Calculus, the hardest math?

Question

Is pre-calculus/calculus really all that difficult. I have heard alot of things about it. One of my teachers once said, "You will have to take pre-cal next year, or it will take you." What's really makes it so difficult.

Answer 1

If you decide to become a math major in college, precal/calculus will be the least of your difficulties. You'll have to learn real+complex analysis, topology, fourier math, stochastic calculus and so on.

Calculus is not that hard. The two biggest concepts are rate of return and areas - seriously that's it. What trips most people up, as with many things in math, is lack of practice. I'm not great at math by any means, and I had a huge hangup over integral calculus for a long, long time. But because I was forced to do it at college, the practice made me more confident with it.

I'd say, pay attention in math class and then get a hold of books that just have tons of problems (with answers at the back).

Answer 2

Precalc is a snap if you have a handle on intermediate algebra. All it is is advanced algebra. In fact, almost the entire precalc course in high school (I'm assuming that is what we are talking about) is Alg2, just at a slightly more formalized level. The only difference is that trig is developed in depth, and trig identities can be a pain if you don't study them, and the introduction to calculus, which is also Algebra2 level, but with some really funky notations and what not.

I have taught precalc, and business calc, and in my opinion, Precalc and Calc 1 are two of the funnest math classes you could take.

Of course, it depends on the quality of the teacher, but also on the attitude of the student.

Enjoy math!

Answer 3

Calculus is pretty easy, actually. Don't be intimidated.


Conceptually, it's new. I suppose this is where it gets some people. There are a lot of new things to understand and learn, such as limitation, derivation and integration. But beyond that, the mathematics in calculus isn't very hard to do...it's pretty mundane and requires practice like everything else...

Atleast in highschool it isn't hard, until more advanced university level calculus when you get into applied derivatives and integration.

Answer 4

Out of all my university math classes (precalc, calcI-4, vector analysis, linear algebra, complex variables, numerical methods, differential equations, adv. linear analysis), I got the worse grade in pre-calc.

Then again, if I had a teacher who could have spoken clearly (english was def. not his first language), things might have been easier.

I've found, math classes are as good or as bad as your teacher.

If you have a good grip on your mathematics now, I'm sure you'll do fine at the college level. When ever you work a problem, just be sure to ask yourself or your professor, "Where does this apply to a real life situation?". I've found this to be a helpful way to be able to remember all the various methods.

Answer 5

Combinatorics, Linear Algebra, Topology, Differential Equations, Advanced Calculus, Abstract Algebra, and on and on. Math is endless.

Answer 6

If you are afraid of doing something then chances are it will be hard. Take it easy. The hardest part of mathematics is when you have to prove theorems.

Answer 7

Hard math is Differential equations. Even worse quantum mechanics.

Answer 8

Its not hard teachers just love making students so they would have less students to deal with duhh cause its not hard

Answer 9

yes trust me it is that hard

Answer 10

jeez, i hope not...im taking it now in 12th grade!!!! (Trig/Pre-Cal) uh-oh! lol