How to be Successful in MATH-1720
MATH-1720 (or its equivalent, MATH-1760), is one of the few math courses that first-year CS students must take. Most of the material are reviews from high school. In Ontario, the following classes addresses these materials: MHF4U - Advanced Functions and MCV4U - Calculus and Vectors. However, you should still practice on building good habits to prepare for classes like MATH-1730 (Integral Calculus).
How to Succeed in This Course
The general idea of increasing your chance of doing well in this course is to familiarize yourself with the definitions, practice with a variety of questions, and don't procrastinate studying until the last minutes.
Here are some ways to better your chances of doing well in this course:
Learn the Way of Mobius
Depending on your professor, you may need to use Mobius for your homework assignments. Due to technical limitations, Mobius requires you to follow the notations rigorously in order for it to understand your answer correctly. As such, it is important to read the notes in your questions for any notation requirements and follow them. Mobius also has a syntax guide for you to review. In addition, use brackets if you're not sure in what order does Mobius evaluate your answer.
Mobius may also interpret answers incorrectly, so it's important to check your work and compare it with Mobius's outputs.
Remember Your Definitions and Theorems
Math courses are often definition- and theorem-heavy. In MATH-1720, for example, you must remember the derivative laws, techniques on evaluating limits, and the domain and range characteristics of common functions or families of functions. Understanding how these formulas and definitions work will save you precious time during exams for the difficult questions. Use flashcards, active-recall activities, and doing practice questions may help you remember them better.
Do Your Homework Early
Even for those with talent, it takes time to be familiar with the concepts taught in class, the common question types, and the techniques used to solve these questions. As such, doing your homework is the least grade-costly chance for you to sharpen your skills before going into an exam. Doing your homework as soon as possible also give you more time to identify your weaknesses or gaps in knowledge.
Take Advantage of University-Offered Resources
The University provides a multitide of support for students who need the extra help. During the tutorials, you'll have the chance to go over actual practice questions with your tutorial instructors or professors. Plus, office hours and tutorials are opportunities for you to clarify concepts or types of questions that you're struggling with. The MSLC and SOS also have tutoring sessions and midterm reviews, which is a chance for you to put your knowledge to the test using sample exam questions.
Find Online Resources
Many text and video resources are on the Internet, so use these to your advantages to help you understand difficult concepts and practice for exams.
Don't Leave Questions Blank
Even if you don't know how to solve a question, try your best to write anything that might be relevant. This can help you get a sense of what the question might be asking for, and for you to get an idea for the solution. In addition, you may get part marks for the steps you've shown, even if the answer overall is incomplete.
Disclaimer
Much of the materials covered in this article are based off of the individual experiences of several students who have taken this course in the past. While students have had similar experiences with this course, the material covered in this article does not represent any official stance from the University. Moreover, your experience may vary as professors change their teaching styles.