How large are math courses at u of toronto?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the sizes of math courses at the University of Toronto, particularly focusing on first-year courses such as MAT135, MAT137, and MAT157. Participants share their experiences and expectations regarding class sizes and the challenges associated with these courses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants mention that first-year math classes like Calculus I may have around 400-500 students, while others suggest that courses such as MAT135 and MAT137 will have larger class sizes.
  • It is noted that MAT157 typically has about 50-100 students, with some participants indicating that many may drop out by the first midterm.
  • Concerns are expressed about the difficulty of courses, particularly regarding the transition to proofs in MAT157, which is described as an Analysis I course.
  • Some participants believe that hard work can lead to success in Analysis courses, while others suggest that certain advanced topics may require more than just effort.
  • There is a discussion about the number of courses required to graduate, with some confusion regarding the counting of courses and the distinction between single and two-semester courses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that first-year math courses can be large, but there is no consensus on the exact sizes or the experiences related to course difficulty. Multiple views are presented regarding the challenges of transitioning to proof-based courses and the expectations for student performance.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of confidence about their ability to succeed in these courses, with some emphasizing the importance of study habits and understanding the material. There is also mention of specific resources that may help students prepare for the challenges of proof-based mathematics.

ode_to_joy
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So I have been told that there are about two thousand freshmen in bio in one lecture room at u of t. I believe it is becasue these courses are highly in demand. How about math courses (157 or 137)? How large are the class size? Hopefull there aren't many students who take analysis and algebra courses in year 1
 
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I've heard from a friend that I know that his first year math classes were ~400-500 students for things like Calculus I, and that the class sizes exponentially decrease over the years, so that when you are taking Lebesgue Measure and Integration, there are only about 15 people in the class.
 
500? I was expecting 2000!
 
MAT135 and MAT137 will definitely have larger class sizes. However, if you're taking MAT157, you'll see about 50-100 people, and a bunch of them will drop out by the first midterm.
 
I will take 157 then hahahahahahahahahah :)
 
157 is definitely a great course. A lot of fun too, if you're interested in the material!
 
2000 students in one lecture hall? These lecture halls must be massive...
 
wisvuze said:
MAT135 and MAT137 will definitely have larger class sizes. However, if you're taking MAT157, you'll see about 50-100 people, and a bunch of them will drop out by the first midterm.

This really intimidates me... I don't know if I can survive...
 
ode_to_joy said:
This really intimidates me... I don't know if I can survive...

Most of the people drop out because they aren't confident, don't have good study habits, and aren't able to understand the new approach they're taking to math. I think MAT157 is an Analysis I course which is your first introduction to proofs with Spivak. If you want to get used to proofs because that makes you feel better I know micromass usually recommends people to get Velleman's How to Prove It and Spivak's Calculus.

Here's the course homepage: http://www.math.toronto.edu/murty/teaching.htm
 
  • #10
Kevin_Axion said:
Most of the people drop out because they aren't confident, don't have good study habits, and aren't able to understand the new approach they're taking to math. I think MAT157 is an Analysis I course which is your first introduction to proofs with Spivak. If you want to get used to proofs if that makes you feel better I know micromass usually recommends people to get Velleman's How to Prove It and Spivak's Calculus.

so if I work really hard than I wouldn't fail. thanks, that makes me feel a lot better
 
  • #11
ode_to_joy said:
so if I work really hard than I wouldn't fail. thanks, that makes me feel a lot better

I think this is the case in most Analysis courses. I think a fair amount of people can pass Analysis if they work very hard without the having the mathematical mind. It's when you get into more abstract areas such as algebraic topology, algebraic curves, mathematical logic, etc... that you require not only hard work but a fair bit of a mathematical mind (notice my lack of the word intelligence since I don't think being good at math necessarily constitutes a greater intelligence - in most cases though, such a statement is correct).
 
  • #12
ode_to_joy said:
This really intimidates me... I don't know if I can survive...

you shouldn't be too intimidated. By the first mid term, the class usually starts going into "delta-epsilon" proofs, and people get scared of those and drop out. They aren't so bad, and once you understand those proofs, you're set!
 
  • #14
ode_to_joy said:
http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/crs_mat.htm#MAT409H1

It seems like, at U of T, only 12 courses are needed to graduate?
And first year students take only three (MAT157Y1, MAT240H1, MAT247H1) courses?

I'm not sure how you counted 12, but notice that each course that has a "Y" in the code is actually a two-semester course. First year students have at least two math courses each semester.
 

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