Edx/BUx Introduction to Differential Equations Starts 5/16

[eriehiker]

Haha.

I have been trying to do this course for a couple of weeks, but I just can't bring myself to get past the diagnostic test. I took calculus in high school and passed the AP test, but this is obviously a bit beyond that. I've been reading some of the "Dummies" books about calculus, but it might be just a bit too much to get up to speed before the midterm. I have been going back and forth about whether to give up and just focus attention elsewhere. I don't actually need these courses, except for a side goal of gaining teaching certification in math. Is there any kind of super-focused, very relevant source for this class that could help me achieve minimum passage without Herculaen effort?

Thx.

[dfrecore]

Haha.

I have been trying to do this course for a couple of weeks, but I just can't bring myself to get past the diagnostic test. I took calculus in high school and passed the AP test, but this is obviously a bit beyond that. I've been reading some of the "Dummies" books about calculus, but it might be just a bit too much to get up to speed before the midterm. I have been going back and forth about whether to give up and just focus attention elsewhere. I don't actually need these courses, except for a side goal of gaining teaching certification in math. Is there any kind of super-focused, very relevant source for this class that could help me achieve minimum passage without Herculaen effort?

Thx.

Did you take Calculus AB or BC? How long ago? How did you do on the AP exam?

At my local CC, Differential Equations is after Calc III, so even if you scored a 5 on the Calc BC exam, you'd probably be hard-pressed to take their DE course without the Calc III course.

You probably need to refresh Calc I & II (assuming you took BC), then take Calc III, and then take DE.

[SolarKat]

Haha.

I have been trying to do this course for a couple of weeks, but I just can't bring myself to get past the diagnostic test. I took calculus in high school and passed the AP test, but this is obviously a bit beyond that. I've been reading some of the "Dummies" books about calculus, but it might be just a bit too much to get up to speed before the midterm. I have been going back and forth about whether to give up and just focus attention elsewhere. I don't actually need these courses, except for a side goal of gaining teaching certification in math. Is there any kind of super-focused, very relevant source for this class that could help me achieve minimum passage without Herculaen effort?

Thx.

For diff eq, you'll need calc 1. From calc 2, you'll need the integration techniques: substitution, integration by parts, trig substitution, and partial fraction decomposition. You don't need anything from calc 3 (multivar). For video tutorials, Khan Academy is useful. For written explanation, Paul's Online Math Notes are very good. You can also get the notes for Calc 1 & 2 there. There's a Shaum's Outline book for diff eq, with solved problems - it's not expensive. Coursera has a couple of great free calc classes (1 & 2) by Jim Fowler of Ohio State - personally I love his videos because he tries to make it relevant, rather than just dry theory.

DiffE is not easy, though personally I think calc 2 is the make-or-break link in the whole sequence.

[eriehiker]

It was AB and it was 24 years ago. Haha. I did do the ALEKS series up through pre-calc. I wouldn't have done this class right now, but I figured I'd give it a try. I think that I am still going to give this a bit of a try without going crazy. I'll make sure I get all of the practice exercises right and then do the midterm on the last day and see what happens. Is the midterm multiple choice?

[dfrecore]

AP Calc AB is equivalent to Calc I, and since it was 24 years ago, I'm going to say that you probably need to retake Calc I and then take Calc II. They're both available through Straighterline, so that's a good place to take it for not too much money.

Then, you'd be ready to take these courses again when they came around the next time, if you still needed them.

Your other option is to take Calc I & II now, and get through them as fast as you can, and then try to catch up to the DE course.

[Ideas]

I think that I am still going to give this a bit of a try without going crazy. I'll make sure I get all of the practice exercises right and then do the midterm on the last day and see what happens. Is the midterm multiple choice?

I'm sure it's possible to catch up. I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't up on their math and is trying to do this quickly. I'm sure I could pass this if I didn't have so much else going on, and I'm going to try hard at this. (If I don't manage to complete them, then I probably cannot get a math degree, because everything else costs so much. It's only an Associates, but I want it for personal reasons.)

If you look at the exercises for module 1, they are not multiple choice, so I doubt the midterm does Some other modules did have multiple choice questions.

