Am I doomed to fail if I don't ace Analysis II?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges faced by a student in an Analysis course, particularly regarding the expectations of rigor in mathematical proofs. The focus includes concerns about performance in the course and its implications for graduate school applications.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern over their performance in an Analysis course, attributing difficulties to personal mistakes rather than a lack of understanding.
  • Another participant reassures that a B in a challenging math class is not necessarily detrimental to graduate school prospects, sharing their own experience of overcoming a lower grade.
  • Some participants question the distinction between "evaluating" and "finding" a limit, suggesting that the expectation was to provide a rigorous proof rather than just the limit itself.
  • There is a suggestion that the professor should have clarified the requirement for an epsilon-delta proof, indicating potential ambiguity in the assignment's expectations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that a B in a difficult course is not a lost cause for graduate school, but there is disagreement regarding the clarity of the professor's expectations for the quiz, with some finding it ambiguous.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the expectations for rigor in mathematical proofs, as well as the subjective nature of grading in advanced courses. There are unresolved questions about the implications of specific grades on future academic opportunities.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in advanced mathematics courses, individuals considering graduate school in STEM fields, and educators interested in assessment clarity may find this discussion relevant.

DeadOriginal
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I am currently taking an Analysis course. We are using Folland's Advanced Calculus textbook. The professor is good. The reason I am not doing so well is because of my own naivety. I do understand what is going on in the class but I am shooting myself in the foot with dumb things.

For example, today we had a quiz in class. The problem was to evaluate an extremely easy limit. Having taken a multivariable class that was not proof intensive, I took evaluate to mean find the limit. This limit was extremely obvious so I didn't bother proving anything. The epsilon delta proof would have been just as easy if I were to have done it, but I didn't do it so I am probably looking at a 0.

This one quiz obviously won't be detrimental to my grade, but the professor is notoriously harsh when it comes to tests so I won't have a safety net to fall onto if I mess up a question on the midterm/final. I got burned today and I have learned my lesson but say I take a B- or something in this class. Is graduate school a lost cause?
 
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I can't imagine that it is a lost cause - especially getting a B in a pretty hard math class. I, for example, for several bad reasons, got a C in a stat. class - it was an upper level stat class, but still the C was embarrassing, and I am currently in grad school at a pretty big name place (not that that matters all that much) with funding. So, and others here are more knowledgeable, I don't think a B- will hurt your chances too much.
 
I don't know any advanced undergraduate math but what is the difference between evaluating the limit and finding the limit?
 
TheAbsoluTurk said:
I don't know any advanced undergraduate math but what is the difference between evaluating the limit and finding the limit?

The point of the question was not only to find the limit, but also to prove rigorously that that is the limit. So they wanted an epsilon-delta proof, and not only the final answer.

It's pretty ambiguous though. The professor should have stated explicitely that he wanted an epsilon-delta proof.
 

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