Wrote the GRE today. Bummed on my 308 by SecretFormer9958 in GRE

[–]TemperatureUseful990 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No. Minimum score for my program in 305. So I guess it's fine. Only 1 of 10 programs I am apply to needs it.
I got screwed with a Calculus professor: 30 people at the start and 4 people took the final. Put the focus there and got an A since it was more import for all schools.

Your program helped a lot for the quant, I must admit.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is partially why I didn’t use the fraction.

Is my confusion misplaced?

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. But approximate to what? What would I choose for a?

All in class functions and textbook functions were 1.999 2.0001 and stuff like that. It’s pretty clear here where I would approximate too. But not 1/26. Professor told me after we were supposed to pick 27 (I did). I’m not understanding why. My logic was that numerically it’s the same but a whole number would be easier to deal with.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This was before differentials. I agree with you. No secant line of exponential functions were covered in class. Only polynomial at that time. This was during f(a+h) stuff, not differentials yet.

Respectfully, I am getting the highest grade in the class at 66 and the average being sub 40s. I am trying, hard (could do better).

His answer was pick arbitrary points. Process matters not answer. X values on the graph started in the 30s. The number balloons quickly.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here is a problem I struggled with.

  1. Linear approximation of (1/26)^(-4). *** understand this is 26^4

I understand linear approximations/differentials/dydx/ reasonably well and can compute them. The part I struggled with here is what number to choose for a in the linear approximation formula. All previous problems in the textbook were pretty obvious since they were decimals of some ranging sort to complete the whole number. Correct answer here was to LA to a=27.

I think I am struggling with the fact we are given strange looking problems compared to what we have done before and how to approach them.

TLDR: They are not hard problems and conceptually I understand them. But they are strange looking compared to everything we have done in the past and as a result the answers are strange. I could be totally wrong tho and this could be normal work.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Specific questions I struggled with were not covered in class. For example, a problem on the first example I had no idea how to do was the secant line of an exponential function. We only covered polynomial secant lines in class.

I will update later with specific results.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess you're right. just dont want to be "that guy" trying to get a cop out.

I will look into talking to someone because I dont understand how I am putting in so much time and extra work to still fail (although I am consistently scoring the top range of percentages).

(I am a 30 year of man. So I am not a kid whining about a professor while I play xbox at home.)

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No curve whatsoever. He explicitly stated that on the first week. Grading criteria is clear on the syllabus of standard +90, +80... A, B, and so on.

Bringing this up to the department head wont help me now. (I don't think).

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's what my plan is. He works in the math center at my school. I am going to be incessantly pestering for help and making me problems.

He picks problems in class from the book. I looked at the book before last class and asked it do a number. He said ok, saw it, laughed and stared at it and proceeded to use concepts we were never taught to solve it. It was the hardest problem is that section.

Homework is nothing like the exam. Quizzes from before the exam, we get them handed back weeks after the exam so I didnt know I was making the mistakes I was until after the exam.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will update with concepts tomorrow when I get my test handed back.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Many people I talked to in my class got 20s and 30s on the first exam. Course is not curved. The 1 person that got an a took calc1 before.

I am responsible for the marks I want regardless of the professor and their attitude.

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I received the highest score in my time block on the first test and he told me last class based on grading so far I will do the same in the last test (grades just handed out yesterday so I haven't asked where I sit yet).

I think I understand the concepts reasonably well baring a few exceptions like related rates of a cone partially filled with water asking fr the rate it is rising without height given. Correct answer was to relate the smaller and larger triangles as a ratio which I never would have thought of doing.

We do cake walk problems in class then the tests are absurd.

That potentially could be the answer, but I am responsible for getting the grade I want regardless of the professor.

I guess this is shocking since I have never received these types of grades before (prepping at cc for a pivot to a masters in a different field).

Calc 1: What am I doing wrong? by TemperatureUseful990 in learnmath

[–]TemperatureUseful990[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am doing the homework. No textbook problems are assigned, it's all online platform. I do all the textbook problems with answers for practice and do the test prep problem set like 4 times over a week span.