<p>Are these courses offered to freshmen? Also, could somebody please tell me what textbooks these courses use (it's not listed in the course guide). Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I'm an '09er, and yes, they are open to freshman, I know several freshman friends who have taken them/are taking them. In regards to the textbook issue, I know last semester for 215 when Conway taught it, there was no textbook. And for 217 I think it might be Abstract Algebra.</p>
<p>I think this year, Conway's teaching 217. I'm still undecided whether to go 215/217 or 203/204...</p>
<p>im thinking of the 214, 203, 217 sequence :)</p>
<p>what is the difference between 214 and 215?</p>
<p>I'm planning on taking 214 spring semester, but I've already taken linear algebra and multivariable...do you know if I'd have to retake those?</p>
<p>Kjoodles, whereas 214 is a number theory course, which deals with divisibility, Gauss's congruence theory, continued fractions--that is, primarily properties of the integers--MAT 215 instead is a real analysis course, wherein one sets on a more rigorous footing the methods of calculus, treating limits, convergence of sequences, and differentiation and integration using these.</p>
<p>Yes! Conway is teaching 217 Honors Linear Algebra indeed! That's what I'm taking, because I've already had linear algebra.</p>
<p>I can confirm that Conway used no analysis textbook. My friend said that Conway, in fact, entered on the first day and, with no further adieu, began scribbling on the board, without so much as an introduction. And class ended, the bell rung, and at that very moment Conway had just finished the last proof. "Now," he said, "you've survived your first Analysis lecture."</p>
<p>"bell rang"? Does Princeton really have bells between classes? When I went I didn't hear any.</p>
<p>A bell tower noting the top of the hour, perhaps?</p>
<p>there is the clocktower which plays a recording of a bell (it used to be a freshman prank to take out the clapper of the bells, thus not allowing classes to start, but someone fell and sued the university) that rings at the :50 and the hour, and i think the :20 and the :30 to signal the start and end of classes. You can only hear it up campus though, not down by the math/science buildings</p>
<p>go to 103/104. that's what im doing. w00t.</p>
<p>What sort of student should take MAT 203/204, and what student MAT 215/217? Does the latter sequence open more "options"?</p>
<p>Take it easy boys, Pton math is not high school or cc math!!! I got 5's on AP AB & BC, but had a horrible time in MAT201!!!! ouch ;)</p>
<p>215/217 is the track for people who think that they might want to be math majors. it is VERY hard, many times harder than the 203-204 sequence. You can still be a math major taking 203/204, but you'll be a bit behind because 215/217 is just so rigorous that it gives ppl a better preperation for higher level math--- that being said, one of my best friends is a math major having taken only 201 in her freshman year, her sophomore year she took 214 and 217, along with a 300 level math class.... so its doable, but its more work.</p>
<p>i read that MAT 201 doesn't give a credit, so you must be joking (again) bangoo. :p</p>
<p>anyway, i think MAT 203/204 track is really cool. it's recommended for non-math concentraters even if you are going into engineering in, say electrical engineering or comp sci</p>
<p>No, he's not joking about MAT 201. I'm a Class of 2009 Chem E major, and I know I came in thinking "oh, I took all honors in high school, might as well take honors multivar too (MAT 203)". They say that you should be able to handle it if you're 'mathematically inclined'--let me just say, within the first 2 weeks, the majority of the class had dropped to 201--and these were people who had aced their high school math classes, gotten 5's on all their AP's, done extremely well in all those math contests (AIME, etc.). If you're an engineer, there really is no reason to take 203 unless you were like on the US math team or seriously enjoy doing proofs in your spare time. 201 is even more relevant to engineers, teaching you the exact same math material but with practical applications. And MAT 201 does give you credit for the BSE freshman requirements, along with 202 (regular lin alg).</p>
<p>Multivariate calculus at Princeton - the regular track - is very difficult even for straight A high school math students with 5s on their CalcBC AP. No need to rush through this stuff.</p>
<p>Thank you Voovi for giving those pre-froshes good reality-checks. I told them many times it's extremely hard to get 3.5 as BSE students and they won't listen to me, thinking i was joking...:it's Princeton, not your ordinary state school!</p>
<p>Come down from your high horses and smell the coffee, boys ;)</p>
<p>Haha, sounds...fun.</p>
<p>Looking forward to some pretty crazy challenges next year, along with everything else.</p>
<p>hm.. I took Multivariable Calc/Diff Eq in high school, but I'm assuming it wasn't as rigorous as Princeton's courses, though I'm still going to try the placement tests. I'm still trying to sort through all the different math courses though, lol..</p>