Assignment (due Monday, May 21). Imagine that you are invited to speak on the first day of MAT 1575, to give advice to entering students.  Write a paragraph responding to one of the following, describing what you would tell them.
- What do you wish that you had been told at the start of this class, to help you succeed?
- Choose one topic in the course that is especially challenging. Identify it, and give advice to students trying to master that topic.
- What is the most important prior knowledge (not taught in the class) that you need in order to succeed?  Why is it important?
Extra Credit. Respond to someone else’s comment.  Do you agree? disagree? Have anything to add?
Bettyann John-George section 6638
I wish on the first of class I had being told to do every home question in the book at least 3 times. In this way you make sure you fully understand the problem and know how to solve it. Please get study partners who are better in math than you are, this will motivate you to work harder and be successful.
I agree with you when it comes to getting study partners, because you can help each other and study with them for exams. It really helps to ask your fellow classmates for help because they can probably show you how to do the problem when you dont understand the problems given in class.
I agree with you, finding someone to bang heads with is better than banging your head alone. Sooner, hopefully shorted than later, one of you will stumble on the correct idea, and there is that moment of magic ” I have it “, It feels so good. Then comes the next problem and here we go again, brain freeze.
Definitely agree. Everyone has things they are good in and things they arent so good in. I know the students I sit next to in class have helped me on numerous occasions and I feel I have also helped them. It is important to help each other other. Sometimes seeing things from a different perspective makes you understand it better
I did that in calculus I, DID EVERY PROBLEM FOR HW, and That’s why i think i got an good grade(A). This semester I’m doing good but could’ve done better if i had done the problem in book. I didn’t touch my book this semester. Although i was able to do problems on webwork, But it wasn’t enough i think. To fully understand the topic you need a lots of example for the same topic.
I definitely agree with getting study partners. That way you can help someone who doesn’t understand a problem and they can help you too. I wish I had done that at the beginning of the semester.
I agree with your statement that doing problems multiple time helps understanding. I my self, in the past, have solved a really difficult problem only to never look at it again, being that I was simply glad to be done with it. So, recently I have been in the habit of doing the problem many times. Accordingly, I have found my understanding of math lately to be much more sound.
I don’t think if a professor told a class to do the same set of homework problems three times, anyone would listen. It’s an impractical use of time, especially when one has other classes. If you want to be assured in a topic, do the homework problems and then do similar problems- switch it up.
Doing the same problem three times becomes robotic and you’re working off of memorization as opposed to reasoning, which may serve as a deterrent when your professor tweaks the problems on exams.
I do agree with pairing with a study partner. Like the old saying, “Two head are better than one.” You can really benefit from sharing your strength with someone else, and vice versa. Meeting people in class isn’t always easy, so I really suggest implementing a way everyone can be comfortable with each other (similar to the group introduction we did the very first day).
i agree with you because i think the more you can practice the math the more it will be become easier to you. when i was in 9th grade in my country one of my teacher told us to do every question 5 times. first i thought its just waste of time to do the same question 5 times but when i took the exam i realize that my teacher was right.
i agree with you because i think the more you can practice the math the more it will be become easier to you. when i was in 9th grade in my country one of my teacher told us to do every question 5 times. first i thought its just waste of time to do the same question 5 times but when i took the exam i realize that my teacher was right.
The most important prior knowledge you need is Fractions and Derivitives. When you are younger if you dont understand fractions you teacher might tell you to convert it to a decimal, which makes things extremely easy. But in doing it this way you dont grasp one of the major concepts of math, and you CANNOT do calculus without understand some of the basic functions and rules of fractions. Having a strong foundation in taking deriviatives and limits is also extremely important because the entire semester is based off of this ability.
I agree with learning to take derivatives and limits because even up to the last topic in calculus you are still taking derivatives and the limits of series and etc…
Gurpreet Singh | 6637
My advise for students who take 1575 next semester is that they know all the derivative rules before learning integral because you will find it hard to learn integration without derivation. The Hardest part I found about calculus II was the rotation and revolution problem. When those problem show up, you need to think outside the box and see the big picture. It’s like 3d. What i did was download maple 15 from cunyemall for free and saw pictures of in 3d and that helped alot. Maple is a great software and it helps you solve almost all problems step by step.
first of all you should have give that to mee too but thanks at least because i am gona look but you should provide a link for this it then it would be more easy and helpfull
Bryan Bravo/ 6637
My advise for students taking 1575 next semester is to know your derivatives, and study hard. Calculus is hard but with a great teacher and good studying habits, you should do very well. It also helps if you love math and sit next to people who motivate you. People who well and want to do well will you improve.
