Expert: Abe Mantell - 5/29/2011

Question
Hi, my question isn't necessarily a homework one, but more of an academic circumstance in need of advice. See, I'm currently a full time college student, and I just completed College Algebra and Trig in the same semester to accelerate my advancement into Calculus. I love Math, and I've been a straight A student so far. However, the problem arose when I missed a lot of class due to illness and was forced to cram just to pass without appreciating what I was learning.

So, my question is: should I still go into Calculus (making it my only focus) in the fall knowing I'd have to work much harder to compensate for any gaps, or should I set myself back a semester, enter Pre-Calculus and give my brain a break? I'm an Engineering major who wants to keep things moving, but I just don't want to get burned out again.

On a last note, I have to register this week which doesn't give me much time to make a solid decision.

Answer
Hello Gene,

My advice is NOT to hurry along!  I see waaaaaaaay too many students who
try to take short-cuts and skip or quickly cover important basic foundations
of mathematics.  Definitely take precalculus and learn it well!!!

Everytime I teach Calculus (I, II or III), and differential eqautions, I have to
review a bit of precalc on a regular basis because it comes up so often and
most students either do not remember it or they never learned it well.

Good luck!!!

Abe