Does the teacher assign EVERY single problem in your math book most of the time

[Jurrasic]

At your 2 year college or 4 year university, does the teacher assign EVERY single problem in your math book? Every semester, the teacher only assigns about 30% of the problems that are in the book for each chapter. Why is this, and also, does anyone else notice that there are some REALLY much more advanced questions all over the end of the each chapter , and in lots of the chapter reviews that the teacher doesn't assign and no one even probably knows how to do these problems in the book?
Is it true that if you don't do all the problems , you are not doing what the authors of the book think you should do and you aren't fulfilling their expectations? Is it OK to not do what the authors intended? why did they put all these problems in the math book if only a few of them were meant to be done? This seems strange.
And why do the teachers just let the students go through their course not knowing how to do the more advanced problems in the book that no one even has a clue how to do?

 

[thegreenlaser]

No-one's stopping you from doing every problem, in college you're expected to do your own studying beyond the required material. The beauty of it is that you get to choose which problems are most beneficial to you personally, the profs generally just set the bare minimum requirement.

 

[Pengwuino]

Advanced problems just might be that - advanced. If you know the problems are at a level that the students obviously wouldn't get, why ruin everyones grade by assigning the advanced problems?

Also, who cares what the author thinks and wants? :P. Seriously, though, the authors know that students only have a finite amount of time and depending on the professor, they know their text could be used for courses with varying degrees of difficulty.

 

[jtbell]

Is it true that if you don't do all the problems , you are not doing what the authors of the book think you should do and you aren't fulfilling their expectations?

Absolutely not! At least in an introductory textbook. Textbooks at this level generally provide far more end-of-chapter problems than are "necessary", so as to give the instructor a choice and so that he doesn't have to use the same problems from one year to the next.

You've probably also noticed that your instructor doesn't cover all the topics that are included in the textbook (at least if it's a typical intro physics book). This is because different schools and/or instructors have different preferences for non-core topics. Textbook writers and publishers want as many professors as possible to consider adopting their books, and don't want to be left out of consideration because they don't include particular "pet" topics.

 

[Angry Citizen]

I've only heard one instance where a professor assigned almost every problem in the book: an ordinary differential equations course. I wasn't personally a part of that course, but it sounded hellish.

Normally, my assigned problem load for calc 3 is between a fourth of the problems and half of the problems. It really depends on whether the professor wishes to emphasize a certain part of the material, or is just covering it just for completeness' sake.

 

[DarrenM]

All good replies so far. Also, keep in mind that it's the quality (and variety) of the problems, not the quantity, that matters. The number of problems typically assigned varies from class to class; courses that really emphasize proofs tend to, in my experience, assign fewer problems. Most professors I've encountered will assign a scattered sample of of problems, so that you're not just doing all the easy problems at the beginning of each section.

Furthermore, if you're concerned about not tackling the more advanced problems... do them. Do your absolute best to complete them on your own. If you get stuck, take your work and visit your professor during his or her office hours. I have never encountered a professor* that was opposed to this type of question. In fact, I've gotten the impression from a number of professors that they are pleased when a student has a legitimate question related (albeit a bit more advanced) to the material.

*Excluding, of course, those professors that seem to view office hours as a tedious chore, those professors who present an unwelcoming attitude at all times. But then, of course, the issue is not whether you're asking about an assigned problem or not.

 

[jtbell]

Furthermore, if you're concerned about not tackling the more advanced problems... do them. Do your absolute best to complete them on your own. If you get stuck, take your work and visit your professor during his or her office hours.

If it's a really advanced problem, be prepared for answers like "Hmmm, I haven't done that problem myself, but off the top of my head, I'd try this technique first..."

 

[DarrenM]

If it's a really advanced problem, be prepared for answers like "Hmmm, I haven't done that problem myself, but off the top of my head, I'd try this technique first..."

Yes! Which is great, and arguably better than the alternative, "Oh, you just do this..." If you come away from a discussion like that with nothing more than a few notes about different approaches to try... well, that's math. Either you'll solve the problem or you won't, and that also serves as a good starting point for a follow-up conversation.

Even if you don't solve it you're probably learning. If nothing else, you may learn to recognize when you're punching above your weight. That is, when you may not yet have the tools or experience to solve a problem. Put it on the shelf and come back to it later.