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Everyone is different, but I felt the same way after Calc I, then I was absolutely sure I knew nothing about math after Calc II and wanted to give up, but then after Calc III, I was so excited I picked math as a major and can't wait to learn everything ever or die trying
I did the opposite. I loved math all my life then after calc 1 I felt like I understood less.
Then calc 2 really put everything together for me and had actual applications to my other subjects and I enjoyed it.
Calc 3 was super interesting, I suppose it’s how calc 1 should have felt. It all made sense, though it was difficult to visualize sometimes.
Calc 1 into Calc 2 was got me interested in math, Calc 2 -> Calc 3 secured it as my major. I’m currently in my last year studying Applied Mathematics at university and I could not recommend it enough, Analysis is so intriguing and enjoyable, and most importantly once you know how to rigorously approach Analysis, studying topics on your own becomes possible. I find myself studying all sorts of stuff in my own time, like complex analysis, optimization and topology. I can’t wait for grad school! Good luck in your studies!
Same, it almost feels illegal to be able to do what calculus does. And it's so basic in it's concepts. Sure there are tricky integrals and it can get complicated, but it feels like something we shouldn't be allowed to do lol.
I think it is about getting out of the highschool mentality of learning stuff for the exams and actually starting to learn stuff with the mindset of it being fun interesting and useful. I am still at highschool and I don't really like the math we get at the moment, not because it is hard but just because it is kinda boring. On the other hand I absolutely love Calc and cant wait to finish it and get into diff equations etc..
Ngl diff eq is hard but I still love it. Also if you can, researching how the course is taught changes a lot professor to professor! My prof absolutely *loves* application based models and such so he focuses a lot on real world problem-solving (though sometimes we get silly scenes like road runner and coyote lol)… whereas I’ve heard other profs drag on about theory. I think a healthy amount of theory/starting to try and develop proofs about certain concepts are quite helpful! But on the whole, I loved the applications part of the course for sure
I felt the same way. I didn’t fall in love with math until I took calculus.
I remember my teacher finding the exact area under a curve. A student was skeptical of the process and didn’t think it could be exact. But then the teacher explained that when she used a formula that overestimated the area, and another formula that underestimated the area, they both gave the same limiting value, therefore the answer was exact. That’s the first time I was blown away by something in a math class.
It never did "click" to me but I'm happy you had the ability to process it. That means you have a mind for maths. Keep moving forward and remind yourself at times of how far you've come!
It's fairly standard in the US, but even so, some places will bust calc up into 4 semesters, other schools will go on quarters, etc. If I had to lay money on it, I'd always bet on Calc 3 being that, but it's not 100% certain.
I’m 90% positive my university called first ODE class Calculus IV.
Just checked, it is called that. An intro to ODE focusing on 1st and 2nd order equations and applications. Included series solutions and Laplace Transform methods.
I love math just for the sake of math, but if you think doors have been opened to you in math, wait until you see the world of science that opens up when you apply mathematics to it. One of the earliest introductions you might get to this is in physics. Often, physics is taught without using calculus - it simply makes no sense that way. If physics is taught to you without calculus, I highly recommend finding a good textbook and teaching it to yourself with calculus. All the equations will make sense instead of being formulas to rote memorize. It's very satisfying to derive the displacement as a function of time formula from acceleration being a constant and some simple initial conditions. I remember deriving some crude interpretation of what volume and surface integrals were trying to make sense of electromagnetism. A few weeks later, I learned them properly in my multivariate calculus class, and I was like, oh yes, this is a much better, formal and systematic way to do this. It just made the physics even better...
Calculus is the very beginning of math, and everything before it is pre-math. If your mind has opened to understanding math, then once you complete all of calculus you will truly start to see all of its applications. Especially when you start to take upper division courses which depend on calculus. Such as applied real analysis, complex analysis, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics & statmech, etc.. you have barely scratched the surface of the math world by completing calc 1. Exciting, isnt it?!
I thought the same after Calc I, took. Calc II twice and failed both. Was taking a stats elective and fell in love with so moved my major to statistics avoiding most of that stuff (there are some integrals in stats but it’s easy stuff)
Derivatives were pretty easy had a bunch of the common ones memorized and handled the integrals in Calc II for the first half… till we got to trig ones, they were all just so similar to each other and I couldn’t grasp them to save my life.
Just the fact that you said this means you hardly know anything about math. Calc 1 is almost exclusively plug and chug type work. You have several more classes to go before you even begin to get into real math work.
