, areas, etc. I received my first ever calculus book last week: "Calculus, Metric Version" 8th edition by James Stewart. I've been reading it everyday. Next week, I expect linear algebra books in the post. I cannot wait.
Oh that's awesome! Yeah I had a student who used Trigonometry for his actual job. He would use that, excel, and other tools to model car accidents. I think he was mostly self taught like you:) He was so good he had a nickname in class, we called him the KING:)
The Math Sorcerer Your student sounds like a CGI artist who models 3D vehicles, creates VFX like crashes, demolitions, explosions, fires, etc all in 3D softwares. Car crashes are very challenging to do in 3D animation. It takes a lots of maths and scripts to create physics simulations like crashes.
Non US student here, so it may not apply to US curriculum, but master trigo before single variable calc and linear algebra I before multivariable calculus.
