Also it it's been years since the student had taken a math course, getting a refresher before taking class definitely helps. Heck, if it's been over 5 years, it might be wise to retake algebra 2 at a college and work your way up from there.
It has hindered me for the best part of the last decade. I was really shocked when I got my first A in a math class which was in precalculus. I had to take it a second time though.
@@BriTheMathGuy on your list of subjects to know, you said to really get down your algebra and trigonometry skills. What about euclidean geometry? Also, you talked about algebra refresher courses in college. What about geometry refresher courses in college?
I was great in math my whole life all through senior year of high school when I took precalc. When i took calculus freshman year at u of i, i failed. I didn't see any relation to precalc, and overall couldn't grasp the concepts like i had my whole life in all my math classes. It kicked my butt. Not sure if it was the teaching style.. i feel the prof didn't explain why things were that way
The way that I passed my calculus classes (calc 1 to calc 3) with an A was after the class right away I would spend an hour to two doing calculus problems and if I couldn’t do it right after class, I would do it in the same day cause the information that I receive in the classroom would still be fresh in my mind. I would always start with simple questions so I can understand the basic concept and then move on to the harder questions, because the simpler questions will help you understand the fundamentals. I think it’s very wrong to start with hard problems, because once you start solving without any experience it’s gonna take you hours to solve that question. Another thing, make sure you understand what the professor is saying in class, because 90% of your learning comes from the classroom and the other 10% comes from you solving problems and doing your homework. I have also noticed that some people solve so many questions by memorizing what your doing, and doing that isn’t gonna really help you on the test because it’s a test! A test is supposed to test your ability of understanding the material, not your memorization of the material. But what I’m trying to say is that understanding what you’re doing and why you’re doing this is a key to passing those classes. Best of luck everyone.
I'd like to point out that in my experience with learning math, it's more like 40% comes from the classroom and 60% percent comes from you solving problems on your own, watching TH-cam explanations, reading independent articles/books, etc. But other than that, all those practices and advice that you mentioned sound like excellent ways to pass calculus, especially the part about doing it right after -- this is SO crucial to your retention and understanding; well said.
Hector Pernett I haven’t been in a calculus class so for me the learning comes from doing practice problems easy to hard, one example is weierstras substitution which is something new I’m learning about. I first started with problems like for example a pretty easy problem integral of(dx/a+sin(x)) (where (a)is a constant) and then I did one with cos(x) instead which was pretty easy for a start I also did some other what I consider easy integrals, and I’m thinking about doing a difficult problem which I’m sure most have heard about it which is the integral of sqrt(tan(x)) which is definitely going to be a challenge as I’ve seen that some videos go up to 30 min long which I haven’t seen because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it yet. Of course before I do this integral I will do some other practice problems which are to me considered hard like sin^2(x)/(sin(x)+cos(x)) from 0 to pi/2. I am just in the middle school currently so yeah I’m going to have to wait a few years until I am in a calculus class. I do also get learning experience from when people from videos and some websites like one from Lamar university ,I think, explain the concept or something that helps solve integrals like integration by parts(I’m not exactly sure what the websites called). In my honest opinion I think that most of the learning come from the people that explains how to do the work and as you do some practice problems you might learn many new things and new tactics along the way.
The way I did well in calculus was to practice even if my algebra skills weren't the best. To do well in calculus, dedication is needed. Start with simple problems to nail the actual concept and process down then expand to harder and more complex problems.
@@CarmensProjects 😂 it’s like they want students to fail. They should give hard and easy problems. Had the same problem in Algebra 1. Did Precalculus but now i haven’t gone to school due to the pandemic. So its time to do a self refresher course and self study Calculus 1 just to get a head start when i get back to class.
This guy ain't lying I saw his first video. Remembered my pi chart. Remembered my trig derivatives. And focused on improving my algebra. Got a b+ in calc 1 and an A- calc 2
@@genny1814 Hi Genaro. Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
It sucks because I've put in time and effort into my studies then when the test comes there's always that one question thats the trickiest. I usually try my best using so many different methods but I feel like by then I'm so burnt out that I can't really think about what's obvious.
AP Calc, for all intents and purposes is college level Calc I spread over 2 semesters. That's why many colleges will waive your first semester of Calculus if you score well on the AP test
@@ChungusTheLarge yes I'm aware I just thought it was funny to point out. And thats if you take ap calc ab. I'm taking ap calc bc which is calc 1 and 2 so if I score well I can waive two semesters of calc in college.
Also, mindset. Having the idea that I could never be good at math, "not a math person" is a major misconception I've had to get over (also still getting over). I failed Calc 1 first time I took it and surprisingly passed on the second try. Having a Calc prof that emphasized growth mindset really helped in my ability to even get the courage (be able to even focus) to work harder.
I am unable to get over the "not a math person" mindset😅. Every question on a test feels like I am reading sth completely foreign. Any tips to get over that mindset?
I was someone who always struggled with algebra and I failed calculus once in college. This semester I finally turned it around and got an A in calc. Yes, I did way more practice problems than I did before, but I also had a wonderful professor who emphasized learning and understanding the processes behind the theorems. She was the first math teacher I had where I felt like I really understood what was going on. Way too many math teachers, in my experience, expect students to build up their skills on memorization alone, and that is a poor teaching method.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
My advice as someone who has a masters in mathematics, don’t worry about passing test, try to go deep into the underlying principles in a subject. Your goal shouldn’t be passing test, but to truly understand how and why things work.
Kinda hard to do when college courses go at such a pace that pretty much all you can do is get just good enough to pass the exams/quizzes. Three and a half months isn't enough time to truly learn calculus.
@@zekayman Well thats why studying before the course begins is important. Anyone who expects the course itself to teach them math is gonna have a difficult time with math in general because math is not like other subjects. You have to understand the concepts, and it takes your brain time to manifest those concepts. The good thing is unlike most subjects, all of the topics covered in each level of math is predetermined, so that means you can buy books that will help you prep. I myself made the mistake of expecting the course to teach me math but then came to realize college courses are nothing more than a long review (+ credits).
@@-glitch-8195 Don't you think it's sad that what you're saying is true? That the college courses we go into debt for don't even teach us what we need to know, nevermind what we need to pass the course? Shouldn't a class teach you what its testing you on? There should be enough time, with Calculus being divided into 3 different curriculums, yet professors can be terrible, and courses are taught all wrong. My calc 1 class was amazing. The professor explained a concept, its use, and how to solve it in 30ish minutes, and then spent an hour going through example problems with the class. Nobody failed that course. Calc 2 and 3, I had teachers that sat there for the full 1hr40min class going over theorems and definitions, and then assigning book problems for home. WIthin 5 weeks of calc 2, I would estimate 50% of the class was gone. Classes are easy when the material is done in class. Hours of boredom and going over definitions that don't yet make sense, followed by a massive dump of homework, will never work.
@@zekayman HIGHLY DISAGREE. Unless you are a working student, there is more than enough time to learn Calculus properly and balance this with other classes. Stop making excuses.
I sort of agree with you on this but imo. I think the math system (common core and college math) and the way math is tought is extremely flawed and designed only to appeal to the people that follow the system
They also teach math sort of improper from a young age with common core. I've seen it before in the young kids I tutor not being able to understand what they are doing . It is only through memorization can they understand what they are doing which is very flawed.
I just finished my first semester of sophomore year with an A- in Calculus 3. Before that, I got an A in Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. I can definitely relate to what was said in the video. The homework alone is not sufficient to earn a good grade. It is extremely important to know exactly what your professor is looking for and practice book problems over and over until you understand the concept. One of the concepts that helped me most in Calculus 3 was finding out if the Field was conservative then calculating work through the scalar function. When it was first taught in class, I had a hard time learning it but after I practiced it a few times, it just came naturally. Then, when I was taking the final exam last week, I was able to solve 4/9 problems using this trick, while everyone else was calculating work by multiplying the field by the velocity vector . Calculus is a difficult subject, but it is possible to earn a decent grade with minimal effort. Just study smarter, not harder.
I hope that you'll find the extra problems you work on will drastically reduce your study time. Watch youtube videos to nail down the concepts first, then practice until it is second nature. Best of luck this summer and let me know how it goes!
BriTheMathGuy my biggest issue avoiding small errors. Given the length of problems in the course and often not so nice clean numbers, it's often quite messy while writing problems down. I am bound to make some sort of error such as forgetting to distribute a negative through the integral when doing integration by parts several times. And when I realize I made some sort of error, I need to restart all over. This is significantly more frustrating than not understanding a concept. I would like advice on how to make the problem come out cleaner on paper. Hope this makes sense.
You learn from your mistakes. Maybe you forget a negative or a d/dx or some parentheses (we all do) but after realizing your mistake, you do it again and this time it is much cleaner and correct and more rewarding. Yeah, it takes time, but you improve and so do your math skills. My personal advice (may not work for all), is to find a quiet place to work on schoolwork and don't rush while doing homework. Slow the pace down a bit as that helps avoid making more mistakes. Lastly, don't check the back of book or a solver for the answer until after you've attempted the problem and don't give up easily (be persistent) when faced with a challenging problem. Hope this helps.
