Math104 as a Prerequisite...help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>Hey Penn students, I will be joining the Penn community from this fall as an exchange student and whilst being overloaded by things to get done, I have been bothered by Prerequisites some of the courses have!</p>

<p>I was thinking about taking some Finance courses (if they let me take Wharton courses...) and besides that some Econ courses (I'm a Business/Econ major) but most of them have Math104 as a prerequisite. </p>

<p>My question is, how tough are the professors about prerequisites? Thing is, I have browsed through the Math104 Syllabus and discovered that I have covered most of the stuff in High School (which in fact was a German School, so I've done it in German) and to refresh it I am now individually re-studying it (got the same book they use through a Professor here).</p>

<p>Do you think that an explanation as such (covered the material before+restudied it) would satisfy and make me eligible to take courses that have a Math104 prerequisite?</p>

<p>Are they tougher on Wharton courses than Econ courses?</p>

<p>I would very much appreciate your help, and I'll see you in Fall then!</p>

<p>Ken</p>

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<p>Just register. Nobody cares about prerequisites if you can handle it. The only time they really matter is when the classes are directly relevant.</p>

<p>Plus, they don't really use any calculus.</p>

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<p>And, if they do hassle you, at the beginning of the semester you can place out, and you only need to get a C on the exam they give.</p>

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<p>Seriously though no professor gives a crap.</p>

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<p>Econ courses are more theoretical and require far more advanced math than business classes</p>

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<p>It depends on the econ classes he takes. If he takes 100+ levels, sure, he's going to need calculus. If it's just basic econ, not so much. Still, even with 100+, if he has taken the stuff before there's no reason to waste time in 104.</p>

<p>Also: 104 is not advanced math.</p>

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<p>The calculus application in most 100+ Econ level classes isn't that extensive anyway. Usually it's some simple derivative or integral, if anything.</p>

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<p>LEGEND OH MY GOT DID YOU SAY DERIVATIVES AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh</p>

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<p>they teach you all the math you'll need as you go. that is to say, none.</p>

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<p>Max is getting to you</p>

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<p>sweet</p>

<p>and wow, didn't expect so many replies, thanks!</p>

<p>But the thing chocoman was talking about "And, if they do hassle you, at the beginning of the semester you can place out, and you only need to get a C on the exam they give."</p>

<p>is that the "Departmental Internal Placement Exam"?</p>

<p>Anyways thanks a lot!</p>

<p>Ken</p>

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<p>wait, as an incoming freshman, is there any way i can avoid taking math 104 too? because, i've already taken calculus...and i don't want to all over again.</p>

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<p>So in sum... if I will complete Calculus AB this year and should get a 5... then is it pointless to take 104?</p>

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<p>the 5 on the ab will not get you out of 104; you need to get a 5 on the bc.</p>

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<p>so will i learn something new in 104...or is a lot of it review?</p>

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<p>You will indeed learn some new things in 104 that are not covered in AB. (Some series things, I believe, and some diff. eqns. Did not take 104 personally.) There are some placement exams in the fall; I don't believe they give you credit, just placement.</p>

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<p>do you know if it is easier to pass the internal department examination than getting a 5 on the bc ap test?</p>

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<p>Here is a page with Math 104 final exams. These should be similar to the placement tests. I think BC was easier.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.math.upenn.edu/ugrad/calc/m104/#%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.math.upenn.edu/ugrad/calc/m104/#&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>what percentage out of the 20 questions would you have to get right (approximately) to pass out of the placement exam?</p>

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<p>i think chocoman was talking about 'credit by examination'(?), not freshman placement exams. Like a professor administers the exam of the class you're trying to place out of and you get a grade and credits. The requirements are that you must not have taken the class before or passed it. But you have to self teach yourself the material over the summer.</p>