[Ideas]

For video tutorials, Khan Academy is useful. For written explanation, Paul's Online Math Notes are very good. You can also get the notes for Calc 1 & 2 there. There's a Shaum's Outline book for diff eq, with solved problems - it's not expensive. Coursera has a couple of great free calc classes (1 & 2) by Jim Fowler of Ohio State - personally I love his videos because he tries to make it relevant, rather than just dry theory.

Did you purposely leave out Study.com because you feel it's inferior for Calc? I know some people were discussing how Study.com isn't college level learning, so I'm worried I'll only know about half the material after going through Study.com. Do you have any ideas about that?

I'm reading their Calc AB + BC review course pages, and it does seem rather easy so far. I've done Calc I and II but it should be harder, because it's been so long since I've done any of this. I think Study.com seems easier now because they reviewed PreCalc and other basics. I did about 40% of the course reading. I'm expecting it to get harder, and I do plan to use another source or two. But I'm wondering if I should spend another couple hours on Study.com as my first step in re-learning, or spend my time elsewhere.

My reason for starting with Study.com is I prefer to learn from text and not video, and I like text that has lots of space and shorter chunks, unlike serious textbooks. I'll do a textbook if needed, but I like books more like the "for Dummies" series

[sanantone]

Did you purposely leave out Study.com because you feel it's inferior for Calc? I know some people were discussing how Study.com isn't college level learning, so I'm worried I'll only know about half the material after going through Study.com. Do you have any ideas about that?

I'm reading their Calc AB + BC review course pages, and it does seem rather easy so far. I've done Calc I and II but it should be harder, because it's been so long since I've done any of this. I think Study.com seems easier now because they reviewed PreCalc and other basics. I did about 40% of the course reading. I'm expecting it to get harder, and I do plan to use another source or two. But I'm wondering if I should spend another couple hours on Study.com as my first step in re-learning, or spend my time elsewhere.

My reason for starting with Study.com is I prefer to learn from text and not video, and I like text that has lots of space and shorter chunks, unlike serious textbooks. I'll do a textbook if needed, but I like books more like the "for Dummies" series

It was probably left out because Study.com costs money.

[SolarKat]

It was probably left out because Study.com costs money.

That's definitely part of it. Plus, my personal opinion is that the Study.com stuff is pretty lightweight...I don't think it's a good prep for anyone looking for a math degree, where people are going to expect you to...well...'math stuff', as my 8 yr old says. (Where math is, indeed, a verb.) If you like shorter explanations, then the Shaum books, are a lighter approach but have significant numbers of solved problems, or even one of those "365 solved problems in ____" books would give you a better feel than the "mostly words" approach of the Study.com videos.

For folks just needing to whip off a math course, it's fine. To build a deep foundation, not so much.

(Don't get me wrong, I love Study.com...when words are the appropriate medium for the lesson. With math, I feel they need a LOT more numbers and fewer words, both in lessons and in solved-problem examples outside of the videos.) That's just my personal opinion, with a strong preference for 'learning by doing'. YMMV.

ETA - Ideas, if you have an old books shop near you, some of my fave calc books have been from the 1950s-70s, before there was all the super-gimmicky printing, 4-color glossy artwork, etc. Where the pages were mostly numbers/equations, clearly laid out so you could follow the process without all the cutesy stuff, and where text was very crisp, concise, and clear. *Those* were math books. I haven't found a modern math book that I like even a little, in any math subject.

Oh, another resource. MIT's amazing professor, Gilbert Strang, has a bunch of DiffE videos (and at least a text or two) - the videos are very good. (Dr. Strang and Dr. Fowler, previously mentioned for Calc 1 & 2) are the only 2 math professors I'll watch "just because" I want to wallow in math a while. Dr. Strang has some that are just the math side, and he has some that add in MATLAB implementation with Cleve Moler of MathWorks (for anyone thinking of an engineering degree...I'm pretty sure that AMU/APU have switched from LabView over to MATLAB recently, and the Boston engineering schools all go heavy on the MATLAB from year 1).

[eriehiker]

Excellent information. Much appreciated. Thank you.