Best resource for learning Calc II?

[TridenT]

I have arguably the worst professor you will ever find. I'll be spending some good quality time in the tutoring center probably. Anyway, the guy is a fucking whackjob who talks to himself mostly while at the blackboard. Barely anyone can hear him when he talks and then once he faces the blackboard(most of the time) then chances are diminished further.

It's all very troublesome... The guy is seriously mental. Instead of doing examples or maybe some problems he just shows us proofs and shit to all kinds of equations. That's great, if that actually did anything for us... but sadly, most of us are confused after he lectures. It makes no sense, relates nothing to the book. He doesn't even give a shit about the book. Our homework is weird.

IDK, I'm kinda like, "EEHHH..." His tests are going to be weird. He even have group projects apparently? Wtf. (This is Calc II... at a quarter term school. We're just done learning the barebones of integration)

 

[l0cke]

http://www.khanacademy.org/

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

For you, ATOT obviously. For everyone else, any secondary-school level textbook.

 

[Born2bwire]

Somebody better get a longer scroll...

 

[schneiderguy]

(This is Calc II... at a quarter term school. We're just done learning the barebones of integration)

Read your book.

 

[TridenT]

Read your book.

:thumbsdown:

Book is not really that great.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Go find some free online book then. Calc II is Calc II; chances are the problems you see in your professor's class will be approximately the same as anywhere else. Doing decently well in that class (and most math(-based) classes) is just working out a shitton of problems.

 

[coldmeat]

http://www.khanacademy.org/

His vids are great. Helped me in my algebra class before, cause I didn't go to class and the book sucked.

 

[Kirby]

Talk to the teacher after class. That's what he's paid to do.

 

[TridenT]

Talk to the teacher after class. That's what he's paid to do.

After class is 8:20PM. I doubt he's going to be easy to talk to regardless. Thick accent, rambles even in one on one conversation. It's very difficult.

 

[TridenT]

Go find some free online book then. Calc II is Calc II; chances are the problems you see in your professor's class will be approximately the same as anywhere else. Doing decently well in that class (and most math(-based) classes) is just working out a shitton of problems.

Not for his. He is weird. All he does during class is proofs of theorems and rambles about math history and old math problems. I'm like... D: :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

 

[Narmer]

Calc II is less about analysis and more about algorithmn. You can thank me later.
http://www.amazon.com/Integrals-Prod...4732318&sr=8-1

 

[mcmilljb]

Does your school do the Calc 1-3 progression? I had to do Calc 1-2 (which is like the 3 part progression but done in 2 semesters) plus Multivariable Calc and Differential Equation courses. I always wondered why I had a harder time than people at other schools, but then I learned I was doing more in a semester than most other schools which seem to like the 3 part.

 

[TridenT]

Does your school do the Calc 1-3 progression? I had to do Calc 1-2 (which is like the 3 part progression but done in 2 semesters) plus Multivariable Calc and Differential Equation courses. I always wondered why I had a harder time than people at other schools, but then I learned I was doing more in a semester than most other schools which seem to like the 3 part.

This school does Calc 1-3. The other school I was at did Calc 1-4. Which is weird since they actually covered more than this school did with Calc I. So, I am a bit... like... eh?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Not for his. He is weird. All he does during class is proofs of theorems and rambles about math history and old math problems. I'm like... D: :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Math history? Awesome. Hopefully you get to write an essay on whether you're more partial towards Newton or Leibniz (as human beings, of course, not their respective notations).

 

[Born2bwire]

Calc II is less about analysis and more about algorithmn. You can thank me later.
http://www.amazon.com/Integrals-Prod...4732318&sr=8-1

Hahaha. Gradshteyn and Ryzhik would be such a fantastic white elephant to foist upon TridenT. Why don't we get him to buy Abramowitz and Stegun and a few CRC Handbooks while he's at it too?

Hmmm... I could use another copy of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik actually.

 

[busydude]

I have arguably the worst professor you will ever find.

Your professor, just like your computer, is only intelligent as you are.. for your course I mean.

 

[Narmer]

Hahaha. Gradshteyn and Ryzhik would be such a fantastic white elephant to foist upon TridenT. Why don't we get him to buy Abramowitz and Stegun and a few CRC Handbooks while he's at it too?

Hmmm... I could use another copy of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik actually.

He should only use it to check his work, of course.

