Is Asking for Harder Tests a Good Idea?

[sutupidmath]

Well, here is the issue: Today was the second test in Calc I, and i found both of them extremely easy, i did not feel like i am doing calc at all. So, i somehow am pissed of at the professor because she is trying to make Calc look way easier than it really is. She always puts a bonus question at the end of the test, which problem is supposed to be more difficult than the others, which indeed isn't. So, after the first test i suggested her to put two bonus problems, so at least one of them would be extremely difficult for any of us to solve. But apperantly she did not consider it at all. So i am planning to ask her to make another test for me, where there would be some quite more interesting and challenging problems. So,what do you guys think, is this a good idea, or i should just do problems on my own?

Thnx

 

[Laura1013]

You could ask, but it would probably be pointless. Creating a test takes a lot of time. If she doesn't want to take the extra time to create a second bonus problem, she definitely won't want to take the extra time to make an extra test just for you. Not to mention it would be highly unfair.

Just accept an easy A, do extra problems, and prepare yourself for more challenging future calculus classes.

 

[sutupidmath]

Well, about being unfair, if the test is pretty hard, i really would accept even a B, regardless that the test that i would take would be way more difficult than that of the rest of the class, that is not sth that would bother me at all.

 

[DylanB]

i highly doubt the university would allow a student to take a different test than everyone else.

 

[Laura1013]

i highly doubt the university would allow a student to take a different test than everyone else.

Actually, it happens all the time. In many cases, if a student has an excused absence or needs to take a test early, a professor can choose to give that student a different exam than the rest of the class to discourage potential cheating.

The problem with this situation is that it's unethical and risky to give a student a much harder test than the rest of the class.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Sounds like you're just trying to show off. If you want challenging problems, can't you find some on your own?

 

[sutupidmath]

Sounds like you're just trying to show off. If you want challenging problems, can't you find some on your own?

I have a whole book on hard problems in calculus, but i think it is different when you have a hard test given in class, to doing hard problems on your own. Btw, i try to do hard problems on my own all the time, but i just think the test in class should somehow be representative.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Sounds like you're just trying to show off. If you want challenging problems, can't you find some on your own?

My exact reaction.

 

[uman]

If what you're doing isn't hard enough, do something harder. On your own time.

I would have died of boredom before the end of middle school if I hadn't followed this philosophy.

 

[sutupidmath]

If what you're doing isn't hard enough, do something harder. On your own time.

I would have died of boredom before the end of middle school if I hadn't followed this philosophy.

Thnx guys. I am doing this all the time, and I'll keep doing so!

 

[leon1127]

yeah elementary calculus may be easy for you. Perhaps you should go on to some other calculus? Vector Calculus? Advanced Calculus? Analysis? Differential topology? Ricci flow? Stochastic Calculus?

 

[cristo]

The problem with this situation is that it's unethical and risky to give a student a much harder test than the rest of the class.

Exactly. There's also nothing in this for the teacher; she has to spend time writing another exam for only one student. If you want this a lot harder, then this will take a lot more time than setting resit exams (which, in essence, are just the original exam cut up and swapped around a little, or with different numbers). It's also wrong, because the mark that you would get will not be comparable to the marks that the others get.

As others have mentioned, just study harder problems outside class!

 

[karenlau]

It's just calc I.. It should be not so difficult for bright students.. Enjoy your class, and don't be so cocky.. Maybe you should apply for top universities..

 

[fizziks]

Don't be cocky and ask the professor to put harder questions on it. Then you'll be begging for easier questions at higher level courses. Enjoy the class while it lasts. It only gets exponentially harder from there.

Calc I is easy. I did calculus in 11th grade and got a 5 on the AB and BC exams. I've never studied and spent the last hour or two doing the homework before it was due. I ended up with As in my math courses. It lasted up to Calc 3, diffy equations, linear algebra, but unfortunately ended at advanced calc.

 

[sutupidmath]

Then you'll be begging for easier questions at higher level courses.

This is never going to happen, trust me!
Not that i will be able to easily handle all those courses, i am not saying that, but only because i love being challenged to it's extremest point.

 

[sutupidmath]

And once more, thanks all of you, I will seriously consider all you've said, it seems quite reasonable after all.

