Why is calculus earsier than other courses?

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jc6chan
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13 Dec 2009, 2:33 pm

I'm in 2nd year mathematical physics and calculus is much easier than other courses. I don't think this is a personal thing because class averages are higher in calculus.

I wonder why the curriculum is like this?



aleclair
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14 Dec 2009, 12:21 am

Is this a normal "plug and chug" calculus or is this the "real" calculus with delta-epsilon limits, topology of the real line, and proofs of existence?

Typically, the normal two-semester calculus sequence that is taken by scientists, engineers, economists, etc... is quite dumbed down. Compared to a humanities class where you need to take the texts apart and put them back together using original thinking, I found that you can get by in a college calculus class by putting no thought into it whatsoever. Just use the differentiation rules and make the same u-substitutions as always and you're good.

However, the professors at my college made up for that the problems were plug-and-chug by making the exams such that there were 80 minutes of problems on a 50-minute exam.

It could also be because for some people, calculus is the last math class they'll ever take, and the professors know that only some people in the class will actually go on to higher math classes. So they could be skipping the hard material to make it easier for the humanities students, if they are in your class.



jc6chan
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14 Dec 2009, 9:54 am

aleclair wrote:
Is this a normal "plug and chug" calculus or is this the "real" calculus with delta-epsilon limits, topology of the real line, and proofs of existence?

Typically, the normal two-semester calculus sequence that is taken by scientists, engineers, economists, etc... is quite dumbed down. Compared to a humanities class where you need to take the texts apart and put them back together using original thinking, I found that you can get by in a college calculus class by putting no thought into it whatsoever. Just use the differentiation rules and make the same u-substitutions as always and you're good.

However, the professors at my college made up for that the problems were plug-and-chug by making the exams such that there were 80 minutes of problems on a 50-minute exam.

It could also be because for some people, calculus is the last math class they'll ever take, and the professors know that only some people in the class will actually go on to higher math classes. So they could be skipping the hard material to make it easier for the humanities students, if they are in your class.

I think mine is calculus for Honours Math and there is only one version that is harder than this one, the "advanced" version. There is also calculus for Honours Science which is supposed to be easier.



Eggman
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15 Dec 2009, 10:19 am

Why is calculous harder then other courses?


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PunkyKat
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01 Jan 2010, 5:22 pm

Because there's no BS or ass kissing aspect to it such as literature or public speaking (aka ass kissing 101). It's pure and simple logic. If it's hard to you, it's because you don't have a good understanding of algebra which was probably because you had a sh***y teacher who didn't teach it to you right.


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Captain_Kirk
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02 Jan 2010, 12:24 am

Because they drum it up to be oh so hard, like OH EM GEE calculus!! !! !!!11 and then you get there and it's like, this is easy. And you get an A just to spite them for saying such ridiculous things.



PunkyKat
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02 Jan 2010, 3:20 pm

Captain_Kirk wrote:
Because they drum it up to be oh so hard, like OH EM GEE calculus!! !! !!!11 and then you get there and it's like, this is easy. And you get an A just to spite them for saying such ridiculous things.


I was actualy surprized with how insanley easy algebra is. I had tons of trouble with basic math (too much memorising" but algebra is a breeze.


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