I feel the same, I spend more time doing calculus than I do anything else and I don’t even always finish the homework. Started trying to do extra problems and I got even less done..
so true i failed the first time in calculus because i started uni after staying at home for 4 years i forgot everything related to algebra! the second time i took calculus i studied algebra and basic math before starting the course and it really helped me and took A+ ;) !
I'd be studying computer engineering and starting on Monday as a fresher online after staying home for 4 yrs and was bad at maths in secondary school. I wish myself the best.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
I aced my calc by sheer luck. we had this Russian visiting professor who would generously give you a B but we had to do the final problem in the test to get an A. I had enough time to write down one thing at the last minute of the test to get 2/3 partial credit. In high school. you simply have to memorize all the algorithm to solve math problems to get an A. Calculus is the first college subject that you really have to understand why you are doing what you are doing to master it and the future subjects that use it. Our Russian math professor cared much more about our approach to begin than the algebra that gets the right answer. I think this is how science and technology should progress. There's no set algorithm to scientific discoveries or invent new things. It's a creative endeavor. College calculus is a glimpse of that.
I think many freshmen coming into college are surprised by their first calculus course. I’m glad you got through yours and best of luck with whatever your plans are going forward!
@@BriTheMathGuy College calculus for me was 20 years ago :p I'm a coder in a chemical engineering firm. Interestingly, I had to discuss calculus with our summer interns regarding their coding projects
@@BallaMatt23 Acing a calculus class may sound impressive if you're still in high school. But it really isn't something to write home about. After calculus, I took a calculus based intro physics class and you better be comfortable with your calculus before walking in. The main purpose of the course, besides teaching physics, was to destroy engineering and physics majors. Only a third of the class showed up for the final exam and not everyone passed.
Thank you for the tip about doing the problems in the books vs redoing the problems in the online homework. And you are right about working the harder problems when studying for an exam. I did that for my last test and it helped a lot.
Calculus is not easy, you are totally right about practicing as much as possible. However, I do agree with what other students are saying about moving to a different section before finally grasping the entire material of one section. This is more common for students who are working and studying at the same time. I think the key is to never stop doing math. Even if you are on break between semesters, go back and do practice problem, continue challenging yourself and look at videos before entering a class. Challenging your own academic level is what makes you grow, no one likes to be stuck in one problem but that is necessary in order to continue into higher math. Never be afraid of failing a class, everyone is different and we all make mistakes. Try your best and do as much as possible.
I am going into calculus, after starting college with very little to no high school math. The most important thing I've learned is a strong foundation in the BASICs of math will take you so far. Review the basics to breeze through the hard stuff!
I really believe hard work is underrated, especially when it comes to calculus. I think any student can do well in calc by continuous and repetitive practice. I know this is not exciting, or what many students would like to hear. It of course is not the only factor, but it is usually the answer.
Danny Kyle got any tips bro? I’m doing pre calc 2 and joined my class late. I have to do week one and week 2. So far it seems tricky asf and I don’t understand the key terms my class is using. Also did u pass the class?
Hi Marina. Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
1. this isn't highschool. have conversation with your professors 2. do enough right-home-work-problems. do book problems+ do assignments + do hardest book problems given in end of every chapter 3. excel in algebra+trigonometry
My honors trig precalc teacher taught my class to understand why everything works the way it does. I think that helped us all grasp the abstract ideas of math and know how we could apply them. I think that’s what is/should be expected; not if you can memorize but rather understand the mathematics. He always said, “I’m not teaching monkeys to use their calculators. I need you guys to understand the material”.
You haven’t taken your math courses in the first 3 semesters? What school do you go to??? I was done with calc 3, differential equations and physics by my 3rd semester? Are you doing some kind of liberal arts? Business?
I really liked this video, I just failed my second calculus test and I have one more and a final. I am glad I watch this. I knew I was thinking the same way webassign are just memorization not practice and understanding. I am a traditional student that like studying from long before webassign. I wish I did do all the problems at the end of every chapter. Calculus here I am!!!!!
I shall add my proverbial 2¢ by suggesting the following. There are three types of Calculus classes dependinhg upon where one is taking the class and who is teaching. First, there is the working mathematician at a top tier university. Their exams tend being more abstract and test conceptional understanding and definitions rather computational abilities. For the example, the homework will always be routine exercises assigned and found in every calculus class but the problems on the exam will not ask taking derivate or evaluate an integral of simple functions, and not necessarily be a proof problem, e.g. what is the derivative a some given discontinuous function? Second, there is the third tier college instructor or community college teacher whose exams echo assigned homework exercises. The challenge here is straight up testing of computational ability and SPEED. Then the third type is your physicists or engineer trained instructor who knows what calculus one needs knowing for practical utility. Their exams will be problems that are more complex versions of the assigned homework problems. Pay attention to the point value of homework vs exams. Say a class has final exam worth 60% of grade, two midterms worth 15% each, leaving homework, spot quizzes, and class participation worth total of 10%, then clearly homework is not as important as how you perform on exams. Unless homework for the class is worth at least 30% or more of the total grade NEVER stress over doing homework. Do homework but don't stress like high school. You can at the very least, submit a problem set with set-up of each problem even if without solutions. Spend the time directly proportional to the points value. For every 100 minutes studying math, spend only % doing homework equal to % homework is worth. If the class is more computational based then practice, practice, practice as if preparing for the AP calculus exam. Memorization of formulae and SPEED is what is being tested. What is mentioned at the front end of the video echoes the contrast between high calculus which is very much learning how to do routine computations like prepping for the AP exam vs top tier college/university instruction which emphasizes concepts over computations.
Very good points. This helped me get an A in calc 1 & 3. Calc 2 was a B.....I never skipped a class, always arrived on time. I listened very carefully to every word the instructor said. Took a large amount of notes. Sometimes the instructor will give the class a clue as to what question(s) will be on the test, without saying it directly. Here's an example...my instructor did an integration problem in class. When done he asked the class how we would solve it if a few changes were made. Then he said "think about it". And that's all he said. Two weeks later on the test guess what question appeared? Yup, that same problem. That's why I pay attention to everything the instructor says.
I don't have time to spend forever studying for calculus I have other hard classes i need to study for but i get so depressed because math problems take me forever.
On our latest exam, they posed a question: cosinx(8 arctan(13/17) and we never covered the arc functions. That's what I usually find, they put questions in that we have no hope of answering. And, something that's in this calculus class that I never found in any other math course, is you're not given marks for legwork. Usually, a question is out of 4 and just by following procedure you can get 3/4, but not here. If the answer's not right, the question is 0.
Exams should look like what the students were supposed to study for. A little more difficult that requires a bit of thinking but it shouldn't be something way different. If I studied chain rule (Calculus I) then there is no reason I should be getting tested on integral by parts (Calculus II). I know that's an over exaggeration but professors like to pull similar stunts.
I very much agree. I went into calculus I with a very poor foundation in algebra and trigonometry. I was struggling with the course and barely managed to get by with a C average by the end of it. However, I prepped for calculus II by reviewing a calculus textbook which allowed me to review for past prerequisites of calculus in addition to being able to review concepts pertaining to differential and integral calculus with my newfound knowledge in those areas I was previously lacking in. I got a relatively easy A in calculus II.
The highest Math I ever took was precalculus 6 years ago when I got my associates. I didn't really want to keep going because I didn't want to take on student loan debt, but I think I would like to now. I was going to retake precalculus in the spring to refresh my memory before calculus but I took one look at the first assignment and I was like "I don't remember any of this." The class was clearly designed for people who just took college algebra a month before. I was going to take college algebra over the summer so I could go back even further, but the class was full. Starting next week I'm taking intermediate algebra. The plan is to take college algebra in the fall, precalculus next spring, then calculus either next summer or in the fall. I figured if i have to build up my skills all over again so be it. I'm already in a good career. This isn't like a barrier to entry to get a good job. I just want to improve my chances of securing something higher later.
I always taped the classes. The only way I could "get it" is be at home and listen to the tape line by line and do the homework. Of course if you are absolutely stumped go on youtube. There is always someone doing a tutorial how to do a problem. Before taking the class I bought the textbooks and tried to work ahead figuring it out by myself.
So I failed my first calculus test. I will definitely take this advice. I’m taking Cal 1. I failed High School Calculus and In worried for this Cal 1 in college
When going for my physics degree I got a B in Calc 1, a C+ in Calc 2, and straight Cs in Math Methods 1 & 2 (in lieu of Calc 3 & Diff. Eqs.). Moral of the story? I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED HARDER. I showed up high on weed most days, though, and had absolutely no direction. 3 years after graduating I have since buckled down and have been diligently writing notebooks such that I could surely achieve an A in every of my math classes in University. Hopefully I'll be ready for my Applied Math Master's in a year or so.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v That is actually a good question. You will need it a lot but it will come to you with the time. I used to do all the back of the book problems so I memorized it with practice but it is helpful if you memorize it before.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v I mean you can find the other cuadrants using the first one but it really depends on you and how you feel. I'm assuming you are about to take your first calculus class. I got to calculus without knowing the unit circle very well but at the end of it I knew it. It come with practice.
