Welcome to Calculus! This course will follow the standards outlined by College Board for the AP Calculus BC test.
Before we begin, here are a couple tips:
1. Calculus is not like the math you have seen thus far. The ideas in this course are not like any you have encountered in previous math classes. Every hour spent becoming more familiar with the fundamental ideas at the beginning of the course will be saved by the end.
2. Notation is essential. Mathematicians created notation to make the work easier, not harder. If you cannot read it out loud, you do not know it.
3. Calculus is not king. Everyone only really needs to know arithmetic and basic algebra. Most parents cannot help their middle schoolers with their math homework because they do not use those math concepts. However, the modern day trailblazers of science and technology all use calculus.
4. If you cannot read this in one sitting without getting distracted, you will have a tough time. This is 379 words. Reading it out loud took me 1 minutes and 44 seconds. Calculus lessons are long and dry. Here is some advice to help you focus:
A. Sit in silence for 5 minutes before you start studying. The miracle of sitting in silence is that, unlike scrolling Instagram, you like it the more you voluntarily do it. You are also happier and more focused after, again unlike Instagram.
B. Turn off your phone and put it in a different room. You get more notifications than you think.
C. Read and think out loud. We can spend hours dutifully studying only to realize that we did not get anything done. We often think we are working when we are not. Reading and thinking out loud helps you know if you are working. I read this out loud as I typed it, and I will do so again when I proofread it. It helps me know that I am working.
D. Be happy, hydrated, and rested. 2am, after a full day of nothing, is the worst time to do math.
E. Do not complain or listen to complaints. Speaking and hearing complaints weakens the mind. Calculus is the hardest math offered in public high schools. It is still very doable. Complaining makes it less doable.