How to be successful in calculus

Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
TheBatman

TheBatman

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Messages
304
Reaction score
126
Members do not see this ad.
Well i'm not that good at math (not terrible). I can pull of B's but I really want an A in my calculus class. What are some good techniques to follow? Thanks
 
I'm interested in this too. I'm retaking calculus this summer and I need to do much better than my last go around!
 
I'd recommend that you shouldn't miss a calc class as it's hard to play catch up, especially when the information is new and challenging at the same time.

The instructor usually puts up practice problems, attempt those practice problems in order to reinforce the material. Attend office hours to help with challenging problems that come up regularly.

Don't be afraid to ask questions in class.Take advantage of tutors your institution provides.
 
This won't help you much, but I personally found calc 2 way more challenging than anything I've done in the first 2 years of med school. :luck:

(Most of my classmates disagree, so hopefully that makes you feel better)
 
Practice problems man. Calculus isn't hard, study right and you'll get that A.
 
Practice problems, practice problems, practice problems. Literally the only way to learn.

Also, make sure you brush up on your algebra skills and trig. Algebra manipulations are VERY important. Even something as simple as (a/b)/(c/d) = (a*d)/(b*c) can help a ton, as well as x^-1 = 1/x. Know your factoring and your quadratic equation. Learn how to identify the functions within functions, will help a ton for chain rule.
 
Lamel said:
Practice problems, practice problems, practice problems. Literally the only way to learn.

Also, make sure you brush up on your algebra skills and trig. Algebra manipulations are VERY important. Even something as simple as (a/b)/(c/d) = (a*d)/(b*c) can help a ton, as well as x^-1 = 1/x. Know your factoring and your quadratic equation. Learn how to identify the functions within functions, will help a ton for chain rule.
Click to expand...

Yep. Do practice problems and make a "cheat sheet" for yourself and write out the most efficient ways of solving all types of problems.

Also, I've found out that every time I think "oh this type of problem won't come up on the exam, it's too long" I'm wrong. That problem always comes up on the exam.
 
The lamar site is excellent, really helped me with series convergence tests.



Josh7 said:
Yep. Do practice problems and make a "cheat sheet" for yourself and write out the most efficient ways of solving all types of problems.

Also, I've found out that every time I think "oh this type of problem won't come up on the exam, it's too long" I'm wrong. That problem always comes up on the exam.
Click to expand...

You mean like trig substitution? XD
 
The book Calculus Made Easy is super old but very helpful! It definitely helped me.
 
Office hours, office hours, office hours! If you don't understand a concept, a practice problem, an example, etc. find someone who will clarify and point you in the right direction. If you don't understand how to do something, don't just brush it off as a particularly hard problem. I find it helpful to write down the topics that I need to review and doing more practice problems/review in my trouble areas, and bringing the material I found hardest to my professor or tutor (which is also super helpful to have!!)
 
Purchase the MyMathLab/Mastering component for you specific textbook even if your teacher doesn't use it.
 
Go to all of the classes.
Meet with your professors.
Do ALL of the homework and assigned practice problems PLUS extra.
Read the textbook (this actually surprisingly works alright for math classes).
 
Lamel said:
Practice problems, practice problems, practice problems. Literally the only way to learn.

Also, make sure you brush up on your algebra skills and trig. Algebra manipulations are VERY important. Even something as simple as (a/b)/(c/d) = (a*d)/(b*c) can help a ton, as well as x^-1 = 1/x. Know your factoring and your quadratic equation. Learn how to identify the functions within functions, will help a ton for chain rule.
Click to expand...

This^. I got B's in my calculus class, not because I didn't understand the calculus, but because I was bad at the algebraic manipulations.
 
TheBatman said:
Well i'm not that good at math (not terrible). I can pull of B's but I really want an A in my calculus class. What are some good techniques to follow? Thanks
Click to expand...

Just LEARN the formulas, write then rewrite it then practice it. Its lots of work but math is like surgery or driving a car the more you do it how better you get.
 
Do practice problems. And keep doing practice problems until you have mastered them. If you encounter a homework problem that you cannot complete, find a way to do it (using your book, online resources, peers, and your professor). Keep going back to that problem and doing it until you understand every piece of it.

Start caring a lot about the things you don't understand, and take it one piece at a time.
 
I hate to be a downer, but am I the only one who thinks it will be incredibly difficult to pull off an A in calculus if you have only been getting Bs in other math classes?
 
somethingdeep said:
I hate to be a downer, but am I the only one who thinks it will be incredibly difficult to pull off an A in calculus if you have only been getting Bs in other math classes?
Click to expand...

I don't see why that would be that much more difficult it's not like we are talking a C
 
TheBatman said:
Well i'm not that good at math (not terrible). I can pull of B's but I really want an A in my calculus class. What are some good techniques to follow? Thanks
Click to expand...

Calculus is tough, but very straight forward. I got a C in calc I and that is all I am taking. At my school, calc II is considered the hardest math class you can take. I would have been more successful had I found Khan Academy on YouTube earlier. They are a great resource. I would utilize guides such as those and keep on top of the material. I never missed a day of class, no reason to unless you are ill.
 