Tollisha Thompson 6637
I wish I were told that I should arrange my time better so that I would have more time to do all my math homework, and go over them more than once. I also wish that I were told that I should create study groups to practice together so that we could help each other with problems that one might not understand. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one.”
Calculus 2 is a class that must require prior knowledge coming from Calculus I. I advise to take Calculus 2 right after Calculus I, otherwise one must waste more time reviewing past material than learn new topics. One thing that is extremely important is knowing your derivatives. It is something that supposed to be memorized in order to not get stuck in a problem. Most of Calc 2 was spent on using derivative, and anti-derivative or integrals, in order to solve most problems.
Jesus Herrera
Mat 1575/6637
Hello new 1575 Cal II students
Well I have already taken Cal II last semester and I did pretty good. I got a _ (Prof Fill in grade here.) in Cal II. I found the class fun to be in and a lot of hard work with Prof Reitz. I can say that you’re walk out of this class knowing cal II. But I did found a few of the topics pretty hard to understand at first. the topic I would have like to spend a little more time on is series and sequences. I found this subject a bit hard to do because there was many different types of test that needs to be learn and applied. I suggest that you spend a few more hours studying this topic.
My advise for students who take 1575 next semester is to keep your pre-Cal and Cal-1 note, this way you won’t forget the derivative rules and the trig rules. Because you’ll need them, especially what you do “U substitution” and “Trig substitution” for the first time. I remember being a little lost when we first went over these two topics in class, (kinda wish that I could remember where I put my notes from cal-1 and pre-cal.) Going back over your notes will really help with those two topics.
Hey I do agree with your advice. I keep all my notes from all my pass class just in case I have to look back. I had to keep looking back to the trig rules and substation. Trig is a very important part in call II. This is something you should keep in the back of your mind when you in Cal II .
I agree, you must know the trig rules and derivative rules to succeed in calculus 2. I think that is what helped me the most in calculus 2 was knowing the rules, otherwise I would have been completely lost in the class for the most part.
Koshy, MAT 1575;section 6637
Well, I really dont have any prior knowledge for anyone that will help them pass calculus 2. However, I do have something that will help not just people who are taking calculus 2, but in their life in general, and that something is called perseverance. Having this something will not help you pass calculus 2 but your life as a whole. This is because, if you have this certain something, then you should know, you will succeed wherever you go. If you don’t believe me, look at Edison or any other significant historical figures in history that can be regarded as successful, you can see, their biography doesn’t just just include just their accomplishments but their failures that they had to go through, to obtain those accomplishments.
Long story short, when you see a concept or problem that is very hard for you to understand, don’t feel down and think low about yourself, but instead keep on trying. If you cant understand it the first time, then don’t give up and do it the second time. When people gradually implement this kind of idea in their life, even a so called mediocre person can do so much more in their life and in turn be “successful”.
I am leave you with this last quote to think about, “People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.” George E. Allen
Hello again Bibin! I like what you say, as I believe that, perseverance can carry one past many obstacles in life. Namely Calculus. Everyone that practices a new math finds some aspect of it eluding and require perseverance in order to take a firm grasp on that aspect. I hope you don’t forget the things you have sayed here; as you leave NYCCT and move to Farmingdale.
Hey Aguirre,
Thanks for everything man. I sure hope i have the strength to keep those words always close to my mind.
I also wish you the best in everything. In addition, I want to say, It was a great honor to be in the same classes with ya man.
One more thing,
Thank You.
1.What do you wish that you had been told at the start of this class, to help you succeed?—-Simply, to do the homeworks right away after each new section. In this way, I believe that the material stays fresh and requires less investigative methods to complete problems. “Stricking while the iron is hot” forges better steal, like doing your homework asap after a new section has been taught forges better math skills and increases retention.—-
2.Choose one topic in the course that is especially challenging. Identify it, and give advice to students trying to master that topic.—-We are living in an era of information. Thus, any topic that becomes difficult once taught to a student is easily overcome through using the internet and tutors. There are numerous videos, and free lectures from major universities covering every topic concerning math online. Also, there is a helpful math tutor in the NAMM building for tutoring CAL II. Resources people, use them.—-
3.What is the most important prior knowledge (not taught in the class) that you need in order to succeed? Why is it important?—-Brush up on algebraic manipulation techniques for either simplifying or rearranging expressions/functions/series for easier handling/solving, as you find it necessary to often transform expressions/functions/series at least once before arriving at the answer. In general, it would be beneficial to revisit CAL I techniques if you didn’t come directly from CAL I in the previous semester, as it is the basis for the whole class.—-
Dear Professor, what I would have and should have done before this class, was to sit in on a calculus one class before I took this class. My situation is a little different; I graduated back in 1983 from DeVry Technical Institute with an Associateâs degree in Electronic Engineering Technology. I did well in calculus one, not so well in calculus two, but I passed and even passed differential equations. Because I didn’t do well in calculus two, I had to take it again. I should have been more prepared, I believe I understood more in calculus one than two this semester. I worked and studied often and very hard for calculus two, but not being very well prepared and under pressure as far as time for each exam has cause me to be less than my best.
