<p>im taking math 115(calc 1) first semester and i wanted to know how difficult it is. The highest level of math I took in high school is precalc. Do you think im going to have a lot of trouble with it. Im shooting to get at least a B+.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, about half the people in Math 115 have already had calculus experience. It is possible to do well in the class without having had it before, but you'll be fighting an uphill battle. The class has gotten some redesign in the past year, after I took it. The material is not that challenging, but the way the exams are done (virtually the entirety of your grade, despite what the syllabus says) makes it confusing, ambiguous, and difficult. Old exams are posted online at <a href="http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/courses/115/%5B/url%5D">http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/courses/115/</a>.</p>
<p>Because it is required for all engineers and most science, pre-bus, etc. majors there is a lot of competition. The class is on a curve (low/middle B- median), so to get a B+ or above you need to be aiming at being around the top 25% of your class (all Math 115, not your individual section). I believe there are approximately 1400 kids taking the course.</p>
<p>In order to make it feel like they are being generous with giving so many people the grade they get, they increase or reduce the difficulty of the exams accordingly. For example, this past year the first exam had a median of 70 (67-72 was B-, 73-77 B, 78-82 B+, 83-88 A-, 89-94 A, 95-100 A+) -- too high. The second exam had a median of 58 (55-62 B-, 63-67 B, 68-75 B+, 76-87 A-, 88-94 A, 95-100 A+). The third and final exam had a median of 55 (53-60 B-, 61-67 B, 68-73 B+, 74-80 A-, 81-93 A, 94-100 A+). The exams are weighted, respectively, 25%, 35%, 40%.</p>
<p>I was in a pre-calc class senior year and in october we started doing calc stuff.
Hopefully I won't be completely lost in this class....</p>