<p>Im studying to place out of my Calc 3 class aka Multivariable calculus with vector calculus in it. The vector calc part is just so boring and uninintersting (not that it needs to be) and its making it hard to get through it. any tips/advice?</p>
<p>Before I begin, let me explain that this is coming from the perspective of a high school senior currently enrolled in Multivariable Calclus and Ordinary Differential Equations. You may want to get some thoughts from people who have been in a situation similar to your’s in college.</p>
<p>With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on it.</p>
<p>I can’t speak for your placement test in particular, but IMO you should make sure you have a good grasp on derivatives and inegrals (double, triple, partial, etc) first and foremost. Also make sure to know how to convert between rectangular, polar, and spherical coordinates. </p>
<p>From there I would just look through all of the random little formulas and theorems that look challenging but are almost completely based on (at least from my experience) these concepts. </p>
<p>You might also want to quickly refresh your memory about how to recognize the equations of different conics shapes (roses, lemniscates, etc) in case a problem throws a really weird looking equation at you and you need to quickly deduce intercepts and/or limits. This however might not be necessary so long as you can use a good graphing calc (preferably TI-89) on the test.</p>
<p>I highly doubt you will encounter any of the really tough stuff from AP BC Calc/Calc 2 like Taylor polynomials, Reimann sums, and rotations.</p>
<p>Other than that you should be good. I for one have found Multivariable to be far easier than AP BC Calclus. Although that might partially be due to my BC Calc teacher having no idea what she was doing. She had 10+ years experience teaching Algebra 1 and 2 to seniors when the department head thought she would be a great candidate for teaching the 2nd highest math class in the school -.- </p>
<p>Anyway, enough of my life story. Hope this all helps!</p>
<p>well thanks. </p>
<p>Unfortunately I didnt pass it. I just dont know why. I studied so hard for it and for 2 weeks and still failed, much like the story of my life at my school. Studying doesnt seem to help me much :(</p>
<p>I would not consider multivariable a subject you can self-study in two weeks and understand well-enough to receive college credit. I would understand your concern if you had taken the class, studied for two weeks, and then failed the final, but I don’t think that’s the case. It’s an important class for your engineering foundation, so I think you might as well take the class and make sure you learn the material well. </p>
<p>Studying is an art that many people don’t really get the hang of until their second or third year in college. I wouldn’t take this as a sign of failure. In any case, you should never stop believing that studying will eventually pay off.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>this actually makes me feel a bit better. the thing is that i thought i understood the material really well as i had memorized the important formulas and was able to explain them to myself. plus i took this same class at my community college a year ago and got an A so i was thinking that id be fine (even moved on to Diff Eq there and got an A too) but i guess it wasnt to be.</p>
<p>oh well, one semester of this horrible, horrible class that I cant stand and ill be done :(</p>