<p>I am a high school junior and I will be finishing calculus 2 this year and will take calculus 3 vector next year. Due to scheduling changes and a lack of students for Calc 3 I am worried it might not be available so i was going to take something over the summer and was wondering what math to take. I will probably go to college for engineering just in case that matters. Should I take linear algebra or diff equations or something else or do I need Calc 3 vector first?</p>
<p>You should be able to find the pre-reqs for the classes in the course catalog. At my school, linear is a pre-req for diff eq and calc II is a co-req for calc 3. From what I can recall, the engineering majors at my school do need calc III and linear, and some types require diff eq, so I’d say taking linear is a safe bet.</p>
<p>For DiffEq, you need Calc 2. For LinAlg, you need Calc 1. For Calc 3, you need Calc 2 (obviously).
DiffEq is the hardest, LinAlg is the easiest, if that helps at all.</p>
<p>I personally think that taking linear before diffeq is important. There will appear some fundamental ideas in diffeq that heavily depend on linear algebra. For example when solving DE’s using diff operators you need to be familiar with things like the kernel and a vector space. So, I would do linear before diff eq. For calc 3, it would be better if you did it before linear since it will help you better visualize and understand some vector spaces, maybe like spanning sets.</p>
<p>So if I was going to take linear Alg. or another course do you think I could just walk into a college like Pitt or CMU and just take one or two courses? The community colleges near me do not really offer high enough courses.</p>
<p>Calc 3. You can conceivably take linear or DQ right now, but as far as understanding goes the best sequence is Calc 3 > Linear > DiffyQ.</p>
<p>DiffEq was by far the most time consuming Math class that I took. Be careful about taking it over the summer as they like to jam everything together in a short time. You might be ok with this if you are only taking one class over the summer. I agree with taking linear algebra first as it did help with understanding DiffEq (I took it after Diff and had an “I get it” moment haha).</p>
<p>Thanks and Nanotech I was just wondering about courses between Calc 2 and Calc 3 vector which is why I thought diff eq and linear Alg</p>
<p>Ohh sorry I read that wrong OP. Take Linear Algebra then! I did DiffyQ then Linear Alg, but I’m going to audit DiffyQ over again because I think I can get more out of it now after LA.</p>
<p>Note that many colleges have linear algebra and differential equations combined in a single course. If you decide to take either, it is best to take both so that you do not have to do a partial repeat of the course if you only take one and then attend a college where they are combined.</p>
<p>Engineering major degree programs will typically require all of multivariable calculus (calculus 3), linear algebra, and differential equations.</p>
<p>Being advanced in math as you are may allow you to start the physics sequence first semester (instead of waiting until second semester that most students who start in calculus 1 have to do), easing the prerequisite scheduling (physics is an important prerequisite to many engineering courses). In addition, having completed (as opposed to taking concurrently) more advanced math may be helpful in courses like physics E&M (multivariable calculus), circuits (differential equations), etc… Having completed more advanced math before entry may also give you schedule space for additional free electives somewhere in your four year schedule.</p>
<p>(These courses are actual transferable college courses, right?)</p>
<p>If I take the linear algebra or diff eq at a good university I hope they will be transferable to wherever I go which I hope will be a good engineering school like CMU or Rice etc but I will be taking the vector calculus 3 with my school so they may not accept it. I’ll be taking the courses regardless but do you think a good engineering school will view it as a good thing and help me be accepted?</p>
<p>What’s your rush on the math? It seems like you’d want some of your engineering math at your college when you get there. Maybe take stats or comp sci duirng the school year.</p>
<p>^are you asking if they will like that you took a math class over the summer? yes, of course they will. </p>
<p>at my school almost all engineering majors require 1 semester of diffyq/linear algebra. I took it (along with Calc 3) in HS and it transferred, though it was in-state and guaranteed.</p>
<p>I decided to go further in math, and it was recommended that I take the semester-long classes in diffyq and linear algebra, so that class was essentially wasted for me. However, if you don’t want to take any math in college you might be able to take a combination semester-long class and be done, assuming you can take calc 3. This would free up your schedule, as long as you don’t forget it and have to retake the class.</p>
<p>You could also just take calc 3 and then not have to worry about whether or not the class is held. It seems like a class at CMU/Pitt would transfer just about anywhere, except the tip-top schools like MIT.</p>
<p>If you want credit, and I assume you do, you can’t just walk in and sit in lectures, you have to register, your high school should be able to help with this.</p>
<p>be sure to get as good of an idea as you can about whether or not calc 3 is offered.</p>
<p>as a side note, diffyQ was easy for me, though I had a good and easy professor. linear algebra was much harder, but it was honors-level.</p>
<p>Linear algebra is the easiest, diff equations is not bad either , and calc 3 is the hardest since u get introduced to 3d and vectors, lines and planes for the first time. U will also learn about double and triple integral and many theorems( [stokes, green, divergence]big headache) . If u want an east class I would say linear. Its involves algebra but u will be using matrices. Differential equations is nice and fun and it involves a lot if integration.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone and whoever asked my school dropped AP Stats (which is why I was worried about Calc 3) and I do take Computer science in school. I was just trying to figure out the next year or so since extreme scheduling problems have not allowed me to take physics or chem I might take physics and chem and math over the summer and since I have to drive into the city for that maybe ill find an internship or job there. I never thought it would be a problem but I really don’t have a choice but take chem and physics over the summer before senior year even though I already know some on my own but it might look bad if I waited until senior year and colleges would think I didn’t wanted to do the sciences which I do.</p>