I can’t speak for calculus(which I will be taking soon), however I can speak for general chemistry, which doesn’t have advanced math but was at times kind of challenging. My professor was really good and we had a good relationship. I did active recall on all his lecture notes, and talked with him about what was on the exams. I focused on the material that was more than likely on the exam, and ignored the material that was less likely to be on the exam. I believe you’re correct in communicating with your professor. Just knowing what you’re going to be tested over can really help you figure out how to develop a study strategy.
I’ve taken pre algebra, college algebra, stats, pre calc, and trig, and now in preparation for calc. Im apprehensive because it feels like I’ve been working past two years towards calculus. And calc I is the only the start of my heavy math classes. ( chem student ) This video was a good reminder for me to stay in check, do my work, and don’t lose focus. Thanks
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v Know your Trig Identities, Properties of Exponents, and Properties of Logarithms well. Know the Unit Circle well, too (For evaluating trig values of (pi/6), (pi/4), (pi/3), and their reference angles, as well as for quadrantal angles (i.e., 0, (pi/2), etc.)). Remember how to find the equations of lines and certain formulas (i.e., Pythagorean Theorem, Distance Formula, and certain formulas from Geometry (i.e., area of a rectangle, area of a triangle, area of a trapezoid, area and circumference of a circle, etc.)). You should also know how to graph the basic functions (i.e., linear, quadratic, higher-degree polynomial, trig, logarithmic, exponential, absolute value, etc.), as well as how to solve equations (i.e., linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, trig), and you should also review transformations of the graphs of functions, such as reflections, horizontal and vertical shifts, and horizontal and vertical stretches and shrinks. That should help get you started.
@@herbcruz4697 How about finding the domain and range of functions algebraically? So without being given a graph. For the unit circle do I only really need to memorize the first quadrant?
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v For finding the domain of a function, when given the function, all you have to remember is three things: 1. You cannot divide by zero (0). 2. You cannot take the even root of a negative number. 3. You can only take logs of positive numbers (i.e., You cannot take the log of zero (0), and you cannot take the log of a negative number).
as a soon to be teacher, don’t ever blame your students. yeah, some may should study more but if they’re leaving lectures not understanding the material, you as the teacher/professor didn’t not do your part. test taking does not fully assess one’s knowledge either. there are people who could understand the material but not be an avid test taker. to make tests 40-60% of their grade, knowing that calculus 3 is one of the hardest maths to take is only setting your students up for failure. it shows me that you don’t know how to properly assess their knowledge and/or are a lazy professor on the fact that you don’t want to take the time out to grade other assignments that should count more. it’s all about what they’re putting into the practice. maybe providing videos and creating problems that aren’t searchable for your students to turn in as a token of assessment is the way to go. many teachers/professors take the easy way out by saying, “figure it out yourselves.” there is some level of responsibly as an adult and college student, however, if one is showing they’re trying, they should be granted any kind of help (i.e. extra credit). no, college is not high school but college is all about setting realistic expectations.
This is a great video for people that teaches too. Regarding the first point, it is a very interesting way of putting it. I think another reason results in that gap of expectation is what you should learn from the textbook and exercises. What I notice is students can do pretty well if the problems are very similar that every step is exactly the same but with different numbers, but once any extra tweak is required on top of the original problem students fail miserably. We not only expect students to do the same problems well, but also expect students to do similar problem or any problems using same concepts. That's probably one of the reasons students struggle. btw the last one is so true. You cannot do calculus well wihtout solid algebra calculation ability but unfortunately part of the students fail in this often.
I’m in my junior year of high school now taking pre calc but I feel like I just don’t know enough of algebra 1-3 and geometry to really do well. I never did bad in those classes but I usually just got good grades by doing all my work and not necessarily doing well on the tests. Aside from algebra 1, which was easy I thought
I took pre calc as a junior too. It isn't a huge jump up from algebra 2--the only thing you need is a solid understanding of functions and basic trig. You will probably be fine. I kinda b.s.ed my way through pre calc and it's coming for me in calculus lol
I just finished my first semester of college calculus in the fall of last year and made it out BARELY alive with a C. The first thing you said was so so so true. I do great on homework’s and quizzes but finals and tests always seem so much different.
They really can be, it’s just a totally different environment taking a test vs being at home doing work with your notes and no pressure. Try to see if you can find practice tests online and take them as if it were the real thing (no notes, time yourself, etc.) Best of luck going forward!
I'll try my best. I failed my first calc exam with a 68%. As a math major, I feel like im running out of time already but it's just the first exam. thank you for the tips!
BriTheMathGuy I believe it’s true! I just needed the comic relief! I’m getting into calculus after taking 18 years off from study! Rusty bike so to say, but I can still ride
Some high schools like mine do not offerer trig or advanced algebra to prepare for university calculus. I live in Evangeline Parish with is a country parish that mostly teaches basic algebra and geometry. However when I offered to volunteer to watch high school students from Lafayette Parish which is a city parish, I saw the math problems the students were doing and the problems blew my mind! I live in Louisiana where we say the word "parish" instead of "county" because Louisiana is predominately Roman Catholic especially in a region of Louisiana called Acadiana where it was Roman Catholic all the way!
Even though I haven’t done cal 3, I really can relate with your video. I failed my 2 first test of cal 2 but passed my third one and the finals by putting myself in the teachers place. He made it hard for us throughout all the semester to make it easy at the finals, that’s why I turned out hating the teaching to loving him unlike in Cal 1 where it was reversed 😅
My teacher wont let us use basic calculators during exams. Looks like this class is gonna be the end of my marh classes. I cant do arithmatic fast enough without a calculator...
I dropped out of algebra 2 in highschool and have been doing trig and algebra for the past year at community college. Im starting calc now in my third year of community college, doing math that juniors/seniors in highschool were doing. Feels bad but better late than never.
My biggest problem was my lack of foundation in math from taking a gap year after high school. I spent time relearning trig and precalculus concepts and although I failed the vast majority of my midterms, I ended up getting a B+ on the final and a B+ in the class overall.
i failed calc 1 and retook it just to end up with a C lol, taking calc 2 rn and its hell my exam is today and i feel like im gonna eat shit. theres just so much info to process its impossible for me, im a stats major btw and i do well in other courses but calc has taken me to the lowest point of my life, i've never got less than a B+ till i took calc
How are you doing so far? I start university next week and I am debating if I should take pre-calc or just jump into calc. I've never taken TRIG, only took Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 in HS. Thoughts on this?
In my calc 1 class the tests was written by a different guy than who lectured. His test were sometimes based on topics he talked about in his lab session and not on lecture or homework. All the other lab leaders (who were all graduate math students) would wonder why we were being asked such hard questions. There were no resources to study for his tests. Everyone failed his tests. My class average was 15%-20% for every exam. We had all heard there was a huge curve at the end so most of the class just payed attention to lectures and did homework and ignored the exams. Someone told me that one semester he introduced a topic on the final exam. He had a short little explanation about it before asking a ridiculous question about it.
It is day 2 of my Calc BC class and I am frightened lmao. I had a not so great pre calc teacher and feel like I don't understand the topics well enough to succeed. -Woosh- there goes my gpa
Maya my pre calc professor (dual enrollment) told me that pre cal mainly sets you up for calc 2 and not calc 1 lol. Also I’m doing calc 1 online and it’s annoying. Right now we were doing slopes of secant and tangent lines. I just started working on limits
@@asadhus oh boy, well, my best advice would be to honestly just practice tons of examples. In pre calc, you learn a lot of concepts without any explanation (which is what makes the class tough), so u just gotta practice to succeed. It helps if you can explain to another person how to do the problems. It also helps to also know common functions inside and out--you will be doing lots of graphing and translating between equations and graphs. The class is super disjointed so try not to get discouraged! I ended up finding calculus easier than pre calc, but if u put in the effort to study and get help you'll do great
Thank you. I am currently failing right now like 2 weeks before midterm, but I really want to pass this class with passion. I’ll take these and reflect on pass mistakes I neglected to fix
Thank you! The final reason was most important for me. I'm studying on my own, not in school, so I don't have to worry about miscommunication with a professor, and I already believe in doing as many practice problems as time allows. But it's good to know that my efforts in mastering Algebra & Trig will be worthwhile!
Honestly yes. I wish I could just get access to the actual tests before applying for college and just study those, lol! Lectures are nice but, I would like to know the expectations. That is 100% the biggest reason why I have failed at math class, miscommunication from a professor that honestly may have a different teaching method than the books. Unfortunately the tests are always written for the books now regardless of what the lectures may be about. A good professor will understand the book he is using, but a lot of professors just assume you will pick up on anything even if they don't teach you.
If you are struggling with trigonometry at an advanced level (e.g. De Moivre's theorem, the Cosine and Sine Addition formulas, the double-angle formulas), then you will struggle with Calculus 1 and beyond (especially with Calculus 2).
