Comment due Sunday, October 20
MAT 1375 studentsâ instructions
MAT 1375 students, the instructions here are not for you! Do not comment on this post! See the post with your instructions over on the MAT 2580 site.
MAT 2580 studentsâ instructions
MAT 2580 students, welcome to the MAT 1375 site! Some of you probably took MAT 1375 at CityTech but for those of you who didnât: MAT 1375 is CityTechâs Precalculus course. The students in this class are learning about graphs of different types of functions.
So the MAT 1375 students are like past versions of you! Theyâre a few semesters behind where you are in their math journeys. What advice do you have for them to help them succeed?
- Maybe youâd like to tell them what skills or material you think is most important from MAT 1375 or any of the other math classes you took before MAT 2580?
- Maybe youâd like to tell them what you wish theyâd learned better from MAT 1375 any of the other math classes you took before MAT 2580?
- Maybe youâd just like to tell them how you have succeeded in your math classes or how to prepare for a test?
- Maybe youâd like to tell them something more personal like what your major is, what you like about differential equations, what you liked about Precalculus, or what other math classes you have to take?
Your instructions for this assignment are simple: in the comments below, give the MAT 1375 students some unsolicited advice.
Since you have not commented in this group before, your comments will not appear right away. They have to be approved by the administrator first, but the administrator is me and Iâll approve any advice (as long as it is not too inappropriate). Anyone who offers any advice will earn participation credit.
My advice for any math classes, especially as they get harder, is to pay attention in lecture! Actively listen to your professor, write down notes, and ask questions when something is confusing you. Math builds on itself throughout the year, but if you can understand (or try to understand) what your professor is teaching you as you learn it, you’ll make your life much easier when you go to study or do the math on your own. Adding to that, doing the assigned homework right after you learned a new concept will help you get assignments done more efficiently and will expose you to the concepts you need to spend more time with before the next class.
one question/piece of advice i would love is, what were study habits you found effective and what was your course of action when preparing for exams?
One piece of advice I can give for this course is simply to listen along and take notes. I know it’s something you should be doing anyway but it really does help. However, I would say the most important part of this is to keep these notes and not throw them away. Precalculus, as assumed from the name, is a course before calculus meant to help you prepare for calculus. These notes will help for calculus and depending on exactly what is taught, maybe even statistics.
My advice to the students in MAT1375 is to familiarize yourself with different functions like trig functions, quadratic, exponential and logarithmic. Try to “memorize” what each function looks like. They all have specific characteristics that make them different from one another. Also, try to play around with these functions. When I say “play around ” , I mean try to move the function on a graph and see how that affects the equation of it. Example: What happens to quadratic functions when you move two units up? Ans: y =x^2 shifted upwards is y=x^2+2.
You can use the Oragnic Chemistry Tutor Youtube channel to understand the concepts better.
Lastly, ASK QUESTIONS. No matter how simple the question might be, don’t be afraid to ask it.
The most important advice to do well in any of your math courses is by finding out a way to focus and practice a lot. Take advantage of the practice-exam/lecture problems that your math professor provides to you, or webwork questions. For me, a way to stay focused is to play lo-fi Musics in the background at a low volume.
I think Precalculus is particularly crucial as it equips you with the foundational concepts necessary for understanding more advanced courses.If we struggle to keep pace with the material in our precalculus course, i might risk lagging behind our classmates.
Math isn’t complex when you take the time to learn and understand the fundamentals. The fundamentals are the building blocks for all you will learn; sometimes you need to return to the basics and take it one step at a time. My advice is to ask for help even if you think you don’t 100% need it. Most of the time our ego/pride gets in the way and we don’t want to admit that we are struggling until we are at a low don’t wait till then before using the tutoring center or YouTube, make a study group go to the office hours; find a way in which works best for you.
Taking a math class can feel intimidating, but with the right approach, you can set yourself up for success. Start by keeping a positive mindsetâremind yourself that math is a skill you can build over time, not something youâre naturally âgoodâ or âbadâ at. Engage actively with the material by asking questions, practicing regularly, and seeking help when you need it, whether thatâs from your teacher, classmates, or online resources. Break down challenging problems into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Remember, itâs okay to make mistakes; theyâre an important part of learning. Finally, try to connect math concepts to real-life situations or interests, which can help make the material feel more relevant and easier to understand.