The most challenging part of the class was integration, especially by parts, again not being properly prepared worked against me. My best advice is to pay attention very closely in calculus one from day one; get all the concepts. Then take calculus two directly behind it. If there is a summer between then you should go over your notes for calculus one once or twice a week to stay fresh for the fall. Also remember calculus two is a whole different ball game than calculus one, it is more detailed based and requires much more ingenuity and manipulation than calculus one.
What can’t be taught in the class, but is important, is the math you have learned your whole life, addition, subtraction, fractions, exponents, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and finally the class you take before calculus one, pre calculus. Pre calculus, basically takes you through a little of everything. Most of all do not be scared, stay in the attack mode from day one, and don’t get depressed when things seen to be a little lost.
Kevin Valencia
Mat 1575/6637
My advice for upcoming students is this, study. Actually sit down and take the time to get personal with your book, or your notes, or tutorial videos, or whatever you use to help you learn. Time flies. before you know it you move on to a new topic. I think you should develop a system for your study time. maybe make yourself a schedule where you know you’re going to get home or go to the library and study. This disciplines you and keeps your mind aware of what you have to do and the time you need to dedicate to this class. I wish somebody would’ve told me this earlier. this semester i ran into several tough classes. i would dedicate a lot of time to one and not enough to another. Know how to pace yourself too. If you honestly do now have the time in your day, make that extra effort to wake up earlier to study. go over what you learned in the previous class before going to the next. download videos or worksheets to go over in your commute to school. the more time you put into class, the better your outcome.
I agree because many times i am on the train reading math worksheets to help me better understand the topics and complete the H.W.
Absolutely true, I myself picked up a job during the semester. Time management is key. I think I did a decent job of pushing myself to do the homework and trying to study with the time I was not at work or school. I think in the end this kind of time management really helps you in the future.
Amara Shafi Math 1575 (6638)
What I wished I was told at the start of this class was that calculus 2 is much harder than calculus 1 and that even having a great professor like Mr. Reitz you must pay attention to everything and never slack off at all. Personally calculus 1 was easier for me to understand and since I had the luxury of having Mr. Rietz for calculus 1, the class was fairly simple. My expectations for calculus 2 was the same for calculus 1 however it was far more challenging.
One topic that I found the most challenging of this course would have to be series/sequence, simply because it can get confusing as to what tests to use for a specific function. My advice to students would be to constantly practice questions and identifying the differences in the functions which forces you to use a test versus another.
The most important prior knowledge that I think you need to succeed in this class would be to know how to a derivative. Also i think it is important to know the derivatives for the trig functions as well as the natural log and other types of tricky functions. This will be key in order to improve in math 1575. because it is constantly used in almost every aspect of calculus.
I agree with you calculus was easier than calc 2. You really do have to remember everything from calc 1 especially derivatives to do well in calc 2. Constantly practicing is the best way to do well.
Yes, Amara! Much to my chagrin, I had the same expectations AND the same reaction to this course.
Kedeshia Symister/6637
My advice for new students that will be taken Math 1575 is to be prepared to sacrifice alot of any free time you think you have. This class takes up alot of your time especially if you have other classes. Make sure you go to tutoring as often as possible. Form study groups if you can. The textbook is good to practice problems but i would also get another book for Calculus 2 that would help you understand the concept better. Know your derivatives and limits well. Look for extra credit from you professor to help boost your grade. Just….. brace yourself because it seems like a long road at the beginning of class, but the next thing you know it is finals time and now your saying goodbye to Calculus 2 !!!
yeh you are tutoring and bonus point are the main thing which can help u in clas to boost too ..I forget to mention in mine one but its really good advice though because i am following it .
