Calculus Starts on May 10

[MichaelRW]

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Hey guys n' gals I am looking for a little bit of insight from those of you have have taken calculus. I am sure there are many SDN'ers who have taken multiple calculus courses. After hearing both negative and positive things from friends and fellow classmates, I figured this crowd would be able to give a genuine calc noob like myself some pointers on how not to screw it up. I have never taken calculus, not even in high school, and have taken trig and precal over the past two semesters. Given your experience, If you had to lend some solid advice to a first-timer, what would it be? Thanks, in advance, for the helpful responses.

 

[christina30]

Calc 1 isn't all that difficult, but the only pointer I can give you is to do all the homework and any other practice problems. The only way to learn the steps is by doing. 🙂

And don't panic. "Calculus" may be a scary word, but if you did well in pre-calc, you should be able to handle Calc 1.

 

[ilovebiology]

Get Calculus I for Dummies...they also have a workbook as well. I only bought the actual book, but the workbook seems like it would be helpful if you have the extra money?

And exactly what Christina said...Calculus I is actually easier than pre-calc. Don't stress about it, it doesn't even go towards your science GPA anyways haha

 

[addo]

understand what derivatives and integrals are backwards and forwards....conceptually, dont just memorize all the differentiating and integration formulas.
All of calculus revolves around those two ideas, albeit two very vast ideas with vast implications.

 

[BlueElmo]

I agree. Calculus as a whole isn't that bad, I enjoyed it actually.

 

[HolySmokes]

Hey guys n' gals I am looking for a little bit of insight from those of you have have taken calculus. I am sure there are many SDN'ers who have taken multiple calculus courses. After hearing both negative and positive things from friends and fellow classmates, I figured this crowd would be able to give a genuine calc noob like myself some pointers on how not to screw it up. I have never taken calculus, not even in high school, and have taken trig and precal over the past two semesters. Given your experience, If you had to lend some solid advice to a first-timer, what would it be? Thanks, in advance, for the helpful responses.

Don't get freaked out by the fact that it's "calculus." You've taken college classes before, and this is just another college class. A mastery of algebra is by and large the most important part of succeeding in a calculus class--I would say 90% of the people I tutor who struggle with calculus don't have any problems with the actual calculus, but rather the algebra that comes after. To repeat what another poster said, understand the concepts of derivatives and integrals, not just the formulas. Sure, finding the derivative of a function is easy, but you need to understand what it actually means in order to apply it to actual problems. Keep up with the material and do practice problems for things you aren't sure about--that was my biggest mistake when I first took calculus. Good luck, and I'm sure you'll do fine.

Edit: Calculus is a math class, so it will count towards your BCPM GPA, contrary to what an above poster mentioned.

 

[chman]

Don't stress about it, it doesn't even go towards your science GPA anyways haha

Actually it does..

 

[Elpenor]

calc isn't even hard.... seriously

just do your homework and you will be fine


P.S. I failed algebra 2 in high school due to laziness and didn't have a problem getting an A in calc
😎

You will be fine

 

[orthomyxo]

Calculus is actually very simple, and is easily my favorite math class out of all the ones I have taken.

Just do the practice problems for the chapter that you are learning about in lecture and you will be completely fine.

 

[MichaelRW]

wow, what a turn out!! Thank you, everyone, so much for the pointers. Very much appreciated

 

[MichaelRW]

Don't get freaked out by the fact that it's "calculus." You've taken college classes before, and this is just another college class. A mastery of algebra is by and large the most important part of succeeding in a calculus class

Sounds great, I have no problem with any part of algebra and have received A's in all of my previous math coursework (Alg I & II in H.S., College Trig & Precal)

 

[SurgeonTime]

Hey guys n' gals I am looking for a little bit of insight from those of you have have taken calculus. I am sure there are many SDN'ers who have taken multiple calculus courses. After hearing both negative and positive things from friends and fellow classmates, I figured this crowd would be able to give a genuine calc noob like myself some pointers on how not to screw it up. I have never taken calculus, not even in high school, and have taken trig and precal over the past two semesters. Given your experience, If you had to lend some solid advice to a first-timer, what would it be? Thanks, in advance, for the helpful responses.

Don't worry about it, you'll do great! just study 🙂

 

[Jeebs89]

Like other people have said... Calc 1 and even 2 are pretty easy. The biggest part of Calc 1 is the algebra..

 

[Xcited392]

I almost failed calculus in high school (granted it was senior year and didn't really care), and I am taking calculus right now in college and am going to get an A.

It's not bad--think of it as Extreme Algebra. You've taken college algebra/trig, and all calculus does is expand on that.

