Life Sciences Calculus or Regular Calculus

[wut?]

I plan on taking Calculus next year but don't know which to take. My school offers Life Sciences Calculus or Calculus 1 (but you cant use a calculator for Calc 1). Would Calc 1 be easier since we can't use a calculator or is Life Sciences Calc the better choice? What makes the two courses different content wise? Thanks!

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[machete fred]

What is life sciences calculus?

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

Whichever one is easier (Ask friends who have taken the classes at your school).

 

[tessellations]

My school does the same thing, and I took the life sciences version. It was a breeze and a pretty easy A, especially if you already have calculus basis. Unless you need the harder calculus, there really isn't a reason to take it. I'd only recommend taking it if you love math and/or you're minoring in it.

 

[aldol16]

If you like watered-down versions of courses that you can breeze through, then take the life sciences one. If you like a more rigorous approach that will require more work but result in better understanding, then take the normal one. A calculator shouldn't help you in calculus. I haven't used a calculator since pre-calc. The fact that the life sciences course explicitly talks about using calculators is telling.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

If you like watered-down versions of courses that you can breeze through, then take the life sciences one. If you like a more rigorous approach that will require more work but result in better understanding, then take the normal one. A calculator shouldn't help you in calculus. I haven't used a calculator since pre-calc. The fact that the life sciences course explicitly talks about using calculators is telling.

Life science course doesn't explicitly talk about using calculators, it's the regular course explicitly talks about not using calculators. Op, unless you're a math minor, take life science for the easy A and (save for stats or calc 2), enjoy the fact you can dodge that bullet and never take math again.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

If you like watered-down versions of courses that you can breeze through, then take the life sciences one. If you like a more rigorous approach that will require more work but result in better understanding, then take the normal one. A calculator shouldn't help you in calculus. I haven't used a calculator since pre-calc. The fact that the life sciences course explicitly talks about using calculators is telling.

What disturbs me the most is the attitude that getting out of a mildly difficult math course is "dodging a bullet." Math education in this country sucks.

 

[KoalaT]

Dude.... It's calculus. Isn't that like Freshman year? It's a bit early to start being nit-picky about every detail.

Also, the only calculus you really need is sin/cos angles and circle stuff for the MCAT, so I'm sure just attending the first few weeks of either will suffice. (Jk, of course go to the whole thing and do well. Just making a point.)

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

On the hand, having a bio major in a calculus course along with engineering, physics, and math majors it not necessarily adding to the bio major's education in a meaningful way.

Oh, I don't disagree. It's just the ubiquitous fear/loathing of math due to ****ty math education in grammar school that bothers me. Although, I think a math course in stats or a watered down calc would be good for even bio majors.

 

[ScaryName]

It depends on your school. At mine I, Calculus for the Life Sciences and Regular Calculus are both described as equally difficult. We also have a separate Engineering Calculus too. Pretty weird right?

 

[aldol16]

What disturbs me the most is the attitude that getting out of a mildly difficult math course is "dodging a bullet." Math education in this country sucks.

And even "difficult" math courses in this country have been watered down. Don't even teach the delta-epsilon definition of a limit anymore because it's too "difficult."

On the hand, having a bio major in a calculus course along with engineering, physics, and math majors it not necessarily adding to the bio major's education in a meaningful way.

I believe that calculus is one of those things that everybody should know. High bar, I know, but it's one of those things that is just central to how things work in the world. The universe doesn't work in little discrete units or "averages."

 

[Biochemistry69]

I took calculus 1, but my university offers a course called "survey of calculus 1," intended for business/science majors. My roommate, along with a few of my friends, took survey. They said that it was essentially limits, derivatives, and integrals. And they were basic at that.

 

[JoeCaputo]

Do not even think about it. Pick life science now.

 

[spicynuggetfiend]

Life sciences calculus without a doubt as long as it's in the math department

 

[longhaul3]

To me the calculator prohibition suggests that the course is more rigorous. Because you have to, you know, think.

Either way, don't sweat it. A calc I class is likely not going to be too hard.

 

[Lawpy]

What disturbs me the most is the attitude that getting out of a mildly difficult math course is "dodging a bullet." Math education in this country sucks.

speaking of math education...