PatrickJMT videos on YouTube are the best. I'm a math savvy kid, so I took AP calc in high school (5) and then calc 2 and calc 3 in college (both A's). I can safely say that PatrickJMT videos helped me be successful in calculus. They teach you everything you need to know about the formulas without the proofs and fluff that professors teach during lecture.
 
sakabato93 said:
PatrickJMT videos on YouTube are the best. I'm a math savvy kid, so I took AP calc in high school (5) and then calc 2 and calc 3 in college (both A's). I can safely say that PatrickJMT videos helped me be successful in calculus. They teach you everything you need to know about the formulas without the proofs and fluff that professors teach during lecture.
Click to expand...

I want to second this. I came into college having only done up to Algebra 2 in high school, so I knew I was going to struggle. My strategy was to look at the syllabus, watch the PatrickJMT video for a topic the day before we were going to go over it in class, and then watch it again before starting my homework. Then I would just do practice problems (homework, practice tests) until I couldn't stand it anymore.

To be honest, it was a ton of work because I was really weak in math, but I ended up doing extremely well all three semesters (pre-calc through calc II) thanks to PatrickJMT, practice problems, and a solid work ethic.
 
somethingdeep said:
I hate to be a downer, but am I the only one who thinks it will be incredibly difficult to pull off an A in calculus if you have only been getting Bs in other math classes?
Click to expand...

I don't think so. Each type of math class has something different about it that may cater to some people's different strengths. However, if you take calculus having got a B in prior math classes because you didn't learn the foundations from in other math classes.. yeah, it will be hard to get an A in calculus.

Go to class and pay attention in class. Math classes in college were the only classes I probably went to 100% of the time and paid attention a majority of the time, because you miss one and you're waaayyy behind. Study for tests by redoing problems, don't just look over the work you've done before. Look for patterns in examples and how to apply those patterns, instead of just memorizing formulas. Calculus is fun! :prof:
 
sakabato93 said:
PatrickJMT videos on YouTube are the best. I'm a math savvy kid, so I took AP calc in high school (5) and then calc 2 and calc 3 in college (both A's). I can safely say that PatrickJMT videos helped me be successful in calculus. They teach you everything you need to know about the formulas without the proofs and fluff that professors teach during lecture.
Click to expand...

This. KhanAcademy helped me with concepts, but PatrickJMT helped me with solving problems
 
I am an astrophysics major and Calc I II III was probably the worst class I've ever taken. It doesn't help that I was out of school for two years before hand and the highest math I had in high school was algebra 2. I struggled but I went to tutoring, figured out which tutor I learn best with and asked my professor any questions I had and of course, practice practice practice!!!! can't stress that enough.
 
Reading the book before going to the class.
 
👍 Literally everything everyone has said in this thread... well done people
 
Guess my advice might help, I ended up with an A- in Calc and it was because one exam I goofed up on that made it nearly impossible for me to get an A in the end...

Anyways Patrickjmt is a great resource. I found that my highest exam grades came when I was slamming book problems like no tomorrow, tutoring other students and hitting the prof provided prac-test until I knew how to do every problem 100%. (the one exam I was a bit uneasy about, went in unconfident and I made super rookie mistakes)

Lot's of great advice in this thread. Math is not my strongest subject, so if I can get an A-, most people should get a pretty good grade no problem.
 
SpaceyWacey said:
Office hours, office hours, office hours! If you don't understand a concept, a practice problem, an example, etc. find someone who will clarify and point you in the right direction. If you don't understand how to do something, don't just brush it off as a particularly hard problem. I find it helpful to write down the topics that I need to review and doing more practice problems/review in my trouble areas, and bringing the material I found hardest to my professor or tutor (which is also super helpful to have!!)
Click to expand...

Meh. They're alright, but self-studying using online links and textbook is far better.
 
1. Make sure your work is neat. You never want to get anything wrong simply because that 9 looked like a 1 or that you multiplied 6 by 8 and got 14.

2. Make sure after you finish the problem you reread the problem to make sure you didn't misread anything (e.g. finding the absolute max rather than the value of x), and make sure the answer makes sense with the context, if the context is given.

3. Memorize key concepts and practice all class problems to the point where you can answer any given problem after not getting any sleep, losing your car keys, missing breakfast, and having the flu.
 
TheBatman said:
Well i'm not that good at math (not terrible). I can pull of B's but I really want an A in my calculus class. What are some good techniques to follow? Thanks
Click to expand...
Do as many practice problems as you can. And go to class 🙂
 
MIT's opencourseware is good too. I used it for multivar, but I think they have it for intro calc
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Anthodite
How bad is a W in calculus?
Replies
6
Views
686
LizzyM
LizzyM
P
Post Bacc Calculus I at Berkeley Extension
Replies
10
Views
2K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
H
Not taking planned calculus class anymore
Replies
2
Views
788
holajola
H
TibiaOrNotTibia
How Specific in Secondaries?
Replies
4
Views
968
LindaAccepted
LindaAccepted
idkwhat
  • Question Question
how to do well in Orgo II?
Replies
11
Views
2K
idkwhat
idkwhat
Top