I was agreeing with what you were saying right up until the beginning where you said this isn't highschool anymore, this is college, and I was like "💀" this is exactly what's happening in highschool rn
I'm at High School and I'm super fascinated by mathematics and it's abstactism. I'm currently doing algebra, but I'm teaching myself calculus 1. Do you think it's helpful, considering I'd like to be a math major?
im gonna be on my third attmept..for precal in college. the test are the only thigns hold me back from passing the discussions / WA work i got B+ s but the test come in and i just bomb them hard. some teachers have extra requirements or do things thats not even related to the homework for grades on. over complicating the problems from our understanding instead of just telling us how to solve the problems. theres alot of people who actaully try, but there should be a sign when over half a class gets more help from using teachers from outside sources from there current colleges. I think a main issue is being taught to identify multiple forms of the same type of problem. homework and lectures use the same patterned questions that use a specific formula but then test will have the same formula but a question that looks like a whole another question and formula
I failed Calculus twice in college before the concepts actually clicked with me. Failure is CRITICAL to learning mathematics because it forces you to refocus on a problem you thought you had answers to. This wall that we run into everyday in mathematics can be found in all aspects of our lives and using that failure to inform decisions going forward is important for personal growth . It’s never easy, it only gets easier.
What you said are true sir because our prof always tells us that everything he taught us are only lvl.1 and the upcoming test he'll give us are lvl.10. He said to us that we must learn about self discovery.
Covid essentially destroyed my high-school math classes. School shutdown during Algebra 2, the next year I only had Pre-Calc a couple times a week with a teacher who didn't care cause they were leaving that same year. Next thing I knew I was taking summer 2 calc 1 and barely passed. Now I'm failing calc 2 after the first 6 weeks
As I type this message, I sit at a 77 within my Calc 1 course. The two things that hit me the most from your video is that I need to review over my algebra and trig. And I need to do more hw! Thanks man, I’m hoping to finish with a low A.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v actually a better way to assess what you need is to create a khan academy account and take a test for concepts in algebra/precalculus, based on what problems you get wrong they tell you what you need to study. even if you just watch the videos and dont do any problems you get better
@@internetuser8460 Thank you Veronica. I am planning on creating a Khan Academy account and I will go through their algebra 1, algebra 2, Trig, and pre-calculus course. I am beyond insecure with my math education and I have calculus coming up this September(on the 9th).
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v my apologies for being so late with the response. Veronica’s advice is great! Definitely create a Khan Academy account, as that’s what I have done to help out with Calculus.
Just started an advanced calc 1 class for engineering and science. Been over 3 semesters since ive done any type of math. Its like im starting over brand new, just spent last two days refreshing on pre calc and algebra. Sucks, but i know i wouldnt be able to pass or do well (my real objective) in this class if i didnt take the time to get my baseline knowledge in check
I took calc 1 and 2 in high school but my credits didn’t transfer and now I am just realizing how much of calc 1 tests are literally just the teacher trying to trick you with the dumbest algebra problems
I’m just tired of being tested on about 20 questions I’d rather even have a test with like 50 than 20 because I feel that they don’t accurately represent what I’ve been doing. It’s like the tests are meant to just be extra for no reason. I just wish I was good at math. I am when it comes to the homework as you said, even getting 100 on every test leading up to the actual unit exams. I practice constantly but it’s just not getting me anywhere. But I’ve taken your advice and started on the harder problems and maybe, just maybe, I might be able to get an a.
I’m glad to hear you’re practicing consistently. It does sound to me if you continue to practice the way you are, and switch to doing the hardest type of problems without the aid of your notes, you should start to see more success. Don’t be afraid to speak with your instructors. Best of luck!
I would recommend taking every algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calc class offered at your school. Statistics (probability and statistics) is also a very good class to take since you will almost certainly encounter it later at some point. It would also probably be a good idea to take biology, chemistry, and physics if you are able. Do not be afraid to review old math material. Repetition is the key to success. Watch lots of math videos on youtube teaching basic math, especially algebra and trig. I hope that helps and best of luck!
It could also be the instructor. I failed calculus 1 the first time and was told you have to be special to understand calculus. It turned out I had a shitty professor who did not understand it and just memorized it. Its not any worse than addition and subtraction you just need someone who can explain it.
Yea i have a c in calc 1. I just made a 71 on my 2nd test. I wanna be an engineer & i dint really have a backup plan. I like learning math & history. I dont wanna major in history bc i hate writing & reading. But if i dont do engineering then history is my only other option but i would have to start over. Ive never been interested in the medical field, animals, life sciences, business, just engineering. Idk what to do. I cant afford a 4 year school without scholarships & i wont get those scholarships unless my grades from cc are good. And i dont think the university i wanna go to will let me join their engineering program unless i have at least a C. Its a struggle just to maintain a C. I made a 59 on my 1st test & a 71 on the 2nd test
I'm a senior high student and i manage to pass precalc and basic calc last school year and now is vacation I'm reviewing and yeah following ur advice to refresh and hone my triginometric and algebra skills !!
3 Integral Tricks Teachers Don't Tell You!
th-cam.com/video/CTv877Wo7f4/w-d-xo.html
poor foundation of mathematics in highschool 😅😥
It really does hinder a lot of students. Have a great day!
Also it it's been years since the student had taken a math course, getting a refresher before taking class definitely helps. Heck, if it's been over 5 years, it might be wise to retake algebra 2 at a college and work your way up from there.
It has hindered me for the best part of the last decade. I was really shocked when I got my first A in a math class which was in precalculus. I had to take it a second time though.
@@BriTheMathGuy on your list of subjects to know, you said to really get down your algebra and trigonometry skills. What about euclidean geometry? Also, you talked about algebra refresher courses in college. What about geometry refresher courses in college?
I was great in math my whole life all through senior year of high school when I took precalc. When i took calculus freshman year at u of i, i failed. I didn't see any relation to precalc, and overall couldn't grasp the concepts like i had my whole life in all my math classes. It kicked my butt. Not sure if it was the teaching style.. i feel the prof didn't explain why things were that way
The way that I passed my calculus classes (calc 1 to calc 3) with an A was after the class right away I would spend an hour to two doing calculus problems and if I couldn’t do it right after class, I would do it in the same day cause the information that I receive in the classroom would still be fresh in my mind. I would always start with simple questions so I can understand the basic concept and then move on to the harder questions, because the simpler questions will help you understand the fundamentals. I think it’s very wrong to start with hard problems, because once you start solving without any experience it’s gonna take you hours to solve that question. Another thing, make sure you understand what the professor is saying in class, because 90% of your learning comes from the classroom and the other 10% comes from you solving problems and doing your homework. I have also noticed that some people solve so many questions by memorizing what your doing, and doing that isn’t gonna really help you on the test because it’s a test! A test is supposed to test your ability of understanding the material, not your memorization of the material. But what I’m trying to say is that understanding what you’re doing and why you’re doing this is a key to passing those classes. Best of luck everyone.
I'd like to point out that in my experience with learning math, it's more like 40% comes from the classroom and 60% percent comes from you solving problems on your own, watching TH-cam explanations, reading independent articles/books, etc. But other than that, all those practices and advice that you mentioned sound like excellent ways to pass calculus, especially the part about doing it right after -- this is SO crucial to your retention and understanding; well said.
Hector Pernett Ap Lang headass
Hector Pernett I haven’t been in a calculus class so for me the learning comes from doing practice problems easy to hard, one example is weierstras substitution which is something new I’m learning about. I first started with problems like for example a pretty easy problem integral of(dx/a+sin(x)) (where (a)is a constant) and then I did one with cos(x) instead which was pretty easy for a start I also did some other what I consider easy integrals, and I’m thinking about doing a difficult problem which I’m sure most have heard about it which is the integral of sqrt(tan(x)) which is definitely going to be a challenge as I’ve seen that some videos go up to 30 min long which I haven’t seen because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it yet. Of course before I do this integral I will do some other practice problems which are to me considered hard like sin^2(x)/(sin(x)+cos(x)) from 0 to pi/2. I am just in the middle school currently so yeah I’m going to have to wait a few years until I am in a calculus class. I do also get learning experience from when people from videos and some websites like one from Lamar university ,I think, explain the concept or something that helps solve integrals like integration by parts(I’m not exactly sure what the websites called). In my honest opinion I think that most of the learning come from the people that explains how to do the work and as you do some practice problems you might learn many new things and new tactics along the way.
sana all easy
Where can you find those extra calc problem
I got surprised when he mentioned Web Assign it's like we're living the same life
OML
oh god
Facts same here
I feel better after this video
Web Asinine.
The way I did well in calculus was to practice even if my algebra skills weren't the best. To do well in calculus, dedication is needed. Start with simple problems to nail the actual concept and process down then expand to harder and more complex problems.
THANK YOU. I have a professor who likes to do easy problems in class and give hard problems on the exam.
