In your opinion what's the hardest material in College Calculus?

Question

My school has quarters instead of semesters, so there are 4 classes for Calculus. They're described as: Caclulus1 (Differentiation), Calculus2 (Integration), Calculus3 (Sequences Series Coordinate Systems) Calculus4 (Several Variables). I just finished Calculus 2 and I'm wondering if the next classes are easier or harder.

Answer 1

Integration is a high-order bi*ch for most people because it's almost like factoring (only backwards). But I've taught University Calculus many times and the one that seems to give most people the most problems was integration of arc-lengths, surfaces, volumes, hyper-volumes, etc. in multi-dimensional vector spaces (multiple variable vector spaces). Everybody seems to want to 'picture' what a 4D (or higher) space 'looks' like and they get themselves confused. Remember that a 'dimension' simply means a measurement (of something) that can't be derived from the other measurements.

For example, a group of students may be 'measured' for height, weight, age, hair color, eye color, and what State they were born in. Bingo!! you have just 'created' a 6 dimensional 'space' in which each student may be represented as a 'vector'. Now you do need some way to measure eye color and hair color (this is called a 'metric' ) and the 'State born in' consists of only 50 points so it's certainly not 'continuous' (in the usual sense). But it's *still* a 6D space because you can't 'derive' any of the measurements from all of the others. (We like to say they're 'linearly independent' ☺)

If you accept the definitions as just what they are: words that describe something, study the practice problems (don't just look at them and say, "That's kewl." Set down and work through them), and work lots of problems, you won't have any real problems with *any* math class you'll ever take.

Yes, it's hard work and it's time consuming. But if it was easy, any asshole could do it ☺


Doug

Answer 2

I have been tutoring and teaching these classes for years and feel as if the series is the hardest conceptual and needs the most inventive thinking. Several Variables is easy as long as you can do the first three. Integration is probably the hardest for most people just because it takes the most amount of time to be good at integration. To be able to calc 2 well you need to spend a lot of time. I had the hardest time with series, but had the most fun with them.

Answer 3

I found several variables much much easier, once I got through differentiation and integration. Your classes might be HARDER however, because you do 3 semesters worth of work in a single year.

Answer 4

In my adventure, Calculus isn't difficult except you have a foul instructor. I recommend you purchase a calculus e book that explains ideas to boot as '3000 solved issues in calculus' (Schaum's define) for extra examples and practice. learn somewhat conventional over the summer. The %. in college is definitely lots quicker so it somewhat is extra useful to get forward now than be under pressure out later. additionally, you are going to be able to desire to possibly discover a cyber web skype instruct by using Craigslist.

Answer 5

Integration and differentiaon

Answer 6

My calculus instructor told the class that calculus never gets easier; it only gets harder.

I found that he didn't lie to us.

Answer 7

I'm told that integration is the most infuriating of them all. They all have their challenges, but integration is the hardest.

Answer 8

The desks