Calculus I can be difficult for some, but if you "get" algebra, then you'll have no problems with Calc I. Calculus II, on the other hand. . . well, I've heard awful things about it.

 

[christina30]

I almost failed calculus in high school (granted it was senior year and didn't really care), and I am taking calculus right now in college and am going to get an A.

It's not bad--think of it as Extreme Algebra. You've taken college algebra/trig, and all calculus does is expand on that.

Calculus I can be difficult for some, but if you "get" algebra, then you'll have no problems with Calc I. Calculus II, on the other hand. . . well, I've heard awful things about it.

Calculus 2 is way harder than 1. I struggled, and I usually really dig math. It didn't help that I had a professor who spoke little-to-no English, so asking for help when I was struggling was sort of fruitless. Haha

 

[Jeebs89]

Calculus 2 is way harder than 1. I struggled, and I usually really dig math. It didn't help that I had a professor who spoke little-to-no English, so asking for help when I was struggling was sort of fruitless. Haha

Calc 2 isn't too bad... If your prof doesn't let you use a little note card memorizing some of the stuff could get annoying but it's the same basic concepts from Calc 1.

People seem to like to glorify calc 1 and 2 and put it on a pedestal. Just make sure you understand limits, because that's pretty much all calc 2 is.

 

[christina30]

Calc 2 isn't too bad... If your prof doesn't let you use a little note card memorizing some of the stuff could get annoying but it's the same basic concepts from Calc 1.

People seem to like to glorify calc 1 and 2 and put it on a pedestal. Just make sure you understand limits, because that's pretty much all calc 2 is.

I think it was the course/professor itself - I went on to excel in physical chemistry/quantum mechanics, which required Multi-Variable Calc. SO maybe it wasn't just me.

 

[mtulli]

Depends on the professor, I have taken Calculus I twice now (once for credit, now auditing the same course) and it is a wildly different ballgame this time around. First time taking it in college was an easy straightforward, basic calculus class. Second run? 3 hour midterms (which everyone needs 4 hours for), abstract applications of the mathematical concepts, etc.

That being said, with proper diligence calculus shouldn't pose too many problems though to proclaim it an "easy A" on SDN may be misleading. Don't forget, shoulder to the wheel. 👍

 

[Jeebs89]

Depends on the professor, I have taken Calculus I twice now (once for credit, now auditing the same course) and it is a wildly different ballgame this time around. First time taking it in college was an easy straightforward, basic calculus class. Second run? 3 hour midterms (which everyone needs 4 hours for), abstract applications of the mathematical concepts, etc.

That being said, with proper diligence calculus shouldn't pose too many problems though to proclaim it an "easy A" on SDN may be misleading. Don't forget, shoulder to the wheel. 👍

Depending on the teacehr I can see how it can go from an easyish A to a much harder A/B.. But there are so many books out there for extra help.. I remember my Calc 1 teacher being completely awful and I just turned to my good friend youtube to simplify the lectures. Use the tools available to you and it should be a fairly easy class...

 

[mtulli]

Depending on the teacehr I can see how it can go from an easyish A to a much harder A/B.. But there are so many books out there for extra help.. I remember my Calc 1 teacher being completely awful and I just turned to my good friend youtube to simplify the lectures. Use the tools available to you and it should be a fairly easy class...

This... also, pray to whatever power moves you that exams are reasonable.

 

[tehrevenant3]

If they give you a review sheet before the exam, do every problem over and over again until you truly understand. Go to office hours if you're having trouble. Watch the calc videos that justmathtutoring.com has online before your lectures (I always find it easier if I know what my prof. is going to talk about beforehand). Good luck!

 

[addo]

What kind of calculus are some of you taking, that resembles algebra so much? manipulating some Xs should have been mastered in algebra

 

[Jeebs89]

What kind of calculus are some of you taking, that resembles algebra so much? manipulating some Xs should have been mastered in algebra

Pretty much all that you do in calc is manipulate X's... For me the concepts of calc were really easy, it was more a matter of not messing up the actual algebra on exams..

 

[cfx]

I was in the same spot as you not too long ago...had never taken any calc and had a bit of math-anxiety entering into it. It turned out really well, and I didn't find it very difficult. As others have said (and I was advised before taking), it's really just doing the same two things (derivatives and integrals) over and over and over, with a few related things in between. There's a set of rules, techniques, and shortcuts that you learn that make it all much easier.

Just do all of your reading, go through the details of the examples, go to class, do your homework thoroughly, ask questions when necessary, and do a ton of practice problems. Don't be too intimidated.