Second and third semester calculus in one summer.

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the feasibility of taking both Calculus II and Calculus III during a summer session at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Participants agree that with dedication, it is possible to successfully manage both courses simultaneously. Key insights include that while Calculus II focuses on integration techniques and series, these are not heavily utilized in Calculus III, which emphasizes knowledge of vectors. Additionally, some participants suggest that a solid understanding of polar coordinates from Calculus II is beneficial for Differential Equations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic calculus concepts, particularly integration techniques.
  • Familiarity with series and their applications in calculus.
  • Knowledge of polar coordinates and their integration methods.
  • Basic vector calculus principles relevant to Calculus III.
NEXT STEPS
  • Review integration techniques covered in Calculus II.
  • Study vector calculus fundamentals in preparation for Calculus III.
  • Learn about polar coordinates and their applications in calculus.
  • Explore the syllabus and requirements for Differential Equations to understand the prerequisites.
USEFUL FOR

Students returning to calculus after a break, particularly those planning to take Calculus II and III concurrently, as well as anyone interested in the transition to Differential Equations and advanced mathematics courses.

tiohn
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I'm back in school after a 5 year break, and need to get back up to speed on my calculus. I took it in high school and did very well on the AP exam, and have taken Calc II twice now, but wasn't even remotely dedicated to any of it, so I got a C both times. I am currently taking a class titled "Introduction to Modern Mathematics" which is required for all math majors at NCSU and focuses on proofs while introducing set theory and whatnot. I am most likely taking Calc II again this summer as a refresher, but just realized that I could also take Calc III as we have two summer sessions. Doing so would allow me to take differentials this fall, along with Intro to Linear Algebra and Intro to Modern Algebra. If I don't take Calc III this summer, I can still take the Linear and Modern Algebra classes this fall, and will merely have to postpone differentials until next spring.

What do you think I should do?
 
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I think as long as you are dedicated, taking both would not be a problem. Our Calc 2 class focused on a ton of integration techniques, and also series. Neither of which we used in Calc 3 (we did solve integrals, tons of them, but they were not nearly the difficult integrals we saw in Calc 2). If your Calc classes are similar I would say go for it.
 
That sounds exactly like ours. I'm actually tempted to just go straight into calc 3 and just pick up whatever I don't recall from calc 2 as I go along.
 
tiohn said:
That sounds exactly like ours. I'm actually tempted to just go straight into calc 3 and just pick up whatever I don't recall from calc 2 as I go along.

Yeah, I got a C in Caculus II but an A in Calculus III. You don't really need Calculus II.

It's funny though. In Differential Equations, you kind of need Calculus II for some techniques and I'm one of the only ones that seem to remember any of Calculus II. Sometimes in the hallways I'll help students with their Calculus II homework. I had a C!
 
the only thing I think you would need from calc II is polar coordinates and integrating using polar coordinates. you don't use series, integration by parts, etc in calc III. knowledge of vectors is far more important
 

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