@@CarmensProjects 😂 it’s like they want students to fail. They should give hard and easy problems. Had the same problem in Algebra 1. Did Precalculus but now i haven’t gone to school due to the pandemic. So its time to do a self refresher course and self study Calculus 1 just to get a head start when i get back to class.
This guy ain't lying
I saw his first video. Remembered my pi chart. Remembered my trig derivatives. And focused on improving my algebra. Got a b+ in calc 1 and an A- calc 2
Very nice job! Thanks for watching and commenting.
You give me hope
@@sophianguyen4627 remember trig funciotms, and algebra. Trust me it’ll be so much easier
@@genny1814 Hi Genaro. Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
It sucks because I've put in time and effort into my studies then when the test comes there's always that one question thats the trickiest. I usually try my best using so many different methods but I feel like by then I'm so burnt out that I can't really think about what's obvious.
Damn I feel it...
I feel your pain.
yes
same pain here man
him: "this isn't high school anymore"
me: *is a high schooler watching this bc i'm not doing well in ap calc:)*
AP Calc, for all intents and purposes is college level Calc I spread over 2 semesters. That's why many colleges will waive your first semester of Calculus if you score well on the AP test
@@ChungusTheLarge yes I'm aware I just thought it was funny to point out. And thats if you take ap calc ab. I'm taking ap calc bc which is calc 1 and 2 so if I score well I can waive two semesters of calc in college.
Same!!!
The only difference between us is that I’m doing bc (teaching myself) as a middle schooler.
@@awesomecodeyay8382 sounds like your ego is as big as your IQ
Also, mindset. Having the idea that I could never be good at math, "not a math person" is a major misconception I've had to get over (also still getting over). I failed Calc 1 first time I took it and surprisingly passed on the second try. Having a Calc prof that emphasized growth mindset really helped in my ability to even get the courage (be able to even focus) to work harder.
I am unable to get over the "not a math person" mindset😅. Every question on a test feels like I am reading sth completely foreign. Any tips to get over that mindset?
Fix one thing to pass calculus
1.Your brain
@schmuck Norris makes sense
@schmuck Norris okay, so what's the reason they may not understand things other than not giving an effort? thanks for answers:))
@schmuck Norris I somehow scored 122 on my IQ test yet failed algebra 2 in high school. Lmao
I give up
Eat beans
This is the wake up call we all needed. I order to succeed you have to be willing to work hard and not dread the subject.
Absolutely! Thanks very much for watching and commenting.
I was someone who always struggled with algebra and I failed calculus once in college. This semester I finally turned it around and got an A in calc. Yes, I did way more practice problems than I did before, but I also had a wonderful professor who emphasized learning and understanding the processes behind the theorems. She was the first math teacher I had where I felt like I really understood what was going on. Way too many math teachers, in my experience, expect students to build up their skills on memorization alone, and that is a poor teaching method.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v Algebra and trigonometry
chances are that you’d be terrible at calculus if you aren’t good at algebra. Their interconnected.
My advice as someone who has a masters in mathematics, don’t worry about passing test, try to go deep into the underlying principles in a subject. Your goal shouldn’t be passing test, but to truly understand how and why things work.
Kinda hard to do when college courses go at such a pace that pretty much all you can do is get just good enough to pass the exams/quizzes. Three and a half months isn't enough time to truly learn calculus.
sure ...but if you do not pass the test it is all for 0 . Doing past exam papers is the best way to pass tests. Providing you have a mentor
@@zekayman Well thats why studying before the course begins is important. Anyone who expects the course itself to teach them math is gonna have a difficult time with math in general because math is not like other subjects. You have to understand the concepts, and it takes your brain time to manifest those concepts. The good thing is unlike most subjects, all of the topics covered in each level of math is predetermined, so that means you can buy books that will help you prep. I myself made the mistake of expecting the course to teach me math but then came to realize college courses are nothing more than a long review (+ credits).
@@-glitch-8195 Don't you think it's sad that what you're saying is true? That the college courses we go into debt for don't even teach us what we need to know, nevermind what we need to pass the course? Shouldn't a class teach you what its testing you on? There should be enough time, with Calculus being divided into 3 different curriculums, yet professors can be terrible, and courses are taught all wrong.
My calc 1 class was amazing. The professor explained a concept, its use, and how to solve it in 30ish minutes, and then spent an hour going through example problems with the class. Nobody failed that course.
Calc 2 and 3, I had teachers that sat there for the full 1hr40min class going over theorems and definitions, and then assigning book problems for home. WIthin 5 weeks of calc 2, I would estimate 50% of the class was gone.
Classes are easy when the material is done in class. Hours of boredom and going over definitions that don't yet make sense, followed by a massive dump of homework, will never work.
@@zekayman HIGHLY DISAGREE. Unless you are a working student, there is more than enough time to learn Calculus properly and balance this with other classes. Stop making excuses.
I sort of agree with you on this but imo. I think the math system (common core and college math) and the way math is tought is extremely flawed and designed only to appeal to the people that follow the system
They also teach math sort of improper from a young age with common core. I've seen it before in the young kids I tutor not being able to understand what they are doing . It is only through memorization can they understand what they are doing which is very flawed.
No seriously this way math is thought in college is terribleness
I just finished my first semester of sophomore year with an A- in Calculus 3. Before that, I got an A in Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. I can definitely relate to what was said in the video. The homework alone is not sufficient to earn a good grade. It is extremely important to know exactly what your professor is looking for and practice book problems over and over until you understand the concept. One of the concepts that helped me most in Calculus 3 was finding out if the Field was conservative then calculating work through the scalar function. When it was first taught in class, I had a hard time learning it but after I practiced it a few times, it just came naturally. Then, when I was taking the final exam last week, I was able to solve 4/9 problems using this trick, while everyone else was calculating work by multiplying the field by the velocity vector . Calculus is a difficult subject, but it is possible to earn a decent grade with minimal effort. Just study smarter, not harder.
Do extra work? I can't even complete 10 calculus 2 level problems in 3-4 hours. Unless you expect 12 hours a day on the class or something.
I hope that you'll find the extra problems you work on will drastically reduce your study time. Watch youtube videos to nail down the concepts first, then practice until it is second nature. Best of luck this summer and let me know how it goes!
BriTheMathGuy my biggest issue avoiding small errors. Given the length of problems in the course and often not so nice clean numbers, it's often quite messy while writing problems down. I am bound to make some sort of error such as forgetting to distribute a negative through the integral when doing integration by parts several times. And when I realize I made some sort of error, I need to restart all over. This is significantly more frustrating than not understanding a concept. I would like advice on how to make the problem come out cleaner on paper. Hope this makes sense.
You learn from your mistakes. Maybe you forget a negative or a d/dx or some parentheses (we all do) but after realizing your mistake, you do it again and this time it is much cleaner and correct and more rewarding. Yeah, it takes time, but you improve and so do your math skills. My personal advice (may not work for all), is to find a quiet place to work on schoolwork and don't rush while doing homework. Slow the pace down a bit as that helps avoid making more mistakes. Lastly, don't check the back of book or a solver for the answer until after you've attempted the problem and don't give up easily (be persistent) when faced with a challenging problem. Hope this helps.
I feel the same, I spend more time doing calculus than I do anything else and I don’t even always finish the homework. Started trying to do extra problems and I got even less done..
Seriously I solved technical level CAlculus at age 14-15 the book was by ia maron u seriously need to work on your maths bro
so true i failed the first time in calculus because i started uni after staying at home for 4 years i forgot everything related to algebra! the second time i took calculus i studied algebra and basic math before starting the course and it really helped me and took A+ ;) !
Very glad to hear you ended up succeeding!
I'd be studying computer engineering and starting on Monday as a fresher online after staying home for 4 yrs and was bad at maths in secondary school. I wish myself the best.
@@AkachukwuMadueke Good luck man. Let me know how well you're doing?
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
Send me an email. I will forward our syllabus to you. My email is in any video description on my channel.
I really appreciate the fact that this dude got strait to the point and didn’t stretch a 3 minute video into 10 minutes. Thanks for that
I aced my calc by sheer luck. we had this Russian visiting professor who would generously give you a B but we had to do the final problem in the test to get an A. I had enough time to write down one thing at the last minute of the test to get 2/3 partial credit.
In high school. you simply have to memorize all the algorithm to solve math problems to get an A. Calculus is the first college subject that you really have to understand why you are doing what you are doing to master it and the future subjects that use it. Our Russian math professor cared much more about our approach to begin than the algebra that gets the right answer.
I think this is how science and technology should progress. There's no set algorithm to scientific discoveries or invent new things. It's a creative endeavor. College calculus is a glimpse of that.
I think many freshmen coming into college are surprised by their first calculus course. I’m glad you got through yours and best of luck with whatever your plans are going forward!
@@BriTheMathGuy College calculus for me was 20 years ago :p I'm a coder in a chemical engineering firm. Interestingly, I had to discuss calculus with our summer interns regarding their coding projects
bro your so lucky
@@BallaMatt23 Acing a calculus class may sound impressive if you're still in high school. But it really isn't something to write home about. After calculus, I took a calculus based intro physics class and you better be comfortable with your calculus before walking in.
