Large Hardon Collider

[Pirian]

I'm still around. Been checking every day for a new posts, but it was quiet lately. We should unban Max to make thing more lively again.

He left of his own accord, actually, lol. Got tired of being heckled, I suppose? Or tired of being told he was always wrong (which he was...but yeah). Would write Kuya-worthy responses, but still only have a general understanding (if that)

[Kaylia]

Are you sure? I remember he had the banned icon last time I saw him.

[Pirian]

http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/775...=1#post4508621

His last post, and oddly enough, it was to you xD

[Woozie]

Chapel Hill is awesome. I think I go out more there than here in Raleigh. Lots of really cute girls too.

Yeah, UNC will definitely remain my first choice then.

[Kuya]

Can you guys suggest some introductory pre-calculus book for people that don't math good? I would like to learn that stuff, but taking a course in school to just ruin my academic record does not seem wise at this point in time.

[Kaylia]

Can you guys suggest some introductory pre-calculus book for people that don't math good? I would like to learn that stuff, but taking a course in school to just ruin my academic record does not seem wise at this point in time.

Do you remember what a function is? That's pretty much all you need to understand the fundamental of calculus.


Personally, I would get a calculus book and jump straight to it. Odd is that everything you need is going to be re-explained pretty well in the first few chapters, and if there is something that fly above your head, it's easy to go back and look up a particular topic.

[Pirian]

Precalc is all the basis for understanding the intermediate calc, isn't it? I remember my precalc was fucking useless for actually getting me prepared for regular calculus (which was easier than precalc). If you want to learn basic calculus then get a calculus book and try not to be intimidated by all the symbols. The core concept of calculus really is so simple and intuitive. Once you're chugging away at a calc book then youtube vids for active examples is a good next step to make sure you're doing the process correctly.

When I took calc I had this huge ass book that was so useless. My roommate gave me his calc book which was something like half an inch thick, 8x5, 60 year old book that his grandfather gave his father, and his father gave him, lol. It covered everything from the basic derivative all the way up to advanced differential equation. It was the best school book I've ever used and I wish I could remember the name of it It was green-cloth bound

[Woozie]

Kuya, when was the last time you've taken a math course? If it's been a while, a precalc book may be a good idea. I don't know which books are good though. I imagine any book at that level would be sufficient. You wont really need to read the entire book to get into calculus. You'll basically be using the book as either a review before you get into calculus or as a reference if you jump straight into calculus. Like others have said, you may very well not need it, but if you haven't done math in a while, it may make things easier. I personally have never taken precalc.

[Kuya]

Yea, i have not taken a math course in at least 2 years.

[bigrougabagel]

Yea, i have not taken a math course in at least 2 years.

How far along were you before this recent hiatus? If it's only been two years since your last math course, pick up where you left off. It comes back pretty quick.

[Kuya]

I don't remember. It was a statistics course.

[Pirian]

Honestly, I think a algebra book will get you more prepared for calc than precalc, but my opinion is so jaded I also base that on my calc teacher saying that a lot of people don't have trouble with the actual calculus, they have trouble with the algebra

[Purrrfect]

I was going to suggest looking at some online calculus sites just to see if anything at that level would make sense, and came across this. Pretty interesting beginning anyway, definitely not a style modern books are written in.

https://files.nyu.edu/jmg336/public/...thematics.html

[Woozie]

Honestly, I think a algebra book will get you more prepared for calc than precalc, but my opinion is so jaded I also base that on my calc teacher saying that a lot of people don't have trouble with the actual calculus, they have trouble with the algebra

What exactly is the difference between precalc and algebra II/trig? I honestly don't know. I read an algebra II/trig textbook and I assisted teaching for precalc and I really can't remember any differences.

[Pirian]

What exactly is the difference between precalc and algebra II/trig? I honestly don't know. I read an algebra II/trig textbook and I assisted teaching for precalc and I really can't remember any differences.

No difference between precalc and trig. My HS called it trig and my college called it precalc. Though, I was suggesting he review basic college level algebra(I don't know, is this algebra II?). I am by no means a math expert. A lot of math has always come intuitively to me, but I have never got much pleasure out of it, unlike you I like a lot of the practical aspects of math (which is why I went to economics), but wrought learning for the sake of learning without any application has always bored me to tears. That's what initially caught my interest in physics, lol

[Purrrfect]

At my HS we had Algebra II, then a combined Algebra III/Trig, then Precalc, then AP Calc. I have no idea what kind of overlap there was in the precalc since I decided to skip that one.

[Kaylia]

f(x) = x²+x+1 (able to draw that graph?)
sin(x), cos(x), tan(x), (are you scared reading trigo function?)
m = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1) (slope)
a= base*height (area)


There you go, you're ready for calculus.


[edit]
I'm not even exaggerating. If these concepts are clear to you, calculus is going to be an easy ride because that's all there is to it.

Derivative requires you to calculate the slope between two points that are extremely close. Integral is all about summing a bunch of extremely thin rectangles to estimate the area. There is nothing hard about this.

Your goal is to find a general formula that give the "slope" or "area" for any points of a function, and to achieve that, you will learn a bunch of specific rules that let you simplify the problem. However, it's still slope and rectangle you're calculating, and as long you can applies the few rules they show you, you're set.

Trigonometry itself isn't a requirement to understand calculus on a fundamental level, but it will come handy to solve certain problems.

[Jer]

Couple of videos for a bump. Don't remember seeing the one from September in here, although my mind could also be going.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YO4TTpYg7g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6AAhTw7RA

[Mizango]

Hey guys

[Eliseos]

Who are you?