Topic: Final Examinations Stress and Procrastination Zone
Blayne Bradley
unregistered
posted
Got two finals in the next couple of days, Math 205 (Calculus II) and Math 202 (College Algebra)* and kinda in that weird in between of where I'm stressed and not stressed.
On one hand I feel better prepared this time around then any other time taking a final exam, on the other hand I really need to get a high enough grade as possible to get into Computer Science. I am unsure if even a perfect grade here would let me in due to screwing up my second semester where I took 3 math classes at the sametime plus 2 others.
So need a high mark while at the sametime not knowing if getting it would let me in. Yay.
I got some 10 old finals which I'm working on, I've sufficiently impressed the tutor by memorizing the reduction formula for integral cosx^2 * sinx^m. I personally find it easier then learning the more advanced identities. I have like 50 flash cards for different identities and integral tables.
College Algebra is mostly trivial and easy, I reviewed the course and will practice additional finals for it after my Cal2 exam.
For cal 2 there's 2 sections I've determined, the "Integral" part and the "Series" part, it's almost like two entirely different classes, still need to memorize the common 9 or so McLaurin series but they aren't hard.
It's pretty insane how much they expect you to know and have memorized for this damn exam, I'm told Americans taking engineering get to bring a goddamn stupid cheatsheet to the exam, a 8 by 11 piece of paper they can write anything on, for the love of god, goddamnit. I would sacrifice a limb for that.
Not mine, someone else's limb obviously.
The integral section is usually
i) a piecewise graph, ii) a fundamental theorem of calculus problem, iii) indefinate integrals iv) definate integrals OR find C problems. v) improper integrals (these worry me, as i'm not 100% on when to break up the integral) vi) area between curves and a volume/rotation question. These I'm a little more confident on now. And sometimes an average value function, that's trivial.
Then we have series. i) find the limit, trivial. ii) find convergence or divergence, not so trivial but not hard. iii) find radius and interval of convergence, trivial. but i keep making silly mistakes. iv) a stupid question that is either use the integrability OR differentiability question of a power series to solve blah blah blah, I mostly get this right.
Then a bonus question which is ALWAYS DIFFERENT and relies on knowing how to actual prove math statements, I certainly cant solve these if I havent seen it before so its a right off. They aren't intuitive if you aren't already good with theory math stuff.
Back to exam crunching. Once I'm on practicing Math 202 I'll post about it.
IP: Logged |
posted
As a student in one of those American Colleges, I can tell you that not all classes or professors allow "cheat" sheets. And yes, while they are sometimes helpful references, their main purpose is to trick students into writing out the formulas and thinking about them more. Try righting something out 15 times and you'll notice you'll remember it a lot faster.
Also, I tend to think that it is stupid that colleges expect the memorization of a lot of useless things. In the "real" world, you will have reference books, notes, and the internet, you are unlikely to solely use your memory.
Okay, now back to my own exam crunching. Good luck!
Posts: 503 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Close enough.
Posts: 3580 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
Blayne Bradley
unregistered
posted
If you implying that the greatest good and the greatest number via taxation and investment derived wealth redistribution is morally and intellectually equivalent to "taking someone else's limb and giving it away" you are everything intellectually wrong with the FYIGM modern American right.
IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: It's pretty insane how much they expect you to know and have memorized for this damn exam, I'm told Americans taking engineering get to bring a goddamn stupid cheatsheet to the exam, a 8 by 11 piece of paper they can write anything on, for the love of god, goddamnit. I would sacrifice a limb for that.
Totally depends on the school, class, and department.
My own experience differed broadly for different classes. The engineering classes ones usually did have some form of sheet you could prepare ahead of time. The science courses I took usually had a standard set of formulas that were provided. Math, on the other hand, generally required memorization.
However, I've talked to people from other schools, and seen policies vary quite a bit.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ugh...I have one last thing to do before I'm done for the summer, and I can't summon the will.
I have to write a historiographic essay on recent scholarship covering the civil rights movement in the north and I've read the 12-15 books, I've watched the documentaries, the supplemental materials, I have my notes all categorized and compiled, and my citations all lined up...but can't work up the energy to actually write the damn thing.
The hard part is already done. I know it will only take me an hour and a half to finish and then I'm free! Plus it's due...well actually it was due Friday, but if I get it done in the next few hours I think it will be fine. This has been a crazy spring to the finish this semester. Can't wait to take a couple weeks off before diving into my thesis research.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