The main purpose of the course, besides teaching physics, was to destroy engineering and physics majors. Only a third of the class showed up for the final exam and not everyone passed.
Thank you for the tip about doing the problems in the books vs redoing the problems in the online homework. And you are right about working the harder problems when studying for an exam. I did that for my last test and it helped a lot.
Calculus is not easy, you are totally right about practicing as much as possible. However, I do agree with what other students are saying about moving to a different section before finally grasping the entire material of one section. This is more common for students who are working and studying at the same time. I think the key is to never stop doing math. Even if you are on break between semesters, go back and do practice problem, continue challenging yourself and look at videos before entering a class. Challenging your own academic level is what makes you grow, no one likes to be stuck in one problem but that is necessary in order to continue into higher math. Never be afraid of failing a class, everyone is different and we all make mistakes. Try your best and do as much as possible.
Very well said! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and write this. Have a nice day!
I am going into calculus, after starting college with very little to no high school math. The most important thing I've learned is a strong foundation in the BASICs of math will take you so far. Review the basics to breeze through the hard stuff!
I took calc 1 spring semester, got a D+, took it again summer session 1 and got an A-. Now I’m on calc 2 and Lordy I am failing SO HARD 😭😖
Why are you failing? What is giving you a hard time?
Now I am worried about Calc 2.
The video was basically just "work harder"
I really believe hard work is underrated, especially when it comes to calculus. I think any student can do well in calc by continuous and repetitive practice. I know this is not exciting, or what many students would like to hear. It of course is not the only factor, but it is usually the answer.
Working hard isn't enough. I bust my ass doing it every day and I have a D right now.
Update: got a 94% on my last exam, looks like I won't be failing this semester. As long as I do decent on the next exam and the final.
Danny Kyle got any tips bro? I’m doing pre calc 2 and joined my class late. I have to do week one and week 2. So far it seems tricky asf and I don’t understand the key terms my class is using. Also did u pass the class?
What you say in this video is exactly what I repeat to my Calculus students all the time!
Hi Marina. Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
1:46 Exactly why I got C's in Calculus 1 and 2. Took me a while to change my ways, but it paid off with A's in subsequent courses.
1. this isn't highschool. have conversation with your professors
2. do enough right-home-work-problems. do book problems+ do assignments + do hardest book problems given in end of every chapter
3. excel in algebra+trigonometry
My honors trig precalc teacher taught my class to understand why everything works the way it does. I think that helped us all grasp the abstract ideas of math and know how we could apply them. I think that’s what is/should be expected; not if you can memorize but rather understand the mathematics. He always said, “I’m not teaching monkeys to use their calculators. I need you guys to understand the material”.
I’m a first term junior and I have three more maths to take before I graduate next year. I like this guy. He knows what he’s talking about.
You haven’t taken your math courses in the first 3 semesters? What school do you go to??? I was done with calc 3, differential equations and physics by my 3rd semester? Are you doing some kind of liberal arts? Business?
I really liked this video, I just failed my second calculus test and I have one more and a final. I am glad I watch this. I knew I was thinking the same way webassign are just memorization not practice and understanding. I am a traditional student that like studying from long before webassign. I wish I did do all the problems at the end of every chapter. Calculus here I am!!!!!
Thanks for watching and sharing. I’m confident you can get back on track. Best of luck!
and you still failed...
I shall add my proverbial 2¢ by suggesting the following.
There are three types of Calculus classes dependinhg upon where one is taking the class and who is teaching. First, there is the working mathematician at a top tier university. Their exams tend being more abstract and test conceptional understanding and definitions rather computational abilities. For the example, the homework will always be routine exercises assigned and found in every calculus class but the problems on the exam will not ask taking derivate or evaluate an integral of simple functions, and not necessarily be a proof problem, e.g. what is the derivative a some given discontinuous function?
Second, there is the third tier college instructor or community college teacher whose exams echo assigned homework exercises. The challenge here is straight up testing of computational ability and SPEED.
Then the third type is your physicists or engineer trained instructor who knows what calculus one needs knowing for practical utility. Their exams will be problems that are more complex versions of the assigned homework problems.
Pay attention to the point value of homework vs exams. Say a class has final exam worth 60% of grade, two midterms worth 15% each, leaving homework, spot quizzes, and class participation worth total of 10%, then clearly homework is not as important as how you perform on exams.
Unless homework for the class is worth at least 30% or more of the total grade NEVER stress over doing homework. Do homework but don't stress like high school. You can at the very least, submit a problem set with set-up of each problem even if without solutions.
Spend the time directly proportional to the points value. For every 100 minutes studying math, spend only % doing homework equal to % homework is worth.
If the class is more computational based then practice, practice, practice as if preparing for the AP calculus exam. Memorization of formulae and SPEED is what is being tested.
What is mentioned at the front end of the video echoes the contrast between high calculus which is very much learning how to do routine computations like prepping for the AP exam vs top tier college/university instruction which emphasizes concepts over computations.
Very good points. This helped me get an A in calc 1 & 3. Calc 2 was a B.....I never skipped a class, always arrived on time. I listened very carefully to every word the instructor said. Took a large amount of notes. Sometimes the instructor will give the class a clue as to what question(s) will be on the test, without saying it directly. Here's an example...my instructor did an integration problem in class. When done he asked the class how we would solve it if a few changes were made. Then he said "think about it". And that's all he said. Two weeks later on the test guess what question appeared? Yup, that same problem. That's why I pay attention to everything the instructor says.
I don't have time to spend forever studying for calculus I have other hard classes i need to study for but i get so depressed because math problems take me forever.
On our latest exam, they posed a question: cosinx(8 arctan(13/17) and we never covered the arc functions. That's what I usually find, they put questions in that we have no hope of answering. And, something that's in this calculus class that I never found in any other math course, is you're not given marks for legwork. Usually, a question is out of 4 and just by following procedure you can get 3/4, but not here. If the answer's not right, the question is 0.
Exams should look like what the students were supposed to study for. A little more difficult that requires a bit of thinking but it shouldn't be something way different. If I studied chain rule (Calculus I) then there is no reason I should be getting tested on integral by parts (Calculus II). I know that's an over exaggeration but professors like to pull similar stunts.
Just attending the lectures ain’t gonna cut it you gotta DO THE MATH
I very much agree. I went into calculus I with a very poor foundation in algebra and trigonometry. I was struggling with the course and barely managed to get by with a C average by the end of it. However, I prepped for calculus II by reviewing a calculus textbook which allowed me to review for past prerequisites of calculus in addition to being able to review concepts pertaining to differential and integral calculus with my newfound knowledge in those areas I was previously lacking in. I got a relatively easy A in calculus II.
I am so happy for you, is there any chance you can mention the name of the book you used ?
The highest Math I ever took was precalculus 6 years ago when I got my associates. I didn't really want to keep going because I didn't want to take on student loan debt, but I think I would like to now. I was going to retake precalculus in the spring to refresh my memory before calculus but I took one look at the first assignment and I was like "I don't remember any of this." The class was clearly designed for people who just took college algebra a month before.
I was going to take college algebra over the summer so I could go back even further, but the class was full. Starting next week I'm taking intermediate algebra. The plan is to take college algebra in the fall, precalculus next spring, then calculus either next summer or in the fall. I figured if i have to build up my skills all over again so be it.
I'm already in a good career. This isn't like a barrier to entry to get a good job. I just want to improve my chances of securing something higher later.
I always taped the classes. The only way I could "get it" is be at home and listen to the tape line by line and do the homework. Of course if you are absolutely stumped go on youtube. There is always someone doing a tutorial how to do a problem. Before taking the class I bought the textbooks and tried to work ahead figuring it out by myself.
🎉🎉🎉 this just confirmed my structural mathematics thought on how to handle trigonometry🎉🎉
So I failed my first calculus test. I will definitely take this advice. I’m taking Cal 1. I failed High School Calculus and In worried for this Cal 1 in college
You can get through it! Keep going and best of luck!
Did you pass?
When going for my physics degree I got a B in Calc 1, a C+ in Calc 2, and straight Cs in Math Methods 1 & 2 (in lieu of Calc 3 & Diff. Eqs.).
Moral of the story? I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED HARDER.
I showed up high on weed most days, though, and had absolutely no direction. 3 years after graduating I have since buckled down and have been diligently writing notebooks such that I could surely achieve an A in every of my math classes in University. Hopefully I'll be ready for my Applied Math Master's in a year or so.
Calculus 3 gets difficult with double and triple integrals. You can’t solve them without sketching.
Cal 3 it's easy even linear algebra and differential equations. I think calc two was the hardest
@@absolutezero2848 Do you need to memorize the unit circle?
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v That is actually a good question. You will need it a lot but it will come to you with the time. I used to do all the back of the book problems so I memorized it with practice but it is helpful if you memorize it before.
@@absolutezero2848 Should I only memorize the forst quadrant?
