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First Year Math Exam Help

 
Old 11-22-2009 at 02:57 PM   #16
Mowicz
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Bushra: While I'm fairly sure most students have a firm handle on say, Limits and Continuity by the end of the course, I'm just the type of guy that likes to be thorough and try and make sure everyone is up to speed. (I'm also very big on teaching the 'intuition' involved with the mathematical ideas, which may be something overlooked by many students...in other words, sometimes students think they understand some of the ideas, but more insight is to be gained from looking at the problem through a new set of eyes).

In my opinion, it's better for students to be a little bored for a few minutes while I cover the basics than for someone to get overwhelmed by the advanced topics because I didn't lay an appropriate foundation...Also, keep in mind, I'm not going to be giving a presentation or anything, I'll be responsive to you guys...so if you really don't understand something, or are bored and get something perfectly, I would spend more / less time accordingly. (:

----------------

As for 1L03 - Chapter 6, I think I'd be comfortable going over some of the stuff from that section if you can direct me to a particular topic let's say.

Most of it seems to be based on counting arguments/combinatorics which is covered in Chapter 5? But after looking at the first note on Sample Spaces, it seems as though it's overly technical for no real reason...

I mean he's explaining the concept of being 'mutually exclusive' using {1,2,3,4,5,6} when in actual fact a real world example (such as rolling a dice) would be far more effective.

Last edited by Mowicz : 11-22-2009 at 03:00 PM.
Old 11-23-2009 at 01:08 AM   #17
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Sounds good, Mowicz! Thanks!
Old 11-23-2009 at 08:26 PM   #18
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exam date: december 18th
course: 1k03
Old 11-24-2009 at 12:32 AM   #19
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I'm in 1X03 and I think a review session would be really helpful

I'm also in 1B03, and a review session for that would be extremely helpful as well

Last edited by JL37 : 11-24-2009 at 12:35 AM.
Old 11-24-2009 at 12:49 AM   #20
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For 1K03 - Are there particular topics you're struggling with?

To JL37 - Just to point out that I can't formally give a review session (since Mac would have to 'pay me' which they won't do, given my TA contract). So instead these are more like 'extra office hours.'
Old 11-24-2009 at 12:54 AM   #21
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12th/13th works fine for me, 1Z04 that is. Chapter 11 is the only problem with this damn course (sequences and series).
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Old 11-24-2009 at 07:40 PM   #22
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Hey Mowicz!
I'm in 1B03 and could desperately use some help for the exam! The exam is worth 65% for me... so you know... :S

Lemme know if you're doing it. I know about 10 other people that would want the help, including JL37.
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Last edited by mellye : 11-24-2009 at 07:42 PM.
Old 11-24-2009 at 10:05 PM   #23
xo.monica
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I'm in 1K03 and would LOVE some help.
Exam, Dec. 19th,
just like sweetie321 said.

I think it's great that you're doing this, btw.
I asked a couple upper-year "friends" for help, and they ALL wanted money in return. O_O

So, just wanted to let you know that it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
Old 11-25-2009 at 12:29 AM   #24
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Some updates - Unfortunately the 12th/13th aren't the best days for me, as I'll have a take-home final during that time...so I'd like to move the calculus session to Friday December 11th.

mellye: I have no problem giving help with 1B03 (infact, that's my favourite first year course!). I just don't want to make some time, and have no one show up haha. If you can get enough people to show up (5 or more would be solid enough), I'd be happy to do it...when is that exam?

xo.monica & sweetie321: I just looked into 1K03, it's introductory calculus? From the sounds of it though, you don't go into as much depth as the other calculus courses. It seems like you've mostly done derivatives?

What I'd like to know is, if you take a look at the list I posted above:

1) Limits
2) Continuity
3) Derivatives ('first principles')
4) Derivative rules
5) Curve Sketching
6) Integration (Riemann sums)
7) Integration strategies (Substitution, by Parts)
8) Sequences and Series
---Specifically, I plan to take up the 3rd test you guys just had, since it's now posted online.
9) Open the floor to questions

Does this sound like it addresses your concerns with the course? ie. will it suffice for you to attend the general calculus session? Or would you need a specific 1K03 one? (Again I wouldn't mind doing it if there was demand for it)
Old 11-25-2009 at 07:46 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mowicz View Post
mellye: I have no problem giving help with 1B03 (infact, that's my favourite first year course!). I just don't want to make some time, and have no one show up haha. If you can get enough people to show up (5 or more would be solid enough), I'd be happy to do it...when is that exam?
1B03 is your favourite first year course.... WHYYYYY??? haha. I can def get 5 or more people. That's easy stuff. The exam is the 21st at 4pm.
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Old 11-26-2009 at 12:44 AM   #26
Mowicz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mellye View Post
1B03 is your favourite first year course.... WHYYYYY??? haha.
Hahaha. It's such a visual subject, I've always loved courses where you can draw nice pictures (that's why I'm into Geometry!).

The only real concept that I find is 'too abstract for pictures' in that course is the determinant (which has to be viewed as an "internal property" of a matrix). A matrix of course, being a representative for a system of linear equations.

Most other things can be drawn, and you can likely convince yourself that the facts are true without too many mind-numbing computations.


So I'm thinking of holding the lin alg session on the 17th/18th? Does that conflict with any other major exams?
Old 11-27-2009 at 09:37 AM   #27
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Haha. As long as it's not bright and early on the 17th, those days are perfect. Just tell me when!
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Old 11-27-2009 at 09:40 AM   #28
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11th is even better.
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Old 11-27-2009 at 01:12 PM   #29
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I've posted the office hours on my webpage (http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/~parchimp ).

I'll update the times and such on the "My Availability" section (http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/~parchimp/calendar.html ). The times right now are tentative, but I figure if I throw them up there sooner rather than later, more people would know they exist by the time they roll around.
Old 11-27-2009 at 01:45 PM   #30
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Hello, sorry for responding so bloody late,
but yes, it's, like, pre-pre calculus.
Basically just derivatives.
...chain rule, product rule, quotient, etc, and now we're doing logarithms.

It's a very BASIC and introductory calc course, equivalent to grade 12 calculus.

Going to a general calculus session would probably confuse us, as they would go quickly go over the basics and work on the harder stuff (i.e. limits, etc). We really just focus on the basics.
I'd probably say that a separate session for 1K03 would be most beneficial to us, but if it's not doable, then no worries - we could try going to the general one and see how much it helps. I'm not too sure how high the demand is for 1K.

To answer your question,
the only things we looked into on that list were

3) Derivatives

and whatever intervals of incr/decr, concavity, inflection points, etc, first order derivative/second order derivative falls under.



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