I wish I would’ve been more strongly advised to heed deadlines in WebWork. That clock is relentless and unforgiving. In the beginning, WebWork was down half the time and assignments were more than often pushed back or delayed which set a slow pace for work completion. Once it was up and running, however, that pace quickly dies down and one realizes that those deadlines are adamant. If you have a week to do an assignment, don’t wait until the last day- especially if and when you’re unfamiliar with the topic. WebWork is an easy way to maintain a solid average since you can infinitely retry problems, but if you keep missing assignments on it- it will only serve to hurt you.
One topic that particularly gave me grief was recognizing when to use Inverse Substitutions, and the like. I’d say know your derivatives and anti-derivatives forward and backward and be assured in that topic, and it’ll help you to not only see when to use these, but why it makes sense.
I would say the most important ground knowledge would be to know the derivatives to trig functions: e(x), ln(x), sec(x), csc(x), etc. Not knowing these fluidly will slow you down in your work and on exams.
The advice I’d give to myself in the beginning of this semester is practice makes perfect. From what I’ve seen on other people’s tests and my own tests, one of the problems that practically causes your test scores to hemorrhage is incorrect notation. If you can’t get your notation down, no matter how well you know the general concept, you’ll lose a lot of points that you deserve to have. Knowing the notation can also give you a bit of extra insight into what everything means– they are written there for a reason, after all. Whichever method of practice suits you the best is what you should do, but practice your execution of the problems so that you can not only get the right answer, but get full credit. The notation also keeps you on your toes a bit for double-checking yourself.
Well i agree with you, notation does provided an insight to the type of problem one is doing. I learned the hard way during a test how important the professor feels about notation, with all the negative points I got.
Well I would start by telling them to brush up on what they did in calculus 1. The most important thing I would tell them is not to be afraid to speak up, when they do not fully understand a certain topic. Most student are afraid to raise their hand to asks a question because they feel shy. They are worried what others would say. I feel that when the professor had us introduce our self to another class mate make it easier to speak up in class without feeling shy. If you do not understand a topic discussed in week 3 then it will make it difficult to understand week 4, and by the time to try to fix the problem you start falling more and more be hide. Also to take advantage of tutoring in the school. It’s not a bad idea to ask classmate for help when you do not understand.
i agree with you george especially when you mentioned that we have to ask more and more questions that we dont feel comfortable with and that dont make sense to us since the professors see their teaching from their point of view making them believe that everybody is following them at the same steps.
Jeremy Li 1575/6637
what i will say is never fall behind in your studies. Always keep up with the work actually, never slack with this stuff. Calculus isn’t a game! Always ask questions when you don’t understand the material. One topic i have trouble is with volume cylinders. That topic was especially hard to me because i couldn’t grasp the physical three dimensional part of the topic. In order for me to understand it, i had to draw it out so i could understand it clearly. Drawing the picture out really really helps in understanding the problem. Prior to coming into Calc II you should really know your derivatives well. you wont be able to do integrals and anti-derivatives if you don’t know your derivatives well. BE PREPARED! GOOD LUCK!
Melissa Miltz
Section 6638
1. What do you wish that you had been told at the start of this class, to help you succeed?
I think it would have been helpful to know how much time would be involved in taking this class and how crucial a time-management plan would be. I didnât realize how different this class would be from Calc I and that I would need to dedicate even more time to studying for exams, as well as completing Webwork and OpenLab assignments. I might have not taken on such a heavy course load this semester had I known how demanding this class would be.
2. Choose one topic in the course that is especially challenging. Identify it, and give advice to students trying to master that topic.
One topic that I found particularly challenging was that of âinfinityâ. Since itâs difficult to visualize something that has no bounds, working with it took getting used to. Sometimes, in order to help me figure out what certain expressions containing âinfinityâ meant, I would enter the expression into my calculator, but instead of âinfinityâ I entered a very large number, like 1,000,000,000. Then I would do that a second time, but with an even larger number (like adding another three zeros). For ânegative infinityâ I would use a similar method and enter in a number like .00000000001, and keep adding zeros for each iteration. This method helped me observe the trend of the expression so that I could more easily understand how to answer the question with regards to âinfinityâ.
3. What is the most important prior knowledge (not taught in the class) that you need in order to succeed? Why is it important?
This seems to be the popular answer, but it really is true! The most important prior knowledge to have is probably that of derivatives. Since derivatives are the basis for doing integrals, they are key. Similarly, itâs very important to remember the chain and quotient rules, as they come back to haunt you. Not only that, but remembering and understanding the idea behind them can help understand certain methods of taking integrals.
Koonhoi Xie Math 1575 (6638)
I decided to comment on all 3.