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v I mean you can find the other cuadrants using the first one but it really depends on you and how you feel. I'm assuming you are about to take your first calculus class. I got to calculus without knowing the unit circle very well but at the end of it I knew it. It come with practice.
I can’t speak for calculus(which I will be taking soon), however I can speak for general chemistry, which doesn’t have advanced math but was at times kind of challenging. My professor was really good and we had a good relationship. I did active recall on all his lecture notes, and talked with him about what was on the exams. I focused on the material that was more than likely on the exam, and ignored the material that was less likely to be on the exam. I believe you’re correct in communicating with your professor. Just knowing what you’re going to be tested over can really help you figure out how to develop a study strategy.
Absolutely! Thanks very much for commenting and best of luck with your upcoming calculus!
BriTheMathGuy thank you!
Matt Brown did you pass?
"So many people enter freshman college calculus with poor calc and trig skills..."
*Laughs in Junior year in college*
I’ve taken pre algebra, college algebra, stats, pre calc, and trig, and now in preparation for calc. Im apprehensive because it feels like I’ve been working past two years towards calculus. And calc I is the only the start of my heavy math classes. ( chem student )
This video was a good reminder for me to stay in check, do my work, and don’t lose focus. Thanks
Him: You arn't in highschool anymore
Me, watching this for highschool: You're so right
lmao
As a Math tutor (up to Calc III (inclusive)), myself, I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying. Keep up the good work!
Thanks very much! Will do :D
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v Know your Trig Identities, Properties of Exponents, and Properties of Logarithms well. Know the Unit Circle well, too (For evaluating trig values of (pi/6), (pi/4), (pi/3), and their reference angles, as well as for quadrantal angles (i.e., 0, (pi/2), etc.)). Remember how to find the equations of lines and certain formulas (i.e., Pythagorean Theorem, Distance Formula, and certain formulas from Geometry (i.e., area of a rectangle, area of a triangle, area of a trapezoid, area and circumference of a circle, etc.)). You should also know how to graph the basic functions (i.e., linear, quadratic, higher-degree polynomial, trig, logarithmic, exponential, absolute value, etc.), as well as how to solve equations (i.e., linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, trig), and you should also review transformations of the graphs of functions, such as reflections, horizontal and vertical shifts, and horizontal and vertical stretches and shrinks. That should help get you started.
@@herbcruz4697 How about finding the domain and range of functions algebraically? So without being given a graph. For the unit circle do I only really need to memorize the first quadrant?
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v For finding the domain of a function, when given the function, all you have to remember is three things:
1. You cannot divide by zero (0).
2. You cannot take the even root of a negative number.
3. You can only take logs of positive numbers (i.e., You cannot take the log of zero (0), and you cannot take the log of a negative number).
as a soon to be teacher, don’t ever blame your students. yeah, some may should study more but if they’re leaving lectures not understanding the material, you as the teacher/professor didn’t not do your part. test taking does not fully assess one’s knowledge either. there are people who could understand the material but not be an avid test taker. to make tests 40-60% of their grade, knowing that calculus 3 is one of the hardest maths to take is only setting your students up for failure. it shows me that you don’t know how to properly assess their knowledge and/or are a lazy professor on the fact that you don’t want to take the time out to grade other assignments that should count more. it’s all about what they’re putting into the practice. maybe providing videos and creating problems that aren’t searchable for your students to turn in as a token of assessment is the way to go. many teachers/professors take the easy way out by saying, “figure it out yourselves.” there is some level of responsibly as an adult and college student, however, if one is showing they’re trying, they should be granted any kind of help (i.e. extra credit). no, college is not high school but college is all about setting realistic expectations.
This is a great video for people that teaches too. Regarding the first point, it is a very interesting way of putting it. I think another reason results in that gap of expectation is what you should learn from the textbook and exercises. What I notice is students can do pretty well if the problems are very similar that every step is exactly the same but with different numbers, but once any extra tweak is required on top of the original problem students fail miserably. We not only expect students to do the same problems well, but also expect students to do similar problem or any problems using same concepts. That's probably one of the reasons students struggle. btw the last one is so true. You cannot do calculus well wihtout solid algebra calculation ability but unfortunately part of the students fail in this often.
I’m in my junior year of high school now taking pre calc but I feel like I just don’t know enough of algebra 1-3 and geometry to really do well. I never did bad in those classes but I usually just got good grades by doing all my work and not necessarily doing well on the tests. Aside from algebra 1, which was easy I thought
I took pre calc as a junior too. It isn't a huge jump up from algebra 2--the only thing you need is a solid understanding of functions and basic trig. You will probably be fine. I kinda b.s.ed my way through pre calc and it's coming for me in calculus lol
I just finished my first semester of college calculus in the fall of last year and made it out BARELY alive with a C. The first thing you said was so so so true. I do great on homework’s and quizzes but finals and tests always seem so much different.
They really can be, it’s just a totally different environment taking a test vs being at home doing work with your notes and no pressure. Try to see if you can find practice tests online and take them as if it were the real thing (no notes, time yourself, etc.) Best of luck going forward!
algebra and trigonometry skills, that was what i was looking for😂 thanks for that
I'll try my best. I failed my first calc exam with a 68%. As a math major, I feel like im running out of time already but it's just the first exam. thank you for the tips!
I'm sure you can turn it around! Best of luck moving forward!
weird question what do you do with a math major? I'm actually curious not like being judgemental or anything lol
@@riverogue13 some math majors go into data science
Watching this before my final, which is 5 days away. Guess I better get back to studying..
The “Most Biggest” reason ppl fail calculus
They are English majors and are still trying to reconcile the grammar error and miss the maths lesson
I just want everyone to know how large the reason is :)
BriTheMathGuy
I believe it’s true!
I just needed the comic relief!
I’m getting into calculus after taking 18 years off from study!
Rusty bike so to say, but I can still ride
Some high schools like mine do not offerer trig or advanced algebra to prepare for university calculus. I live in Evangeline Parish with is a country parish that mostly teaches basic algebra and geometry. However when I offered to volunteer to watch high school students from Lafayette Parish which is a city parish, I saw the math problems the students were doing and the problems blew my mind! I live in Louisiana where we say the word "parish" instead of "county" because Louisiana is predominately Roman Catholic especially in a region of Louisiana called Acadiana where it was Roman Catholic all the way!
Thanks. That saved a lot of research time ! Bless you young man !
I was sick for a couple days in elementary school and now I don’t know all my times tables to this day
Even though I haven’t done cal 3, I really can relate with your video. I failed my 2 first test of cal 2 but passed my third one and the finals by putting myself in the teachers place. He made it hard for us throughout all the semester to make it easy at the finals, that’s why I turned out hating the teaching to loving him unlike in Cal 1 where it was reversed 😅
Bout to do my final exam at 10 am for pre cal. Need 15/20 for a c and I have no clue how to do pre cal.
Wish me luck bois!
Hope it went well :)
@@BriTheMathGuy got a 70! Passed the class with a 79.
My teacher wont let us use basic calculators during exams. Looks like this class is gonna be the end of my marh classes. I cant do arithmatic fast enough without a calculator...
I dropped out of algebra 2 in highschool and have been doing trig and algebra for the past year at community college. Im starting calc now in my third year of community college, doing math that juniors/seniors in highschool were doing. Feels bad but better late than never.
My biggest problem was my lack of foundation in math from taking a gap year after high school. I spent time relearning trig and precalculus concepts and although I failed the vast majority of my midterms, I ended up getting a B+ on the final and a B+ in the class overall.
You failed midterm and pass final?
i failed calc 1 and retook it just to end up with a C lol, taking calc 2 rn and its hell my exam is today and i feel like im gonna eat shit. theres just so much info to process its impossible for me, im a stats major btw and i do well in other courses but calc has taken me to the lowest point of my life, i've never got less than a B+ till i took calc
I've never had pre-cal, trigo and a strong foundation in algebra and here I am taking this Goliath of a course.
How are you doing so far? I start university next week and I am debating if I should take pre-calc or just jump into calc. I've never taken TRIG, only took Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 in HS. Thoughts on this?
@@Andrew_Kono I think you'll be fine, tbh it really depends on how well you did in those classes you did take and how well you remember the material.
did u pass??
Andrew Rodriguez how did it go?
if the test covers material not in homework or in class, then the teacher has done a poor job
i took calc in hs and have to take it again 3 years later smh
Great tips! Thanks!
In my calc 1 class the tests was written by a different guy than who lectured. His test were sometimes based on topics he talked about in his lab session and not on lecture or homework. All the other lab leaders (who were all graduate math students) would wonder why we were being asked such hard questions. There were no resources to study for his tests. Everyone failed his tests. My class average was 15%-20% for every exam. We had all heard there was a huge curve at the end so most of the class just payed attention to lectures and did homework and ignored the exams.
Someone told me that one semester he introduced a topic on the final exam. He had a short little explanation about it before asking a ridiculous question about it.
The reason you failed is bc you didn’t study or do homework and you are had a math. This man is a great genius. We must cherish him.
