OK, long story short. I did well in math in high school and college. I came up with a scheme where I would do my homework (same problems) two or three times. Don't even think I was a dedicated student, I was just trying to make a future for myself. The only thing that could happen on tests was that they would change the numbers. Hell yes, I could do that. It worked out quite well for me. Thank God I'm not calculating loads on a 787 wing or a load on any part of a sky scraper. Today I only need to figure out how to make a software fast. Algebra at best, but mostly common sense.

I'm trying to prove to myself that I can do that calculus stuff (at 62 years old). Any suggestions from you math gurus? Maybe retake Trig, then Calc?

I promise I'll change my ways on the homework stuff

I never took any of those courses you mentioned, so you're on your own.

I got my butt royally kicked in calculus. It may have had something to do with the fact that it just seemed like useless algebra taken to a higher level. When the prof mentioned that the use of taking a derivative was to calculate the slope of a curve at any given point and the use of taking an integral was to calculate the area under the curve, the light bulb came on. “Gee, thanks prof, that really helps. Wish it had come in the first week of the course instead of the last, but thanks.”

^^^^ That was me ^^^^^

I'm currently trying to decipher limits and how to calculate them. Oh, it all revolves around that shit This old man wants to learn it but can he?

Yeah...I flunked Calc.

Twice.

Once with a single digit grade.

I'm out.

Khan Academy is a good resource to help you out.

You think Calc is hard, try figuring out “Common Core Math” if you were taught the “old way”.

quote:

Originally posted by bigeinkcmo:
Khan Academy is a good resource to help you out.

Exactly what I was looking for... probably the precalc course. Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
You think Calc is hard, try figuring out “Common Core Math” if you were taught the “old way”.

Common Core will never land us on the moon, or break the sound barrier, etc. It will give us a participation ribbon

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:
Exactly what I was looking for... probably the precalc course. Thank you.

You're welcome. Hopefully you'll find it useful.

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:

quote:

Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
You think Calc is hard, try figuring out “Common Core Math” if you were taught the “old way”.

Common Core will never land us on the moon, or break the sound barrier, etc. It will give us a participation ribbon

Say what you will about Common Core, but it got my 16 year old through AP Calc, with a full 5/5, as a junior in high school...so she gets the college credits

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:

quote:

Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
You think Calc is hard, try figuring out “Common Core Math” if you were taught the “old way”.

Common Core will never land us on the moon, or break the sound barrier, etc. It will give us a participation ribbon

Say what you will about Common Core, but it got my 16 year old through AP Calc, with a full 5/5, as a junior in high school...so she gets the college credits

Cool, good for her! Congrats dad.

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:
Cool, good for her! Congrats dad.

Thanks, I'm still a bit in disbelief that they teach Calc in the 11th grade high school

Good for you! You'll definitely want to freshen up on trig, since there is a whole section of calculus dealing with trigonometric substitutions.
Best of luck to you!

quote:

Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
You think Calc is hard, try figuring out “Common Core Math” if you were taught the “old way”.

Good gosh, this sounds like my dad. I'm 57, my dad would be 83 if still alive. He was Phi Beta Kappa at Vanderbilt (class of '56), and was the highest ranked Business Administration graduate in his class.
When I was growing up (early 70's), on occasion I'd ask for help with my math homework. As often as not, he'd look at the problem, think for a bit, then state "Oh, this is the new math". OK, thanks!!


Oh, and for my Calculus history, I did well until I hit 3rd level Calculus at Auburn. Then it went totally south (and you can't get much more south in the contiguous USA than Auburn, Al.) I had a professor than was a few years past retirement. He did not want to be in a classroom anymore. He looked angry, was angry, and wore the same damn sweater every single day.
To say he was not helpful would be a mild understatement. From talking with others in the class, many more than half of us failed. That basically ended my quest for a mechanical engineering degree. I was paying for most of my college expenses at the time, so I couldn't afford another go at this professor. Dropped out, made some more more money, and went back to get a History degree, with minors in Psychology & Business.
But I'm not bitter (asshole Calculus teacher)...

Learning from a book isn't the best way from what I hear. It's doable but not easy especially if your not use to reading math books which is a skill in itself. Try to talk to someone who knows the subject and can guide you. Also ask lots of questions. Khan academy is a great resource. I like spivak's calculus book for self study. Having a solid foundation with trig and basic algebra will pay dividends if your gonna tackle calculus.

pauls online math notes

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Underworld2086,

I would take an intermediate algebra class to refresh your algebra skills. If you know algebra really well, it will make calculus that much easier on you.

The biggest thing I have seen is people start off defeated because they have been telling themselves, for years, that thy're not good at math. Anyone can be good at math if they practice.

JP

3blue1brown has some interesting YouTube videos on the subject. He explains the concepts in different ways than I was ever taught.

There are two aspects for you to consider:

1) There are the manipulations involved in performing various operations. Anyone with reasonable skills in such manipulations can learn to do the operations in Calculus.

2) Then, there is the real understanding of what Calculus is about. For many, this is a difficult leap, because it involves understanding infinity and infinitesimals. Our minds are finite, so it is difficult for many to grasp these concepts, as they can't quite be visualized.

My recommendation is to master the manipulations and, if necessary, "suspend your dis-belief" on the theory. Once you have mastered the manipulations and are comfortable with them, it is easier to become comfortable with, and ultimately understand, the theory.

I never really understood Calculus until I took a course in Real Analysis where we began from the fundamental definition of integer numbers, extended them to rationals, and then real numbers. Then we studied the basics of point set topology, the fundamental definitions and theorems of limits, "epsilon-delta" proofs, convergence of sequences and then series.


Good luck.

It's not all that hard, if you know and like algebra.

The "Cartoon Guide to Calculus" and "Calculus and Pizza" books both are very approachable, and will give you a sense of what calculus is trying to do.