1) Coming into cal 2 with the same professor, my initial expectation for the class was it’s similar to cal 1. Boy was I wrong. I wish I was told that studying ahead of time is extremely critical in succeeding. My greatest failure was trying to play catch up instead of staying ahead.
2) For me, the most challenging topic was figuring out which integration technique to use on a given problem. My only advice is be familiar with the application of every integral technique and just practice a lot. Make problems for yourself, refer to the book and use any other resources you could find.
3) Prior knowledge of basic algebra, trigonometric functions, taking derivatives and antiderivatives is crucial if you want to succeed in this class. I cannot stress that enough. This subject is fast pace, and without these prior knowledge, you’ll likely fall behind. If you have this mentality – Stay ahead = on time, on time= late, you should have no problem. I wish I knew this beforehand.
Igor Myshchenko Mat 1575 6638
1) It would be very helpful at the start of semester to be informed about additional resources that could be used in order to assist us with some of difficulties. For example, website Wolfram Alpha, helped me with integration examples from homework that included through-full explanation of almost any level of difficulty problem. The other resource that i found to be very helpful for me was YouTube. There are tons of very good videos where teachers professionally explain different kinds of topics in Calculus absolutely for free.
My advice for student who gona take cal 1575 next smester is – do not miss any topic in cal 1 and do not loose the notes because you will need it in cal 2 too see some basic things . Bottom line is everything is hard if you do not do hard work or try it again and again. If you guys are taking cal 2 next smester it means you already pass college aljebra , pre cal and now in cal 1 which is also good , so never give up and always do book problems , all hw and review for every test which your professor give to you. try to become expert in limit , derivative and integral before getting into cal 2 because all cal 2 is based on limit , antiderivative , integration so if you do not basic like derivative , integration then you can see a tough time so be prepared .
I think the most essential quality one must have prior to this class is perseverance. The reason being is that some of the topics in this class might be intimidating and could discourage you at the moment. I think it is completely normal to not completely understand a topic fully right after a lesson. The trick is really to keep practicing and identify what it is that you really do not understand, then simply find the answer to that problem. This is extremely important because I myself remember long nights doing webwork homework, I would get stuck on a problem but I would tough it out, and get the answer even if it took me an hour. The gratification you get after you solve that problem is almost unexplainable; it really makes you feel good!
I personally believe the most important prior knowledge you need to know to succeed in Calc II is your algebra. In Calc I as well as Calc II having sharp algebra skills is essential. I didn’t even know until about 3 weeks ago when I was looking for the table of contents that the textboook has an Algebra review section at the very beginning of the book, stressing its importance.
Having sharp algebra skills is very important and will allow you to manipulate certain problems and make them easier to solve; whether you’re multiplying by the reciprocal instead of dividing by a fraction, converting a radical to an exponent, knowing when to complete the square, long division of polynomials, etc. Some of the best calculus students are the ones with the sharpest algebra skills.
Keyla Arana 1575/6637
At the start of the class, I wish I would’ve been told to make sure to come to EVERY class and not come in late. So my advice to new students would be manage your time wisely, make sure you attend every class. I remember one time I didn’t attend class due to a health issue, and when I came back to the next class, I was completely lost and clueless. The same thing applies if you’re late, because you can miss anything, especially something important. If you do plan on not attending class, however, my advice is that you plan to copy someones notes, specifically a person who pays attention, and understands the material well.
Rupa Drikpalsingh Mat1575/6637
The advice Iâd give to myself in the beginning of this semester is study, study, study ! Calculus II is very time consuming and a lot of work, know your derivatives and trig function because it will help you with integration which is the majority of this class. Also try to form study groups because sometimes your peers can explain a concept in a way you can understand. And if the professor offers extra credit, DO IT !! It will help boost your grade, especially if you don’t do well on an exam. All in all just do the homework and review problems in the textbook because before you know it your onto another topic. Before you know it finals are here and the semester is over so just do the work.