It is day 2 of my Calc BC class and I am frightened lmao. I had a not so great pre calc teacher and feel like I don't understand the topics well enough to succeed. -Woosh- there goes my gpa
Maya my pre calc professor (dual enrollment) told me that pre cal mainly sets you up for calc 2 and not calc 1 lol. Also I’m doing calc 1 online and it’s annoying. Right now we were doing slopes of secant and tangent lines. I just started working on limits
yo just a quick tip go watch Professor Leonard on yt he was all lectures and he is very helpful. Just remember he is a buffed dude with glasses lmao
@@hilariousharry1890 Thanks my guy. It's been a tough class but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I'll check him out tho!
Maya I’m doing pre calc 2. Any tips? I’m kinda freaking out over it since I joined the class late and have to make up week 1 hw and week 2.
@@asadhus oh boy, well, my best advice would be to honestly just practice tons of examples. In pre calc, you learn a lot of concepts without any explanation (which is what makes the class tough), so u just gotta practice to succeed. It helps if you can explain to another person how to do the problems. It also helps to also know common functions inside and out--you will be doing lots of graphing and translating between equations and graphs. The class is super disjointed so try not to get discouraged! I ended up finding calculus easier than pre calc, but if u put in the effort to study and get help you'll do great
I think calculus is easily passable and understandable, if you put in the right amount of work and dedicate yourself to understanding it.
Well said!
Thank you. I am currently failing right now like 2 weeks before midterm, but I really want to pass this class with passion. I’ll take these and reflect on pass mistakes I neglected to fix
Thank you! The final reason was most important for me. I'm studying on my own, not in school, so I don't have to worry about miscommunication with a professor, and I already believe in doing as many practice problems as time allows. But it's good to know that my efforts in mastering Algebra & Trig will be worthwhile!
You got this!
Honestly yes. I wish I could just get access to the actual tests before applying for college and just study those, lol! Lectures are nice but, I would like to know the expectations. That is 100% the biggest reason why I have failed at math class, miscommunication from a professor that honestly may have a different teaching method than the books. Unfortunately the tests are always written for the books now regardless of what the lectures may be about. A good professor will understand the book he is using, but a lot of professors just assume you will pick up on anything even if they don't teach you.
Usually you can get access to previous tests and exams. Sometimes you gotta pay though
My trig abilities have always been crap, so this makes sense
If you are struggling with trigonometry at an advanced level (e.g. De Moivre's theorem, the Cosine and Sine Addition formulas, the double-angle formulas), then you will struggle with Calculus 1 and beyond (especially with Calculus 2).
I was agreeing with what you were saying right up until the beginning where you said this isn't highschool anymore, this is college, and I was like "💀" this is exactly what's happening in highschool rn
I thought I was pretty good with math until entering Calculus. It made me see that I had a lot of knowledge gaps that needed immediate attention.
It's great to find out our gaps so we can fill them in. Have a nice day!
I'm at High School and I'm super fascinated by mathematics and it's abstactism. I'm currently doing algebra, but I'm teaching myself calculus 1. Do you think it's helpful, considering I'd like to be a math major?
Come back to ur comment
im gonna be on my third attmept..for precal in college. the test are the only thigns hold me back from passing the discussions / WA work i got B+ s but the test come in and i just bomb them hard. some teachers have extra requirements or do things thats not even related to the homework for grades on. over complicating the problems from our understanding instead of just telling us how to solve the problems. theres alot of people who actaully try, but there should be a sign when over half a class gets more help from using teachers from outside sources from there current colleges. I think a main issue is being taught to identify multiple forms of the same type of problem. homework and lectures use the same patterned questions that use a specific formula but then test will have the same formula but a question that looks like a whole another question and formula
I failed Calculus twice in college before the concepts actually clicked with me. Failure is CRITICAL to learning mathematics because it forces you to refocus on a problem you thought you had answers to. This wall that we run into everyday in mathematics can be found in all aspects of our lives and using that failure to inform decisions going forward is important for personal growth . It’s never easy, it only gets easier.
Hey , can you share your studying tips ? I failed calculus for the second time and I’d like some advice 🙏🏻
What you said are true sir because our prof always tells us that everything he taught us are only lvl.1 and the upcoming test he'll give us are lvl.10. He said to us that we must learn about self discovery.
Covid essentially destroyed my high-school math classes. School shutdown during Algebra 2, the next year I only had Pre-Calc a couple times a week with a teacher who didn't care cause they were leaving that same year. Next thing I knew I was taking summer 2 calc 1 and barely passed. Now I'm failing calc 2 after the first 6 weeks
This just gave me motivation to study harder. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome. Best of luck!
Thanks. This gives me hope, since I'm struggling with Calc2. (pi long video :D)
I'm glad! Best of luck with your classes going forward!
As I type this message, I sit at a 77 within my Calc 1 course. The two things that hit me the most from your video is that I need to review over my algebra and trig. And I need to do more hw! Thanks man, I’m hoping to finish with a low A.
Could you possibly give me a list of pre-calculus units/concepts/skills that I should know before going into calculus? I struggled badly in high school because of how trash the teachers were so I never managed to establish a solid understanding of math. I would appreciate it.
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v actually a better way to assess what you need is to create a khan academy account and take a test for concepts in algebra/precalculus, based on what problems you get wrong they tell you what you need to study. even if you just watch the videos and dont do any problems you get better
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v but you should review how to simplify and expand equations, trig equations, stuff like that
@@internetuser8460 Thank you Veronica. I am planning on creating a Khan Academy account and I will go through their algebra 1, algebra 2, Trig, and pre-calculus course. I am beyond insecure with my math education and I have calculus coming up this September(on the 9th).
@@user-qy6tu9ip9v my apologies for being so late with the response. Veronica’s advice is great! Definitely create a Khan Academy account, as that’s what I have done to help out with Calculus.
Just started an advanced calc 1 class for engineering and science. Been over 3 semesters since ive done any type of math. Its like im starting over brand new, just spent last two days refreshing on pre calc and algebra. Sucks, but i know i wouldnt be able to pass or do well (my real objective) in this class if i didnt take the time to get my baseline knowledge in check
I took calc 1 and 2 in high school but my credits didn’t transfer and now I am just realizing how much of calc 1 tests are literally just the teacher trying to trick you with the dumbest algebra problems
I’m just tired of being tested on about 20 questions I’d rather even have a test with like 50 than 20 because I feel that they don’t accurately represent what I’ve been doing. It’s like the tests are meant to just be extra for no reason. I just wish I was good at math. I am when it comes to the homework as you said, even getting 100 on every test leading up to the actual unit exams. I practice constantly but it’s just not getting me anywhere. But I’ve taken your advice and started on the harder problems and maybe, just maybe, I might be able to get an a.
I’m glad to hear you’re practicing consistently. It does sound to me if you continue to practice the way you are, and switch to doing the hardest type of problems without the aid of your notes, you should start to see more success. Don’t be afraid to speak with your instructors. Best of luck!
Khan academy is an awesome way to get better at calculus. I’m only in 9th grade, and khan academy explains everything so well that even I can do well.
"This isn't high school anymore"... me as a junior in high school.....uhhhhhhhhhhhh
The best way to pass the exam is to do as many past exam questions as possible ..the format will then be familiar
Ugh. I'm in Calc 2 and am currently struggling. I don't understand. Calc 1 was easy, but now it's a whole different story.
what courses do you reccommend for high school students with math disabilities that aspire to be doctors so they can succeed in calculus?
recommend*
I would recommend taking every algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calc class offered at your school. Statistics (probability and statistics) is also a very good class to take since you will almost certainly encounter it later at some point. It would also probably be a good idea to take biology, chemistry, and physics if you are able. Do not be afraid to review old math material. Repetition is the key to success. Watch lots of math videos on youtube teaching basic math, especially algebra and trig. I hope that helps and best of luck!
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It could also be the instructor. I failed calculus 1 the first time and was told you have to be special to understand calculus. It turned out I had a shitty professor who did not understand it and just memorized it. Its not any worse than addition and subtraction you just need someone who can explain it.
Yea i have a c in calc 1. I just made a 71 on my 2nd test. I wanna be an engineer & i dint really have a backup plan. I like learning math & history. I dont wanna major in history bc i hate writing & reading. But if i dont do engineering then history is my only other option but i would have to start over. Ive never been interested in the medical field, animals, life sciences, business, just engineering. Idk what to do. I cant afford a 4 year school without scholarships & i wont get those scholarships unless my grades from cc are good. And i dont think the university i wanna go to will let me join their engineering program unless i have at least a C. Its a struggle just to maintain a C. I made a 59 on my 1st test & a 71 on the 2nd test
Efficient and well put advices👀 👌
It's crazy how much this varies per state in Amercia.
I'm a senior high student and i manage to pass precalc and basic calc last school year and now is vacation I'm reviewing and yeah following ur advice to refresh and hone my triginometric and algebra skills !!
I’m struggling hard in calc. I dropped out in 2009 and just started back with no basic concepts.