HOW TO SUCCEED IN CALCULUS
For Calculus Students, By Calculus Students
(Thanks to all of Dr. Woodland's students from Fall 1998)
What has worked for you? What has not worked for you?
What do you wish someone had told you?
Many things have helped me in Calculus. Paying attention in class; doing homework
problems immediately after class; taking decent notes; talking to other students
if I need help. A couple things have not worked for me. Doing problems five
minutes before class; missing class and attempting to catch up. The only thing
I wish past students had told me is ``Do not be afraid to approach the teacher if
you have problems.''
If I had to suggest to someone how to prepare for Calculus, I would tell them to brush
up on his or her algebra. This is the area with which I personally have most of my
problems. I just think it is hard to understand a concept when you are trying to
figure out the algebra it took to derive the idea. I must admit that I 'm getting
better at it, but I still drop signs or get lost doing a problem. I just try to check
my work as much as possible, which, I guess, is another good suggestion for
Calculus I preparation.
PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS!! Don't rely on your friends to teach you the material the
night before the test. Especially in the beginning it is important to get a firm
grasp of the underlying principles of calculus. Besides, you will feel a lot more
secure if your first test score is decent.
Just because you've had calculus in high school, donŐt slack off and take this class lightly!
I haven't had much work for me. I slacked off at the start and got behind. My advice
would be to do the work and stay caught up. It is hard to dig yourself out of a hole.
The first thing that any student should do is go to class! If you go to class and take
notes and pay attention, then it is very likely that you will have a decent
understanding of what is going on. [T]op-ten problem lists are very helpful when
preparing for tests and quizzes. Also, when homework problems are assigned,
don't be afraid to stop by the teacher's office during office hours and ask for help.
Most professors really do care about their students! Most of all, relax when
taking tests and write down what you know. Sometimes you may not know much,
but you can always get partial credit. There is only one things that I wish
someone had told me about Calculus I. The practice exams are always much easier
than the real midterm or final. I worked the practice test in about 45 minutes
and it was relatively easy. The real midterm was a different story. I guess
I just got nervous and couldn't think straight. Oh well, one test is not the end
of the world. There are always plenty of opportunities to improve your grade.
If I were to give advice to someone who was going to take Cal I, it would be to
keep up with the work and take advantage of the tutoring center. If you get
behind even a little it snowballs.
Don't do the practice problems in order. It's not going to necessarily be like that
on a test.
My best advice to Cal I students is to start doing homework the night it is assigned.
My problem is that I wait until the last night to do homework and always find a
problem (or two) that I can't solve. It helps to have time to ask someone else
how to do the homework.
My advice for students coming into Cal I is to do the homework assigned before the
night before it is due so that if you need help you can get it from the teacher.
This helps you in two ways. The teacher sees that you have a real interest in
the class and you get the homework correct. This is a good thing.
Do your homework. Just because she takes off the lowest 4 homework grades
doesn't mean you can get away with not doing homework 4 times.
I would advise, most importantly, to learn how to work word problems. The teacher
does an excellent job explaining the formulas and knowing how to work word
problems but you can't memorize word problems, since all are different, like
you can the formulas.
Reading the book helps you understand a lot better, even if it is math. Always check
your answer. Don't be afraid to claim stupidity and get even more help. Never
work alone. A study partner helps you learn more and is more fun.
Believing that I could somehow find all the answers on the calculator has not worked.
Only listening in class has not worked. Listening and taking notes on material,
reading has worked. Finding answers algebraically has worked. Thinking Cal I
would be easy because I had it in high school has not worked. You will have to
write a lot in Calculus. Just answers alone will not give you points. Remember
the trig from the old days - we are still using it.
Trying to work the problems with memorized laws and theorems doesn't work as well
as using laws and theorems that I understand and can prove. The only good advice
I can think of is don't get behind, and do more problems than are assigned for
homework.
The best advice that I could really come up with is to understand your formulas and
how they work together. Know why things worked out how it did and understand
the problems. Do your homework problems and understand them. I use ''understand''
a lot because I have helped many students with algebra and those I helped could
do the problems given, but didn't know what significance the answer had.
When it was time to learn something new that related to older stuff learned,
they were confused on how to merge the two together. Also know your graphs
and how they work. Graphs hold all the answers if you know how to manipulate
the information it gives you. Graphs are your friends.
Find (if possible) a positive attitude about this class. You may hate it, but if you
apply yourself to the homework (especially word problems) you will achieve
greater confidence in yourself. Find out exactly what calculus is, or at least
find an understanding of it for yourself.
last modified on 20 August 99