Taking Calc 2 in the summer - good or bad idea?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the experience and implications of taking Calculus II during the summer at a community college, particularly in relation to preparing for Calculus III. Participants express concerns about the pace of the course and its impact on learning and retention of material.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern that a summer course may be too fast, potentially hindering their ability to absorb the material necessary for success in Calculus III.
  • Another participant inquires about the duration of the class, suggesting that the length may influence the learning experience.
  • A participant shares their own experience of taking Calculus II in the summer, noting that while they received a B, they felt they did not learn the material thoroughly and now rely on MATLAB for complex integrals.
  • It is noted that the content of Calculus II may not significantly overlap with Calculus III, with some participants suggesting that the latter does not build directly on the former.
  • One participant reflects on their experience in differential equations, indicating that they have not found much need for the material from Calculus II, except for specific techniques like integration by parts and familiarity with infinite series.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of opinions regarding the effectiveness of taking Calculus II in the summer. Some believe it can be manageable, while others highlight potential challenges related to the pace and retention of material. There is no clear consensus on whether this approach is advisable.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention variations in course content and teaching styles across different institutions, which may affect the learning experience. There is also an acknowledgment of differing personal experiences with the material and its application in subsequent courses.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering summer courses in calculus, particularly those aiming to progress quickly to higher-level mathematics or related fields.

selig5560
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Hi,

Has anyone taken calc 2 at a CC in the summer? I'm thinking of doing it so I can get to calc 3 faster. I'm worried that it might be too fast and I won't be able to absorb the material which will prepare me for calc 3. If this is too vague, I'll elaborate ;).


Thanks,

S
 
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How many weeks will the class be?
 
I did, wasn't too bad, got a B. Half the tests were take home though. I don't think I learned the material that well, and I probably couldn't tell you if a series converged, or how to do more complicated integrals. However, I feel like those two topics can easily be looked up, and I just use MATLAB to do my integrals now anyways.

Don't worry about calc 3, it really doesn't build off calc 2. Calc 2 is all about series and techniques of integration. I'm assuming the class is 6-8 weeks.
 
What I think RugbyEng means that at his school, Calc 3 doesn't build on Calc 2. There's a great degree of variation in what is taught when.
 
selig5560 said:
Hi,

Has anyone taken calc 2 at a CC in the summer? I'm thinking of doing it so I can get to calc 3 faster. I'm worried that it might be too fast and I won't be able to absorb the material which will prepare me for calc 3. If this is too vague, I'll elaborate ;).


Thanks,

S

I think you'll be okay. I had an easy professor for my calc II class the fall before last, and I didn't absorb much from the class. I'm in differential equations now and I don't find myself needing anything from calc II, except integration by parts, integration by partial fraction decomposition, and some familiarity with infinite series. Everything to do with calculus in parametric coordinates was retaught in my statics class.

But at least in my experience there's little overlap between calc II and calc III, except the integration techniques and the familiarity gained by exposure to parametric calculus.
 

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