 

[Oerg]

This is never going to happen, trust me!
Not that i will be able to easily handle all those courses, i am not saying that, but only because i love being challenged to it's extremest point.

What is the point of the thread other than showing off. If your professor is dishing out easy questions then so be it. It isn't as if you can't study and work on harder problems on your own. So what if you manage to get the professor to set harder questions? If the whole point is to show off to your class, then I would foresee that you WILL not go far at all. Those who go far are those who study because they have a burning interest in the subject matter.

 

[sutupidmath]

What is the point of the thread other than showing off. If your professor is dishing out easy questions then so be it. It isn't as if you can't study and work on harder problems on your own. So what if you manage to get the professor to set harder questions? If the whole point is to show off to your class, then I would foresee that you WILL not go far at all. Those who go far are those who study because they have a burning interest in the subject matter.

Well, the point is not showing off to my classmates at all. It is just that i have been used to have way harder tests in high school than i am having now here at university.
However, when i think more about it, it is quite possible that unconsciencly i somehow wanted to show off, although this is not in my nature at all. I never care to show off in front of the others and tell them how much i know, for the only reason that i am completely aware that i now NOTHING, and most importantly because the only reason that i chose to do math is because it brings me joy and makes me feel alive,but not to tell the others how smart i am, i really mean this.

And i am glad i posted this issue here, and asked for your suggestions before i would make some stupid act and asked the proffesor to make another test for me.

BTW i really like this proffesor, she is great at what she does during the class, and i like the way she teaches the material pretty much.

Not always can we objectively judge our actions, that's why i LOVE this forum.It has always brought new isights to my way of thinking.

 

[rocomath]

Might be easy for you, but what about your classmates? I'd just stfu and accept it. As others have advised, just find more problems to do on your own. You could try asking your teacher to give you a project. Also, if you think it is so easy. Then become a tutor, if you're not already.

 

[stewartcs]

Well, here is the issue: Today was the second test in Calc I, and i found both of them extremely easy, i did not feel like i am doing calc at all. So, i somehow am pissed of at the professor because she is trying to make Calc look way easier than it really is. She always puts a bonus question at the end of the test, which problem is supposed to be more difficult than the others, which indeed isn't. So, after the first test i suggested her to put two bonus problems, so at least one of them would be extremely difficult for any of us to solve. But apperantly she did not consider it at all. So i am planning to ask her to make another test for me, where there would be some quite more interesting and challenging problems. So,what do you guys think, is this a good idea, or i should just do problems on my own?

Thnx

That's because you're in Calc I and it is basically a review of precalc, trig, and college algebra. It will get more difficult as you go along and encounter new material.

CS

 

[Benzoate]

Well, the point is not showing off to my classmates at all. It is just that i have been used to have way harder tests in high school than i am having now here at university.
However, when i think more about it, it is quite possible that unconsciencly i somehow wanted to show off, although this is not in my nature at all. I never care to show off in front of the others and tell them how much i know, for the only reason that i am completely aware that i now NOTHING, and most importantly because the only reason that i chose to do math is because it brings me joy and makes me feel alive,but not to tell the others how smart i am, i really mean this.

And i am glad i posted this issue here, and asked for your suggestions before i would make some stupid act and asked the proffesor to make another test for me.

BTW i really like this proffesor, she is great at what she does during the class, and i like the way she teaches the material pretty much.

Not always can we objectively judge our actions, that's why i LOVE this forum.It has always brought new isights to my way of thinking.

If you think calc 1 is too easy, then why didn't you take a math class that will challenge you. If I were in your situation, And I finish my calculus homework before everybody else , I would used that free time to teach myself some math topics that might interest me by going to my college library and checking out books that contain the topics that interest me.

 

[sutupidmath]

If you think calc 1 is too easy, then why didn't you take a math class that will challenge you. If I were in your situation, And I finish my calculus homework before everybody else , I would used that free time to teach myself some math topics that might interest me by going to my college library and checking out books that contain the topics that interest me.

Yeah, i also am studing elementary differential equations, and set theory, without credit, and mostly on my own.But since i am an international student here, i did not want to skip calculus I,frstly to get acquainted with terminology and also because there is a lot to learn there. I also was planning to officialy take Linear ALgebra, this is what my advisor suggested also, but it overlaped with my other classes, so i have to wait until the next semester.