Musaib Ahmed Math 1575/ 6637
First of all, Cal II is not a easy math course. You have to study and you need to know all the function in Calculus I. Also, you have to very good with your algebra. Next, you need to work with your friend’s as much as you can. Use facebook, skype, yahoo what ever you can. I find series and sequence is tough. You have to know all the test for convergent and divergent. By looking at the function, you have to determine that which test you are going to use. It’s really tough. If you don’t practices them, you will not be able to do good in the class. You need to know all the derivatives rules and trig functions. If you know all derivatives and trig function, it will be much easier to survive in the Cal II class.
nazir ahmed 1575 section code 6638
I personally thought Calc-II was easier than Calc-I… but everyone is different I guess,
If your having problems with a specific section (like integrals and such, then just do the practice problem as much as you can from the book or internet. spend at-least one hours in a day to solving some problem … do not look up the answers unless your done with the problem. if its possible i will recommend to read the all chapter before you start solving any question.I found it easier but I think that is because of the instructor. he is really good at teaching the calculus 2. the way he teach us its really easy,he explain every single question step by step. and before the every exam he gave us the review sheet, and if you spend time on review sheet and if you know how to do the every single question from the review sheet, from my opinion i think you can answer 95% in every exam. Math is the subject where you really have to spend some time for solving problem.
lol i feel the same way as well. When i took cal 1 the first time, I had a hard time understanding the concepts and struggled drastically. However, when it came to calculus 2, everything is built primarily on calculus 1. In a way after i understood the topics and the concepts involving the topics, CALCULUS, as a whole became so much easier.
Calculus II is hard but not that hard if you practice over and over. For this class you have to have strong base on calculus I, which makes it much more easier. Calculus I is taking derivative and Calculus II is all about going backward using much more formulas that we have had in calculus I. In this class you will learn lot of amazing thing that will make will make you wonder. This class also require for higher physics class. This class will help you to measure all the different shaped figure, which is not possible to solve using other methods besides Calculus.
I’m sorry that reply was a mistake. by the way are you sure about 95%?
I wish I was told at the beginning of this course is that time management and practice are absolutely essential if you want to pass this course. Also to create a study group if you can, it makes the class easier if you work with others if you’re having problems in this course. Doing the homework is very important as well, if there is a topic you don’t fully understand, address the situation EARLY before its too late.
Fengming Tan
MAT 1575 section# 6637
When I first came to this class, I was reminded that I should understand clearly of each topic and its concept. In order to understand every detail of this course, I needed to be present in the class to understand them better and pay more attention to the professor. More importantly, I needed to complete my homework. In this class, one of the most difficult topics is Taylor series for me. For this topic, I was so confused about the concept and definition. So then, I tried my best to study for this topic again and again every single day. And now, I finally understand the definition and concepts of Taylor series. Conclusively, I found out that patience is the most important variable to understand the deep concept of the mathematics. According to my experience, practicing more and being patient are the most elements in math class. More importantly, to understand the meaning of every term in a formula is very significant in this course. Again, being patient and being alert to every concept are prior elements that we need. There is no shortcut in the way you get succeed in mathematics.
Ximena Morocho Calculus II/6637
At the beginning of this semester I knew that Calc II was going to take a lot of practice and time. I wish that I had been told to balance my time between work and school and put school as a priority. Time is very important in calculus because a lot of the topics in this course require you to practice over and over again. Another thing I would tell students is to study in groups and do not be afraid to ask the professor if you need extra help. Its always better to over study in courses like calculus because it makes taking an exam so much easier.
I totally agree with your advise. Its very important that you spend a lot of time to practice the math. No matter how good you are, it’s very important to practice. Group study helped me a lot, so I would highly recommend the new students to do the same thing. Try to form a group meeting before your exam, it will help you to understand the topic better.
Mahendra Seepersaud 1575/6637
My advice for doing well in Calculus 2 is for student to review their Calculus1 material on derivatives. Calculus 2 picks up directly after that material with integration. With integration, you are essentially working backwards from the results of a derivative problem, in a sense reverse engineering the answers of a derivative problem to get back to the original question. In addition, there are several resources where you can get a great refresher for calculus review. One particular website that has helped me greatly is http://patrickjmt.com/ . The instructor speaks clearly and really takes his time to explain his procedures. Furthermore, he also has a variety of other Mathematical videos dealing with Algebra, Statistics and Trigonometry.
Haha the famous Patrickjmt has been my 2nd professor throughout this entire course. My advice to everyone is to use him for (not only this course) but for any other math course you may take in the future as an extra hand of assistance.
In order to succeed in Calculus 2, you need a good intuition of calculus one derivatives and a good amount of knowledge for trig functions. Do not screw yourself over by thinking you can get by without knowing these. Integrating trig functions probably had to be the most difficult session to understand. I haven’t mastered the integration of trig functions to give any sound advice other than practice makes perfect…with any subject or topic. The most important tool i came into calc 2 with was the rules of derivatives. Its a good portion of the foundation of calculus. Just do the damn work and pass.
endri domi 1575/ 6637
as we all know by this far, calculus needs a lot of hours of work and it is not simple like calculus one where there are only 3-4 kind of formulas that you need to remember in order to solve a derivative. i wish i would have put more time studying especially for exams, plus webwork and openlab which boost your grade up.
in this class we not only have to remember certain of rules but we also have to work out problems before applying this certain rule or law in order to solve it and i think this is a little difficult, where i should have concentrated more.
having a partner or two and working problems out with each other would be a great help for you and your partners to get better grades.
