Helpful Hints for Calculus

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Helpful Hints for Calculus

• By Ashley Flick

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Topics
LOOK AT THESE THINGS EARLY. LOOK AT THE BOOK
BEFORE LECTURE. COME PREPARED TO LECTURE!!!!!!

• Calculus
• - Geometric, Infinite, and Alternating Series
• - Taylor Polynomials
• - Numerical Integration
• - Improper Integrals
• - Euclidean Distance Unit Vectors
• Linear Algebra Book
• - Onto, One-to-one, and Inverses Calculations
• - Linear Transformations
• - Linear Projections
• - Plane Equations Calculations
• - Image, Kernel, and Rank Calculations
• - Determination of Linear Dependence
• - Gram-Schmidt Q-R Matrix Decomposition

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Book Advice

• The Calculus book is very helpful. Look at it.
  Use the problems. Do the problems. Look at the
  example problems.
• Be proactive and try to figure things out rather
  than just have people give you the answer.
• The Linear Algebra Book is awful. There are
  plenty of other books available at the bookstore
  on Linear Algebra. I would suggest getting one
  of them. Professor Morley puts the homework
  online so you dont have to buy the book.

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Calculus

• The first part of the semester is spent of a
  portion of Calculus.
• Most people find this stuff pretty confusing so
  make sure you ask plenty of questions to
  understand it. Also, do plenty of problems to
  cement the ideas in your head.
• ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT!

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Linear Algebra

• Dont overcomplicate things. If the answer seems
  easy, it very well may be correct. Sometimes it
  is so simple that it seems complicated.
• Be sure to keep everything straight in your
  notebook and label EVERYTHING. When the test
  rolls around, random matrices wont make any
  sense.

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For Tests

• A week before tests is a good time to start
  preparing.
• You want to make sure that you have all of your
  notes in order and everything is labeled.
• Also, I used to make a final summary sheet with
  example problems and anything I thought I might
  need to know for the test so I didnt have to go
  through all of my work to find what I was
  looking.
• Preparing ahead of time also leaves time to ask
  your TA or Professor Morley questions that you
  may have.

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Helpful Tools

• Matlab, Mathematica, and your calculator will
  become your very best friends.
• Professor Morley likes Mathematica and generally
  posts the solutions to the quizzes using
  Mathematica so get familiar with it!
• Also, your TI calculator can be a great resource
  to check your work with. I am not suggesting
  that this take the place of mental work however,
  because it is important that you completely
  understand how to do everything.

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The TAs

• Sometimes the TAs will have review sessions. GO
  TO THEM! They are very helpful and extremely
  informative.
• Even if your TA is not having one attend
  another TAs.
• Talk to your friends in the class and see if
  their TA is having a review session and check the
  questions page because it is often posted in
  there somewhere when a TA is having a review
  session for the test.

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Professor Morley

• He is really helpful and very understanding. I
  went to his office hours if I needed help with
  something and he was always willing to sit down
  and help me with it or make an appointment with
  me to explain something to me.
• Dont take advantage of him and be nice to him.
  Some people this semester left extremely rude
  comments on the comments page about not being
  informed about what was for homework but they
  didnt know because they didnt attend class.
  That is not his fault if you choose not to go to
  class ? very bad idea by the way!!!

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STAY AHEAD

• You always want to stay ahead or at least on top
  of the game.
• Doing your homework early allows time to ask for
  help and ask TAs questions. Some people wait
  until the recitation that the homework is due to
  start it and then they dont usually finish.
• Doing the homework gives you a nice little
  cushion to your grade that some people dont have
  because they choose not to do it.

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Grading

• Doing the homework and having a good homework
  average is essential to laying the base for a
  good grade in this class.
• Professor Morley will most likely curve the
  grades, but the IS NOT something you should rely
  on.
• Also, the computer project is another good way to
  add cushion to your grade. Whenever he gives the
  opportunity to do easy projects like that for
  credit DO IT!!!!!!
• He tries to help you improve your grade if you
  just take the opportunities that he provides.