Navigating Two Math Classes and an Elective Simultaneously

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of taking two mathematics courses, specifically Calculus 3 and Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE), alongside an intermediate computer science class and a general elective. Participants share their experiences and perspectives on the difficulty of managing multiple math classes simultaneously.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that ODE is generally considered one of the easier math courses, provided that students have strong algebra and integration skills.
  • Others argue that the difficulty of ODE can vary significantly based on the institution and the faculty teaching the course.
  • Concerns are raised about the variability in the curriculum and textbook quality across different universities, which may affect the perceived difficulty of ODE and Calculus 3.
  • One participant mentions that their experience with ODE was challenging, indicating that personal experiences can differ widely.
  • There is a suggestion that taking Linear Algebra before ODE could be beneficial, as it provides foundational concepts that are relevant to solving linear differential equations.
  • Some participants reflect on the changing standards and experiences of students over time, noting that what may have been difficult in the past could differ from current experiences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions regarding the difficulty of ODE and Calculus 3, with no consensus on whether these courses are inherently easy or hard. The discussion highlights the subjective nature of course difficulty based on individual experiences and institutional factors.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the level of abstraction and topic coverage in ODE can vary considerably, which may influence students' experiences. Additionally, the prerequisites and prior knowledge of students, such as familiarity with Linear Algebra, are mentioned as factors that could impact their success in ODE.

PurpleNurple7
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This semester I am taking calculus 3 and ODE, along with an intermediate CS class and a general elective communications course. I'm wondering how difficult these two will be when taken together. I took Calc 2 the semester prior and got an A, but have never taken 2 math classes simultaneously before.

edit: At my school ODE only has a prerequisite of Calc 2.
 
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it is doable. ODE is one of the easier math courses, provided that your algebra manipulation and integration is good.

Depending on your major, it is very common to take 3 math courses + an elective, 3 physics classes + elective, etc. You may very well be forced to doing this the semester after this, if you want to graduate in a timely manner.
 
PurpleNurple7 said:
I...have never taken 2 math classes simultaneously before.
So you haven't done Linear Algebra?
 
MidgetDwarf said:
ODE is one of the easier math course
Not when I took it. Also, Calc 3 can be either east or hard depending on where the boundary between Calc 2 and Calc 3 is drawn.

I sadly suspect the answer is university dependent and even faculty dependent.,

(And I still have nightmares about tanks of brine)
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
Not when I took it. Also, Calc 3 can be either east or hard depending on where the boundary between Calc 2 and Calc 3 is drawn.

I sadly suspect the answer is university dependent and even faculty dependent.,

(And I still have nightmares about tanks of brine)
you are a bit older than the average poster here who is not staff. so standards where much higher back in your day. I believe you also went to top college. This is not the typical experience for the majority of college students. US intro ode course use something along the lines of Zill, Boyce, or any other run of the mill ode book. Sometimes students get lucky and use Simmons or a similar level book.

As calculus 3 goes, very few schools use Mardsen or Hubbard text. Even fewer use Apostol's or Courant's second volume. Typically, something along the lines of Stewart is used.

Faculty plays a major role in the difficulty of a course, but the level of abstraction of the typical US course is not very high for these two courses. If it was something like an intro LA course, I would definitely agree with you.
 
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I took Differential Equations from a nearby college you never heard of when I was still in high school. My "top school" didn't want to give me credit for it, so I took their final. Cold. And I aced it.

So yes, there is a lot of variation. Differential Equations is very episodic. Depending on what they choose to cover and in what depth, it can be easy or hard.

Your point "maybe things are just different today" can't really be argued against. Maybe yes, maybe no. I certainly don't see any sign of it, and I see a wide variation in math skills of incoming grad students.
 
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I agree. Topic coverage can vary considerably in ODE.

But I think taking linear algebra before ODE is ideal. After all linear differential equation solutions comprise a vector space. And a Wronskian checks for linear independence.

Knowing these notions before hand helps to frame ODEs.
 

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