Jiarong Mei
3. Well, I would not say a lot of prior knowledge is nesseary, it may be good to have them especially knowledge involving your derivative tables, and integration tables, but more important than those rules is your ability to stay focused and patient, unlike prior math material some of these problems that you may encounter in Calc 2 is time consuming and a lot of them does not have a conventional way of solving it, in a sense you are more in control of how you want to solve a problem than when you were in per say algebra courses. In Calc 2 you are given rules, ALOT of them, and how you want to use them, and for what problem you use them for is strictly up to you. If you are good in calc 2 it seems you are able to think outside the box using the rules that are given to you.
Calculus II is hard but not that hard if you practice over and over. For this class you have to have strong base on calculus I, which makes it much more easier. Calculus I is taking derivative and Calculus II is all about going backward using much more formulas that we have had in calculus I. In this class you will learn lot of amazing thing that will make will make you wonder. This class also require for higher physics class. This class will help you to measure all the different shaped figure, which is not possible to solve using other methods besides Calculus.
Theo Zeng – Section 6638
The most important prior knowledge that anyone should know before taking calculus II is to know your derivatives. It is one of the most important aspect to grasp calculus II. Other factors include your knowledge of trigonometry and basic algebra. Knowing how to do those can help tremendously. Just practice doing these problems before you take Calc II and you should be able to understand it pretty well.
Zekeba Browne 1575/Section6638
1) What do you wish that you had been told at the start of this class, to help you succeed?
I wish that I had been told the level of difficulty that this course was. I’m a strong believer that this has to be the toughest of the 3 calculus courses but because of the amount of content it contains.
2) Choose one topic in the course that is especially challenging. Identify it, and give advice to students trying to master that topic.
Two words: Trigonometric Substitution
This topic easily has to be the most challenging topic to learn in calculus 2. They’re the more (if not the most) lengthy problems that exist in this course. Not only that, there are a lot of old & newly acquired trigonometric knowledge that you must incorporate with solving these problems.
3) What is the most important prior knowledge (not taught in the class) that you need in order to succeed? Why is it important?
In my opinion, the most important prior knowledge that you need in order to succeed in this class is all of the trigonometric ideas/identities. It’s very important since it’s a lot of information needed to be learned. And if you already know it, it’s less of a bulk for students to learn throughout the rest of the course. If you have this knowledge down pat, the rest of the class should be fairly easy to follow through with.
Going into Mat1575, I would hope they just took Mat1475 the prior semester. It is really easy to forget that you have learned after a long period of time. So if you did not take Mat1475 the semester before, remember to brush up a lot on your derivatives. Even though we learn about integrals, derivatives can be used to check your answer. It is also used in various methods such as the substitution method. And as always, practice makes perfect. Remember to do the openlab and webwork assignments. Practice makes perfect.
Jigme woser
6637
First and foremost is to make sure you make friends and get in touch with them it’s good to have friends and contact them when you are having issues working on your problem and you can always plan and meet up with them and study together . Practice your integrals and make sure you know your derivatives as well because when you do anti derivative you suddenly forget how to do derivative . Stay focus and try not to fall behind do your homework and if you do all of them you should be in good shape through out the semester good luck .Â
Patrick Chen section 6637
I wish someone gave me useful advice once I enrolled on calculus II and hopefully I would have listened to them. One advice that I would pass down to future calculus II students is, DO THE HOMEWORK. if you are able to do the homework problems, the exams will be easy. Calculus II is not an easy class, and you have to maximize the amount of study. If possible try to form a study group or study with someone smarter than you. All the help will be useful even if it is from the teacher. Calculus II is not an easy class, don’t take it lightly.
I instantly agree. Homework is the best option to being able to understand the material. I wish I had known that it wouldn’t be as easy as the others when I started. I agree with your every word.
Joshua Ruiz:
What do you wish that you had been told at the start of this class, to help you succeed?
If there was one thing I could have been told, it would probably be that studying should be self-mandated. Calculus II is by far the most confusing mathematics course I have taken, and that’s taking into account all of the difficulty levels for starting different types of math courses. The work can be lengthy and rigorous and I think that should be established at the beginning as well, to mentally prepare a student for it. Most other courses were a breeze, if not all and could be passed with minimal effort and flying colors. Calculus II is a monster of its own however. Know that it will be a challenge and will require diligence and plenty of time invested.
