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The point is not the doing of it by hand, but in the understanding of the fundamentals. To some extent doing some straightforward examples by hand is essential. Once the student has walked through the process step by step, he is no longer just putting the inputs into a black box which does some mystery thing and spits out an answer.</p>
<p>Why learn to add? There are calculators after all.</p>
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</p>
<p>I can’t long divide to save my life - does it mean I don’t understand the fundamentals of division?</p>
<p>Great. Let’s teach the “fundamentals” of arithmetic but not require any problem solving. That should work out really well. After all, who needs it when we’ve got todays technology.</p>
<p>Students who can’t do long division with numbers have problems when they get to algebra and have to do it with variables. But then, now that we have Computer Algebra Systems, there’s no need for that either. I’m starting to think turbo’s onto something here ;)</p>
<p>Turbo was into something long ago when he realized he absolutely hated calculus but absolutely loved numerical analysis, statistics, discrete math, probability, operations research, linear algebra, and the like. </p>
<p>Could it be that every area of math listed above except calculus is usually taught with an emphasis on problem solving, rather than “umm, do problems 1 thru 199 due Friday”…</p>
<p>Or, could it be that any notion of “applied” math conjures images of trade schools, community college, vocational / shop classes, and the like?</p>
<p>Anyhow, I’ll let this dead horse of a thread rest :-)</p>
<p>My probability and statistics book is full of calculus. It even has one of those little squiggly signs associated with the definition of mean Somebody better alert the author he’s got it all wrong.</p>
<p>RMS Voltage. It’s a statistical construct. It comes from an integral. It’s an application of math and it’s used every day from trade school on up.</p>
<p>Son posted “I hate MATLAB!” on Facebook. Several seemed to “like” this. I posted the link to the MiT stuff from UCBALUM.</p>
<p>“UC Davis is on the quarter system. The courses there will not line up with the courses at a semester system school.”</p>
<p>UCB, if you are still following, son sent a link for a math class at UCD, and the first session seems to work.</p>
<p><a href=“http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/UCDWebCatalog/programs/MAT/MATcourses.htmlm[/url]”>http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/UCDWebCatalog/programs/MAT/MATcourses.htmlm</a>
<a href=“http://summer-sessions.ucdavis.edu/[/url]”>http://summer-sessions.ucdavis.edu/</a></p>
<p>They start accepting apps in March, but mention a placement test for lower division math classes. Any thoughts, especially about likelihood of there being room?</p>
<p>Seemed to be going okay a week ago; today, not so much. I suspect midterm deficiencies.</p>
<p>If he needs a course equivalent to [LMU</a> Math 132](<a href=“http://bulletin.lmu.edu/math-132.htm]LMU”>http://bulletin.lmu.edu/math-132.htm), that would likely be part of UC Davis’ Math 21B and part UC Davis’ Math 21C.</p>
<p>[CSU</a> Sacramento Math 31](<a href=“http://catalog.csus.edu/courses/2012-14/math/]CSU”>http://catalog.csus.edu/courses/2012-14/math/), [UC</a> Berkeley Math 1B](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/lowerdivcourses/math1B]UC”>Math 1B | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley), or a community college course articulating to those courses would likely be a better match for substitution of LMU Math 132.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks.</p>
<p>WOW I confess I did not read every post. Shrinkrap my son is on this second semester majoring in Env Engineering. The frist semester he took Calc I and Chem I it was tough. From day one at his school they tell them this is a 5 year program. So it maybe a 6 year program for him.</p>
<p>He almost went to Ga Tech which would have cost us $50,000 a year. But since he is in state he can take the 6 years if he needs it. The last thing he needs is pressure from home to hurry up and finish. 15 years is a lot of hours for engineering. I would suggest staying around 13.</p>
<p>Trust me your son will know if Engineering is for him. Whatever he decides to do. Dont panic let him find his direction and take it one day at a time.</p>
<p>Thank you. What is your son taking this semester? You might have missed the part where I tried to get him to drop a few classes, take 4.6 years, 5 years…I don’t care. I “let him find his direction”, and he is taking 18 credits;</p>
<p>ENGR 160 Algorithms & Applications (3)
MATH 131 Calculus 4
PHYS 101 Intro to Mechanics 4
BIOL 114 Gen Biology for Engineers 3___
University Core 3
ACCESS 1</p>
<p>His adviser supported this. I am not panicking…much…</p>
<p>Berkeley’s summer schedule is up:
[UCB</a> Online Schedule of Classes: Search Results](<a href=“http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=0&x=0&p_term=SU&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=--+Choose+a+Course+Classification+--&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_course=1b&p_dept=math&p_session=--+Choose+a+Session+--]UCB”>http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=0&x=0&p_term=SU&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=--+Choose+a+Course+Classification+--&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_course=1b&p_dept=math&p_session=--+Choose+a+Session+--)</p>
<p>So does CSU Sacramento, but it does not have Math 31 in the summer:
[Class</a> Schedule For Mathematics - Summer 2012 | Sac State](<a href=“http://webs-web1.irt.csus.edu/class_schedule/Summer2012/MATH.html]Class”>http://webs-web1.irt.csus.edu/class_schedule/Summer2012/MATH.html)</p>
<p>Neither the Los Rios community colleges nor Woodland nor Solano has its summer schedule up:
[Los</a> Rios Community College District - Class Schedules](<a href=“http://www.losrios.edu/class-schedules.php]Los”>Search Class Schedules | Los Rios Community College District)
[Woodland</a> Community College Catalog, Class Schedule, Academic Calendar and Full Time Faculty Office Hours](<a href=“http://wcc.yccd.edu/academics/catalog-class-schedule.aspx]Woodland”>http://wcc.yccd.edu/academics/catalog-class-schedule.aspx)
<a href=“http://www.solano.edu/catalog/PrintedSchedule.html[/url]”>http://www.solano.edu/catalog/PrintedSchedule.html</a></p>
<p>You may want to check the web sites of the community colleges to see when they allow registration, so you can check as soon as possible to register if the desired course is offered.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, how is the PHYS 101 going?</p>
<p>Don’t know the details, but not good. He likes it, but that and MATLAB are kicking his butt. He still doesn’t want to quit or drop a class, but I’m trying to get him to not let his pride get in the way of reason.With MATLAB he says he does fine on the homework assignments, but. The quizzes don’t work. </p>
<p>He seems to be working SO hard.</p>
<p>OOh… hang in there shrinkrap.</p>