Comment due Sunday March 10
MAT 2580 students’ instructions
MAT 2580 students, the instructions here are not for you! Do not comment on this post! See the post with your instructions over on the MAT 1375 site.
MAT 1375 students’ instructions
MAT 1375 students, welcome to the MAT 2580 site! The students in MAT 2580 are learning linear algebra. So far, they have learned generalizations of the type of algebra you would have seen in your high school or college algebra class.
MAT 2580 has MAT 1575 (Calculus II) as a pre- or co-requisite, which has MAT 1475 (Calculus I) as a prerequisite, which has MAT 1375 (your class) as a prerequisite!
So the MAT 2580 students are like future versions of you, who have already passed MAT 1575. Even if you are not going to take MAT 2580 yourself, you probably have questions that the MAT 2580 students could answer.
- Maybe you’d like to ask them what skills or material they think is most important from MAT 1375?
- Maybe you’d like to ask them what they wish they’d learned better from MAT 1375 or from any of their other math courses?
- Maybe you’d just like to ask them how they succeeded in MAT 1375 or in any of their other math courses or how they prepare to take a math test?
- Maybe you have a more personal question for them like what their major is, what they like about differential equations, what they liked about Calculus or Algebra, or what other math classes they have to take?
Now’s your chance to get some advice from students who are a bit ahead of where you currently are on their math journeys!
So, your instructions for this assignment are simple: in the comments below, ask the MAT 2580 students any questions you like.
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 I’ll approve any questions (as long as they are not too inappropriate). Anyone who asks a question will earn participation credit.
Hello, other than going to office hours and asking questions during lectures (and probably searching up online lectures), what other methods do you have established to help yourself gain more of an understanding of the topics learned in class. Am trying to fix myself up a proper study routine.
I would say one of the methods is to practice. I think your homework is from webwork but not questions from the textbook right. As we know webwork asks for only the final answers without steps, please don’t just put down the answers from online websites but try to do the questions yourself so you can have better understanding of the knowledge and know how to use the equations.
Hey, so other then going to office hours and listening to the professor and seeing her do some problems on the board. What are other ways to understand the assignments better and the work better? Also how do you prepare yourself the day before the test?
Like you said, listening to the professor is a must. If you are good at taking notes (not my case, I take pictures of everything written on the board), make sure you do so following the same approach that the professor is teaching. If you combined the 2 (listening and your notes), it is like having the professor, giving you the lecture over and over again in your head.
This is quite helpful for the assignments. What I do is I usually take my time with the first problem. I take my notes and go over step by step (this is where you use the lecture in your head) until I reach an answer. Don’t try to take shortcuts and write everything down as neatly as possible keeping yourself organized. If you do this a couple of times, you will be finding yourself visualizing the process which can help you speed up. This is quite helpful for tests. Rather than memorizing a formula or algorithm to solve a problem, you can start by writing down the process as it may help you visualize the rest.
Take good notes. It sounds simple I know but taking good detailed notes is really helpful to me and writing down the samples with step by step instructions will help you when studying for a test. Also, spend time memorizing formulas for the lessons, you don’t what a cheat sheet. and there are a lot of formulas. it can get overwhelming
Hello! How many Hours a week do you all in math 2580 spend studying? obviously asking for help during class and office hours is useful, but math is really hands on and one can only improve through repetition. Putting in the time matters.
Good night! Hoping that you are all well and congratulations on making it so far math wise. A question I have is whether you’ve used everything from precalc/calculus and what’s the best way (or any methods used) to prepare for an exam/just commit things to memory in general. I understand that math typically builds off itself in order to reach the next topic but (for me at least) it is definitely challenging trying to memorize everything and some things slip between the cracks now and then. Thank you in advance and have a great week!
Hi, I am not going to say that you use everything that you have learned because I definitely do not use everything that I have learned from pre calc or calc. However, you do utilize the understanding of the material pretty often. For example, you may not review every equation, but some topics may make better sense depending on your understanding of certain topics from previous classes. As for preparation, practice is always the best way to understand and be more familiar with certain problems and concepts. I would say do practice problems (from the textbook or from what you find online) and try doing them yourself while having resources (your notes, YouTube videos, professors, or other classmates) to help if you get stuck. If you want to take it a step further, you can even make your own formula sheet or “cheat sheet” so that you can refer to important equations and concepts that you want to have handy or that you notice you constantly forget.
Hey my name is Virendra Mohandeo i am a person where math does not come easy to me. So what ways can you say i can better prepare for test or find methods to understand some of the things taught in class more.
Hey Virendra, my name is Yusuf. I’m in the Mat 2580 class. I’m also a person who usually struggles with math. One thing that helps me is making sure I understand rules and topics by doing practice problems outside of class. For me, once I understand the rule, it comes down to just practicing over and over until it becomes easier. Another thing is using outside sources like Youtube. I find that occasionally, if I don’t understand something in class, if I watch a video on it and it’s explained in a different way, that may help better my understanding. Hope this helps and Best of Luck to you!
Hey Virendra, to better prepare for math tests and improve understanding of class material, consistent practice is essential. Identify the topics that challenge you the most and seek help from teachers or online resources when needed. Utilize textbooks, tutorials, and videos to reinforce learning and explore different problem-solving strategies. Visual aids like diagrams can help grasp abstract concepts, while relating math to real-life situations makes it more engaging. Regularly reviewing material and staying positive about your progress are key. Additionally, practicing test-taking strategies under timed conditions can improve confidence during exams. By following these steps, you can build your math skills and feel more confident in your abilities over time.
Hey, so besides going to office hours and using class lectures as a resource. What are other ways to succeed in this course? I like to watch Organic Chemistry Tutor and Brian on Youtube to help with some topics. Also, what is the best way to prepare for exams?
“Hello, could you please explain to me the difference between learning advanced mathematics and regular mathematics?
In Advanced mathematics it is more about formulas and algorithms, in regular math it is more about regular equations, derivatives ,etc.
Hello, Something I always struggle with in math is retaining the information I learn because there is so much material to memorize. Do you have any advice on how to remember all the material you learn for final exams and future math classes? Thank you
To help myself remember math better, I practice problems regularly and explain the steps out loud. I review my notes over several days instead of cramming all at once. I use simple tricks or stories (mnemonics) to remember formulas and try to link different math ideas together to see how they relate. I keep my notes organized for easy review and make sure to study in a quiet place. Also, I find that getting enough sleep and staying hydrated helps my brain work better.
Hello, what are some methods do you have that helps you to better remember the material?
For me proving formulas myself or studying their proof and where they come from helps. When I studied Calculus 1 and 2, I took my time and proved every single formula on the book, now years later I still remember almost all the theorems. When you understand, you don’t need to remember. Also I like solving a lot of practice problems.
What topics do you wish you had mastered during your MAT1375 course? and how does it relate to your MAT 2580 course?