Math 50A Calculus I, #E2434 (012434)
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Tami Matsumoto     MWF 12:30pm-1:50pm     Room PS 115

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Last Revised 22 August 2005.   (Please Reload or Refresh)
To prepare for Calculus I, here are some suggestions:
  1. Take this sample (unofficial) assessment exam.
    Go to: http://online.redwoods.edu/DEPTS/MATH/assessment/Math50.htm
    Read the directions at the bottom of the page.
    There are 59 questions and you should only take 90 minutes to complete theexam.
    The test is self correcting and directions are provided.

    It says that if you score 26 correct or higher, you are eligible to take Math 50A, but that's not really the point. Regardless of your score, you should look at the types of problems you missed and review that sort of thing.

    That score of 26 is a "barely ready" kind of bottom-level score, so, if you are prepared, I would expect you would score MUCH higher! But you can check it out and see. Again, the types of problems that you miss can help you to decide what you need to review.



  2. Look over the lists on these pages and when you come across something you feel un-confident about, add it to your list of things to review:

  3. Go to the 'Visual Calculus' website at: http://archives.math.utk.edu/visual.calculus/
    Just look at the Pre-Calculus stuff, but check it out! There are modules for all kinds of useful stuff!!


  4. Off the top of my head, these are things important to review:
    • Radicals
    • How to type complicated things into your calculator (like messy rational functions, for example)
    • Domains of functions, and, in particular, when there are problems with a domain
    • Even Functions, Odd Functions (what are they, how can you tell, what happens in the graph, what happens algebraically)
    • General geometry formulas: Perimeters, Areas, Volumes of simple solids
    • Reading graphs
    • Lines, slopes, equations of lines, getting an equation from two points
    • Roots of functions
    • Absolute Value equations and inequalities
    • The main things to review, for starters, are functions, function operations (esp. function composition), function inverses, function behavior, graphs of functions, and "average rate of change."
    • Special families of functions you should know the characteristics of
    • Trig function definitions -- unit circle model, and right triangle model
    • Trig function values for the basic angles
    • Trig identities
    • Interval Notation

  5. Look over Chapter 1 of the calculus textbook: Calculus - Early Transcendentals (with Tools for Enriching Calculus Video CD-ROM and BCA Tutorial), 5th Edition ©2003, ISBN: 0534393217 by James Stewart (see link below).

    I would recommend, as preparation for the course, a thorough review of all the material in Chapter 1. See what is there, and then review the corresponding parts in your algebra book, when applicable. Note that the text comes with a CD that has helpful information for the exercises which have squares around the problem number. Chapter 1 in our text (see the text at the Companion Website: http://www.brookscole.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=0534393217&discipline_number=1) is considered review for this course. I spent about 1.7 class periods on Chapter 1 material.


  6. Also, San Jose State has some assessment tests broken out into categories. Check them out: http://www.math.sjsu.edu/~valdes/calc_place/home.html


  7. And for MORE FUN: http://cs.jsu.edu/mcis/faculty/leathrum/Mathlets/topframe.html These "Mathlets" are excellent Java Applets that are fun to play with as you review. Look over the "Precalculus" section of applets for your reviewing!
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