Eh, not really a strategy thread. Basically, what do you guys recommend to avoid the dreaded "brainfreeze", "panicking" or "choking" syndrome synonymous with mathematical tests, particularly calculus. I did this a bit on the first test and had to fight down panic before I eventually got it, but I'd like to not repeat panicking for 20 mins and then getting myself together. How do you do it?
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NRgM9-n7K5E&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NRgM9-n7K5E&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> If you're having issues w/ calc, you might as well.
eat a good meal earlier in the day. Don't freak out -- pick up some beer for afterwards. Honestly, the best thing you can do for your confidence level is know the material forwards and backwards. Nothing feels better than getting in there and rocking it.
lol That was me! I used to work out the first two or three steps of an intergration problem and then draw dots like this . . . . to the answer. Then I would draw a question mark and circle it for the answer.
That is too awesome. I kicked ass in everything but the mathematics. I always had to take it in summer to keep my brain involved without outside interruptions, 'cept for the beers. And parties. And Sixth Street. I made it though.
Look through the test, find the problems you can do, do them first. After that, you can work on the ones you sorta know how to do. And then after that I usually just stare off into space.
be prepared. calculus is not hard. if you keep thinking it's hard, then you will freak out. again, preparation is the key. keep doing practice problems and look for previous exams and go to review classes to get an idea about what's going to appear.
nothing but studying and repetition worked for me. and then, on test day, rip through the easy ones first. you'll often answer questions in a similar manner that can "build" into the more difficult ones.
Do what I did: learn to live with failure, then switch your major to business: non-trig "calculus" ftw.
Don't freeze on the 1st page If you freezing . . . look through the whole test If you recognize something you think you can do . . . that maybe easy. . .do it No one says you have to do the d*mn thing in order also . . .look at ya cheat sheet a memorize formulas etc up until the sheet is on your desk . . then write them on the back of the test while they in your short term memory Rocket River
do what i do....go in there thinking you're the $h&t and own that test, if you think you're not going to do good, then why go take the test at all? it's all about attitude...go in there and assert your dominance over limits, derivatives and integrals....i already took cal 1,2,3 and engineering math and the only way to study any math based course is to do as many practice problems as possible....good luck
I don't really have suggestions for you other than to do as many practice tests/problems as possible. Math is lame like that. Off topic: I've noticed several Coogs writing in this thread so would you agree that taking calculus (or most other math classes) at UH sucks only for the reason that you have to take the tests in the CASA Lab on computers with that damn big red timer at the top of the monitor staring you down? It's quite intimidating and stressful sometimes.
Cal I, Cal II, Cal III? from what i remember Cal III is alot easier if you focus on the concepts and understand why you're doing everything. Cal II, just memorize all the trig identities (which is stupid because you never need to know them after that class). Cal I, you need to understand what everything means but do a significant amount of problems to get the hang of it, since you've never seen calculus before. I don't know what to do to keep you from being nervous other than to make sure you keep writing, even if its wrong. Its better to write something and change it later than to not write anything for 20 mins.
...or you could just enter all you're information into you're calculator. I never did that so i wouldn't know which ones you can or can't do it with.