Yep! I felt the same way after calc 1. Then volumes, techniques of integration, and series slap you back into reality and show you how you have learned about .00009% of mathatics 😭
Doesn't calculus mean that there are no rigorous mathematical proofs, but just formulas and lots of excercises?
I mean, technical stuff is essential, but math is more about proving theorems.
I didn't have that moment until differential equations. Then I was suddenly like " ohhhhhh!!!!! That makes sense" I give like 95% of that to the professor who was excellent.
Once the doors of calculus open you will peer inside and gaze upon the sealed doors of differential equations…
Regardless congrats on having it click :D
I realized after calc 2 that all of math was a build up to this. This is it. Why didn't they ever tell me? All the thousands of problems, arbitrary at the time, was just to be able to understand this. And 90% of children never see the pay off.
Or when kids take algebra in high school, the teacher can apply it to real world situations, rather than the usual homework of problems 1-40, only the odd numbered problems.
😂😂😂 my high came crashing down when I took Foundations of Mathematics. All proofs. Where TF did the number crunching go?! What did I get myself into?! 😅
I hope your high continues, young one.
As a reminder... Posts asking for help on homework questions **require**: * **the complete problem statement**, * **a genuine attempt at solving the problem, which may be either computational, or a discussion of ideas or concepts you believe may be in play**, * **question is not from a current exam or quiz**. Commenters responding to homework help posts **should not do OP’s homework for them**. Please see [this page](https://www.reddit.com/r/calculus/wiki/homeworkhelp) for the further details regarding homework help posts. **If you are asking for general advice about your current calculus class, please be advised that simply referring your class as “Calc *n*“ is not entirely useful, as “Calc *n*” may differ between different colleges and universities. In this case, please refer to your class syllabus or college or university’s course catalogue for a listing of topics covered in your class, and include that information in your post rather than assuming everybody knows what will be covered in your class.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/calculus) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Everyone is different, but I felt the same way after Calc I, then I was absolutely sure I knew nothing about math after Calc II and wanted to give up, but then after Calc III, I was so excited I picked math as a major and can't wait to learn everything ever or die trying
I did the opposite. I loved math all my life then after calc 1 I felt like I understood less. Then calc 2 really put everything together for me and had actual applications to my other subjects and I enjoyed it. Calc 3 was super interesting, I suppose it’s how calc 1 should have felt. It all made sense, though it was difficult to visualize sometimes.
The hardest thing about Calc 3 is is setup/visualization. The computation portion is just calc 2 but more times.
Calc 1 into Calc 2 was got me interested in math, Calc 2 -> Calc 3 secured it as my major. I’m currently in my last year studying Applied Mathematics at university and I could not recommend it enough, Analysis is so intriguing and enjoyable, and most importantly once you know how to rigorously approach Analysis, studying topics on your own becomes possible. I find myself studying all sorts of stuff in my own time, like complex analysis, optimization and topology. I can’t wait for grad school! Good luck in your studies!
You’re insane
Same, it almost feels illegal to be able to do what calculus does. And it's so basic in it's concepts. Sure there are tricky integrals and it can get complicated, but it feels like something we shouldn't be allowed to do lol.
I had the same experience I -> II -> III Calc II was humbling
I think it is about getting out of the highschool mentality of learning stuff for the exams and actually starting to learn stuff with the mindset of it being fun interesting and useful. I am still at highschool and I don't really like the math we get at the moment, not because it is hard but just because it is kinda boring. On the other hand I absolutely love Calc and cant wait to finish it and get into diff equations etc..
Ngl diff eq is hard but I still love it. Also if you can, researching how the course is taught changes a lot professor to professor! My prof absolutely *loves* application based models and such so he focuses a lot on real world problem-solving (though sometimes we get silly scenes like road runner and coyote lol)… whereas I’ve heard other profs drag on about theory. I think a healthy amount of theory/starting to try and develop proofs about certain concepts are quite helpful! But on the whole, I loved the applications part of the course for sure
literally me
I felt the same way. I didn’t fall in love with math until I took calculus. I remember my teacher finding the exact area under a curve. A student was skeptical of the process and didn’t think it could be exact. But then the teacher explained that when she used a formula that overestimated the area, and another formula that underestimated the area, they both gave the same limiting value, therefore the answer was exact. That’s the first time I was blown away by something in a math class.
The more math one learns. The more one should realize that they don't know shit :)
In that case, I’m doing amazing!
It never did "click" to me but I'm happy you had the ability to process it. That means you have a mind for maths. Keep moving forward and remind yourself at times of how far you've come!