Taslima Akther
(Monday and Wednesday) (4-5:45)
The most important prior knowledge that you need in order to succeed is to know the chain rule and how to do derivatives. It is very important to know these, other wise you will have very difficulty understanding any new topics. These stuff comes back a lot. Almost all the new topics in calculus II has some kind of link to derivatives and the chain rules. Its very important to be head of the game other wise it gets very hard to catch up with the others.
Jishan Biswas
MAT 1575, sec 6638
In order to succeed in Calculus 2, The most important prior knowledge that anyone should know is to know all the rules of taking derivatives. Students should also have a clear concept about geometry, trigonometry and algebra. for those students who are good in cal 1, cal 2 won’t be that much hard. However, students should take cal 2 right after the cal 1. according to me, the hardest portion of cal 2 is the sequence and series problems. in order to solve those problems, students need to come to every single class and listen to the instructor’s lecture. limits are also important for this class. group work will help a lot in order to do well in this class.
If given the opportunity to give myself a ford of advice before I took calc II it would be be patient and DON’T THROW OUT YOUR PRE-CALC NOTES!!!! It is important to be patient because math is a difficult concept to grasp when you are frustrated. The steps are long and tedious and one minor error (like forgetting to write ‘+c’ or forgetting to carry over the ‘-‘ sign), will cause your work to be wrong.
Another thing I would tell myself is “you can use UNLIMITED brackets to keep your work organized. Too often I tried to make sense of what I was doing and I found out it would’ve been way easier to keep things separated with brackets and parentheses. If there is anything positive I can take from the semester is it is very helpful to use different color ink. Keeping my work, the work from the board and definitions id different colors helped me realize where I make my mistakes and it makes it easier to find definitions and theorems when I am looking for them.
Daniel Edwards Section 6638
The most important prior knowledge you need not taught in this class would be knowing your derivatives, antiderivatives and the associated rules that go along with them. Having these at the back of your mind would help you solve problems quicker, easier, and they are overall good things to know. Not having to brush up on these skills will save you time, stress, and you will be more successful in this class.
prosenjit das
MAT 1575 sec6638
My advise for the next semester students is that they know all the derivative rules, geometric functions and trigonometric functions before learning integral because you will find it hard to learn integration without these. These are the little things that are very easy to forget. And students shouldn’t delay taking Cal 2 right after cal 1. I think series and sequences are very challenging and many rules are included to find integral, to overcome this students should focus on lecture and take every single valuable notes in class. Other thing, if students don’t understand they should ask for some help from professors. Prof. Reitz is very helpful. I think students should practice math in their own not only a single time and also, group work works all the time. It really helps.
I totally agree with you that group work works all the time. I also find it very helpful.
At the start i would tell everyone to remember to actually work problems out and don’t stop until all the computation is done, at times if a problem is left undone you may KNOW IT, but you don’t really know it.. Take clear notes (for those with bad penmanship). And remember to look through the book at times, when i was looking through it i understood most of it since problems were from the book. Also that Calculus 1 is called One for a reason !
it would be very important for the future students to follow:
Take every topic serioiusly,
Attend All Classes
Always ask questions
I would tell everyone to review all the trig functions and the derivatives. I would tell them to come to class on time and do all the home works. Doing home works really helps to be better. And to take series and sequences seriously because I find it the most difficult topic to understand.
Stanislav Podolski 6638
The material covered in Calc2 is vast, that is why it is impossible to cover each topic in detail in class. I would say one of the most important things to do â is to practice at homeâŚ.and yeah, I agree with alamin163, review trigonometry â it really helps, because youâll be doing a lot of simplification involving trig functions.
David Chen
MAT 1575 sec6638
My advise is that they know all the derivative rules and trigonometric functions before learning integral because you will find it hard to learn integration without these. Also you shouldnât delay taking Cal 2 right after cal 1 since you might forget about the thing you learn in cal 1. Other thing, if students donât understand they should ask for some help from professors. Prof. Reitz is very helpful or go to the learning center
My advice would be to make sure you know all your trig functions. I feel like that’s the one piece of information that I found most irritating to try and learn throughout the class. Also to be aware of webwork; if it is still in tact for semesters to come in this class, I feel like it’s a tricky homework base that doesn’t help a lot in giving you a learning tool of the subject if youre not fully aware how to solve a problem.
Internet homework base*
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