Preparing for Calc 2: What Topics Should I Review?

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    Calc 2
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around whether a participant, currently taking Calculus 1 at a community college, is adequately prepared for Calculus 2 at a university, particularly given differences in curriculum coverage. The conversation explores topics relevant to calculus, including limits, derivatives, integration, and series.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about readiness for Calculus 2, noting that their community college course may not cover all topics typically included in a university-level Calculus 1 course.
  • Another participant suggests that if the original poster feels comfortable with the material, they should be fine, claiming that Calculus 2 is essentially an extension of Calculus 1 with more advanced topics.
  • A different participant reassures the original poster that they will be fine for Calculus 2, encouraging them to proceed.
  • In response to the reassurances, the original poster reiterates their concerns about readiness.
  • Another participant advises that understanding the material from Calculus 1 should suffice, suggesting that if specific topics are a concern, the original poster could independently study any gaps before starting Calculus 2.
  • This participant lists various topics that may need review, including trigonometric functions, integration methods, and applications of calculus, indicating that different schools may cover different material.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express supportive views towards the original poster's readiness for Calculus 2, but the original poster remains uncertain. Multiple perspectives on preparedness and curriculum differences are present, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that different institutions may cover different topics in Calculus 1, which could affect preparedness for Calculus 2. There is mention of specific topics that may not have been covered in the original poster's course, but no consensus on which topics are essential for success in Calculus 2.

JoshHolloway
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Hello all. I am currently attending a community colleges Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 course, and have just been accepted to a University for the fall. My question is do you all think that I will be ready for calc 2, or should I retake calc 1? I am doing pretty good in calc 1, but I am worried that we will not cover all of the material that would be covered at a university level calc 1 course. I spoke with the advisor of the engineering department at the university and she said calc 2 at this school begins with series. Calc 1 at the community college will end with the introduction of integration. The advisor said she thinks that I would be ready though, but I am not sure. Here is a complete list of the sections we have and will cover in calc 1 at the community college:
Finding Limits Graphically an Numerically
Evaluating LImists Anylically
Continuity and One-Sided Limits
Infinite Limits
The Derivative and the Tangent Line Problem
Basic Differentiation Rules and Rates of Change
THe Product and Quotient Rules and Higher Order Derivatives
The Chain Rule
Implicit Differentiation
Related Rates
Extrema on an Interval
Rolle's Theorum and the Mean Value Theorum
Increasing and Decreasing Functions and the First Derivative Test
Concavity and the Second Derivative Test
Limits at Infinity
A Summary of Curve Sketching
Optimization Problems
Newton's Method
Differentials
Antiderivatives and Indefinite Integration
Area
Rieman Sums and Definite Integration
The Fundamental Theorum of Calculus
Integration by Substitution
Nemerical Integration
The Natuaral Logarithmic Function: Differentiation
The Natuaral Logarithmic Function: Integration
Inverse Functions
Exponential Functions: Differentiation and Integration
Bases other than e and Applications
 
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I think if you feel comfortable with the material, you will be fine. Calc II is basically calculus one with more advanced integration topics, and sequences and series. I really found Calc II no harder than Calc I. So that's my advice.
 
Should I erase this thread and put it in the Acedemic and Career Guidance forum? I forgot that this forum existed. This seems more apropriate. How do I go about doing this?
 
You'll be fine for Calc. II. Go for it.
 
Do you really think so. I am extemely concerned that I will not be ready.
 
JoshHolloway said:
Should I erase this thread and put it in the Acedemic and Career Guidance forum? I forgot that this forum existed. This seems more apropriate. How do I go about doing this?

One of the moderators will have to move it. You can PM one of them.
 
JoshHolloway said:
Do you really think so. I am extemely concerned that I will not be ready.
If you understood Calc. I this will not be a problem. Courses at different schools cover different topics, courses at the same school cover different topics. This is not a reason to repeat a course you have understood. If the choice of topics is a concern try to find out what Calc. I at the new school covered and study any thing you do not know on your own. Also some of the topics your course omitted may not be used subsequently, so if there is a time crunch those topics can be studied later for your own knowledge. If you cannot find out what topics you may have missed, you could take a worst case approch and study all topics that may be covered in Calc. 1 except series (as you have been told they were not). These may include
Trigonometric functions
Hyperbolic functions
Le Hopitals rule
Classification of indeterminate forms
Integation methods
by parts
repeated use
solving for desired integral
special substitutions
trig sub
hyp sub
logarithmic forms
partial fractions
repeated factors
x^2+a^2 forms
cover up method
Applications
differentiation
related rates
optimization
integration
work
area/volume/centroid/moment of inertia
Differential equations
separation of variables
applications
general and particular solutions
 

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