<p>i totally failed my math exam. I GOT A 65!! As a freshman in college i studied really hard on the first test except on last 2 days so i dont get nervous. I thought i had like a 75 AT LEAST but nahhhhhh. Anyone got any tips or ideas on how to study better for Calculus? My exam was on limits and im starting derivatives. THNX!</p>
<p>Yeah… something like that happened to me freshman year of college. A long time ago, but Calc is Calc… it hasn’t changed. 
Things to do:
- Make sure you understand how to do EVERY homework problem from here on out.
- Make a flashcard of EVERY problem that has a twist or nuance. You need to know how to do ALL of them for your next exam. Then memorize those little suckers.
- Go to office hours if you have anything you don’t understand.
- Don’t skim over anything. If you don’t have it nailed rock solid, go get help.
- Get a tutor if you need to.</p>
<p>I got an A on the final. Could only drag my grade up to a B+, but it was WAY better than the 65 I got on the midterm. (and we had only a midterm and final for grades, that was it…).</p>
<p>Get a tutor, and put together a study group. I can basically guarantee you that you’re not the only one struggling with it. Calculus can be difficult. When I took Calc I, I honestly found the first chapter on limits to be the hardest in the whole course. We covered Epsilon-Delta in my Calc I course, which not all professors do. That stuff is really abstract and hard for a first year student to truly grasp. Some of the more conceptual aspects of a limit can be kind of confusing when you get into the rigorous definitions and such. Even as a third year physics major/math minor, I still find some of it confusing. </p>
<p>The basics of differentiation and integration are a bit more straight forward and formulaic. </p>
<p>thnx for the replies. i know im not the only one struggling so ill try to form a group and try the other suggestions. I got a good grade in the entrance exam so for me it seems like im the dumbest out there lol. the professor asks something and they (mostly in front) know it already in1 sec and im just there like wut</p>
<p>Do you read the chapter before the lecture? You learn by being exposed to things so get your first exposure to the material out of the way before the lecture. </p>
<p>When you get back your homework, try to learn why you got some wrong. Did you not read the chapter? Did you not understand the concept? Make sure you can do all the problems before the test. Maybe get a different book with practice problems and do them.</p>