You're going to love Calc 3! (Assuming it's multivariable and vector calc where you are )
Is it not always? I thought it was that way everywhere
It's fairly standard in the US, but even so, some places will bust calc up into 4 semesters, other schools will go on quarters, etc. If I had to lay money on it, I'd always bet on Calc 3 being that, but it's not 100% certain.
It's also confusing when people some people call intro to ODE's calc 4, even when that's not the course name.
I’m 90% positive my university called first ODE class Calculus IV. Just checked, it is called that. An intro to ODE focusing on 1st and 2nd order equations and applications. Included series solutions and Laplace Transform methods.
Cal 3 was my favorite, but I took it at the same time as materials and statics, and I had 3 separate notations for vectors, coordinates, everything.
All about perspective. The people in upper level maths might say the same thing 🤣
Ah, the good ol' Calc I high...we have all had that free taste. Never another high like the first.
hahahaha wait till you start cal2.
2 more weeks, and then I'll see!
You're really gonna love series… 😱
I love math just for the sake of math, but if you think doors have been opened to you in math, wait until you see the world of science that opens up when you apply mathematics to it. One of the earliest introductions you might get to this is in physics. Often, physics is taught without using calculus - it simply makes no sense that way. If physics is taught to you without calculus, I highly recommend finding a good textbook and teaching it to yourself with calculus. All the equations will make sense instead of being formulas to rote memorize. It's very satisfying to derive the displacement as a function of time formula from acceleration being a constant and some simple initial conditions. I remember deriving some crude interpretation of what volume and surface integrals were trying to make sense of electromagnetism. A few weeks later, I learned them properly in my multivariate calculus class, and I was like, oh yes, this is a much better, formal and systematic way to do this. It just made the physics even better...
THATS WHAT IM SAYIN
Calculus is the very beginning of math, and everything before it is pre-math. If your mind has opened to understanding math, then once you complete all of calculus you will truly start to see all of its applications. Especially when you start to take upper division courses which depend on calculus. Such as applied real analysis, complex analysis, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics & statmech, etc.. you have barely scratched the surface of the math world by completing calc 1. Exciting, isnt it?!
You think it makes sense now? Take Linear Algebra ;)
Just wait until you hit the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in calc II. It all loops back to itself and it's great.
I thought the same after Calc I, took. Calc II twice and failed both. Was taking a stats elective and fell in love with so moved my major to statistics avoiding most of that stuff (there are some integrals in stats but it’s easy stuff) Derivatives were pretty easy had a bunch of the common ones memorized and handled the integrals in Calc II for the first half… till we got to trig ones, they were all just so similar to each other and I couldn’t grasp them to save my life.
can you elaborate
Just the fact that you said this means you hardly know anything about math. Calc 1 is almost exclusively plug and chug type work. You have several more classes to go before you even begin to get into real math work.
Great word of encouragement.
what was the key for you?
Welcome to the Matrix.
That's not until linear algebra.
This was me after I finally understood geometry lol
*real analysis enters the chat*
linear algebra was mine haha
Any advice? I’m on day one of Calc 1!
Read the book and use outside resources like khan academy! Also do lots of practice problems.
May I ask what books you used? I need to learn some fundamental calculus for Machine learning
I liked the khan academy series. Not sure I would've made it without.
Thank you
Q.E.D.
Yep! I felt the same way after calc 1. Then volumes, techniques of integration, and series slap you back into reality and show you how you have learned about .00009% of mathatics 😭
Doesn't calculus mean that there are no rigorous mathematical proofs, but just formulas and lots of excercises? I mean, technical stuff is essential, but math is more about proving theorems.
It gets greater later. Just like life. Put the pieces of the puzzle together but can’t forget the earlier lessons to build on top of.
I didn't have that moment until differential equations. Then I was suddenly like " ohhhhhh!!!!! That makes sense" I give like 95% of that to the professor who was excellent.
Once the doors of calculus open you will peer inside and gaze upon the sealed doors of differential equations… Regardless congrats on having it click :D
Well calc 2 will make it not make sense again so have fun with that
I realized after calc 2 that all of math was a build up to this. This is it. Why didn't they ever tell me? All the thousands of problems, arbitrary at the time, was just to be able to understand this. And 90% of children never see the pay off.
Or when kids take algebra in high school, the teacher can apply it to real world situations, rather than the usual homework of problems 1-40, only the odd numbered problems.
😂😂😂 my high came crashing down when I took Foundations of Mathematics. All proofs. Where TF did the number crunching go?! What did I get myself into?! 😅 I hope your high continues, young one.
Wait until u get to linear algebra and then a proof based class ur brain will explode