 

[n0tdan]

Instead of doing examples or maybe some problems he just shows us proofs and shit to all kinds of equations. That's great, if that actually did anything for us... but sadly, most of us are confused after he lectures. It makes no sense, relates nothing to the book. He doesn't even give a shit about the book. Our homework is weird.

IDK, I'm kinda like, "EEHHH..." His tests are going to be weird. He even have group projects apparently?

If I didn't know better I'd think you had my Calc II professor. That sounds almost exactly like his lectures right down to the group projects (they were weekly or bi-weekly math problems which were more involved than the homework and related to what we were going over in class). In fact, i could swear during study groups etc... I heard your your exact rant by classmates.

The idea behind doing "proofs and shit to all kinds of equations" is that you'll understand WHY you take X approach to solve Y problem. If you know why you should use a certain approach to solve a problem you can use it to solve more than assigned homework problems.

Some people can do math and some can't. It's just that simple. If it's so bad maybe you should cut your losses now and switch to a less math-based major (it was CS right?). With regards to not being cut out for the math material, you may just end up having to take the class a few times. I've seen a couple of my CS friends go this route. Slow but steady wins the race? Maybe.

Like others have said practice is important. If you don't like the teacher's methods fine... study on your own or find alternative sources that fit your unique learning needs. Talk to your professor (before class, after class, ****OFFICE HOURS****) and explain your thought process. The biggest mistake I've witnessed is that people don't talk to their teachers! (edit: If you claim that none of those times work you're doing it wrong. Every professor I've ever had gave the option to work a time into their schedule)

All I've seen are excuses as to why it's not your fault you're having trouble. I've been there so i know exactly what it's like... Suck it up, stop complaining, and take control of the situation. Or just the first and the last. This can probably be said for many posts *cough*

I know I had to work for my A...

Anyways... good luck.

 

[TridenT]

If I didn't know better I'd think you had my Calc II professor. That sounds almost exactly like his lectures right down to the group projects (they were weekly or bi-weekly math problems which were more involved than the homework and related to what we were going over in class). In fact, i could swear during study groups etc... I heard your your exact rant by classmates.

The idea behind doing "proofs and shit to all kinds of equations" is that you'll understand WHY you take X approach to solve Y problem. If you know why you should use a certain approach to solve a problem you can use it to solve more than assigned homework problems.

Some people can do math and some can't. It's just that simple. If it's so bad maybe you should cut your losses now and switch to a less math-based major (it was CS right?). With regards to not being cut out for the math material, you may just end up having to take the class a few times. I've seen a couple of my CS friends go this route. Slow but steady wins the race? Maybe.

Like others have said practice is important. If you don't like the teacher's methods fine... study on your own or find alternative sources that fit your unique learning needs. Talk to your professor (before class, after class, ****OFFICE HOURS****) and explain your thought process. The biggest mistake I've witnessed is that people don't talk to their teachers! (edit: If you claim that none of those times work you're doing it wrong. Every professor I've ever had gave the option to work a time into their schedule)

All I've seen are excuses as to why it's not your fault you're having trouble. I've been there so i know exactly what it's like... Suck it up, stop complaining, and take control of the situation. Or just the first and the last. This can probably be said for many posts *cough*

I know I had to work for my A...

Anyways... good luck.

I can understand why certain things do certain things. I get how it works. I don't give a shit to see a proof written out. I rather learn the concepts quickly and do examples instead because those are a lot more relevant to my education.

 

[alkemyst]

calc ii is the roughest one for most.

My calc ii teacher was blind. It was painful.

 

[WraithETC]

Theres the math Tutoring center as you said and there is also CLUE tutoring in MGH during the evening.

If your TA speaks english (mine did not) thats a good resource too and so are office hours.

Granted I've only ever used the Tutoring center because everyone works there and you can just ask other students for help.

Calc II was the easiest out of the three for me though so eh. I find the non Calc 1-2-3 math classes much easier except for multivariable, which is like Calc II on roids.

 

[SandEagle]

http://www.khanacademy.org/

This

 

[tboo]

Sequences & Series suck.

The best way is practice, practice, & more practice.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

:thumbsdown:

Book is not really that great.

Do you ever run out of excuses?

I took a graduate level linear algebra course when I was an undergrad in order to fill an elective. The professor was terrible (one day, a student even called him out for sucking in front of the entire class). Do you know what I did? I read the book and worked through all the examples in the book. I had people coming up to me to ask me to tutor them. I ended up with an A in the course and honestly, I learned a ton of stuff. In previous math classes, I'd never read the book and would just solve example problems or homework.