Hey all, I'm going to be a freshmen at Texas A&M this year and am starting out in MATH 308. I went to this early college/dual credit program called TAMS at UNT (where I took Cal 1-3), and my advisor did recommend me to start out in it.

But I was wondering, how difficult is this class? I heard you're supposed to use Maple on the tests...I'm new to this software as well. Thanks everyone.

Welcome, and good luck with that!

I wish you all the best, I really do, but I see a Q-drop in your future. Was the adviser someone in A&M's MATH department??

Seriously, I suggest going and seeing the prof ASAP. He'll be better able to advise you than anyone else.

[This message has been edited by Ol Jock 99 (edited 8/12/2007 4:51p).]

What OJ 99 said. Maple sux, hth

I smell a Q drop........

I would SERIOUSLY consider. No matter how well you did in HS or dual credit classes. Totally different world.......

It really depends on the prof. Who did you get?

I thought maple was pretty easy to pick up after spending a little time with it. The prof or the TA should teach you how to use the program. Just do your homework and you will be fine.

My professor is Papanikolas; he usually teaches Cal 3, but this semester he's teaching Diff. Eq.

I am taking that class and section as well, but I've had a year of math at A&M and it is my major. My math class was a lot different than my high school class, so you better have a good background. I do know some people that went to TAMS and they were able to handle the transition to diff eq in their first semester.

Exactly - the reason I'm starting out in Diff. Eq. (and I still plan to, despite all the negative comments on Q-drops) is because my advisor told me personally that he's had great success in the past with TAMS students starting out in advanced courses.

And just fyi, TAMS isn't a regular high school or dual credit program. I actually lived on the UNT campus (in the dorms, along with all the other TAMS students) for 2 years and took all my basic math and science courses with college students. I pretty much just wanted to know what experiences yall might have had with Diff. Eq. at A&M - whether it was easier or harder than Cal 1 or 2, which teachers are good, etc. Thanks.

Go for it. The maple stuff was basic last semester when I took it. I just learned the 3 or 4 commands we needed for the test. That class blows, but it is not impossible. Just get it over with.

In my experience, Math 308 is easier than the preceding series of classes (151,152,251). Maybe that was just my particular prof, but I never felt like he was trying to weed anyone out.

Study and do your homework and you'll be fine. Don't worry too much about maple, just be prepared to spend time searching the help files for proper syntax whenever you're doing a new type of problem.

Yeah, 308 is easier than the Calc series guy.

You could have got Rahe and your life would have been easier, except that hes a weird cat and sometimes he teaches the class holding his chihuahua (Molly) in his left arm, but as long as you could have ignored that, hes a real cool prof.

NEVER take a math class from Stecher!

I agree, 308 is not as hard as people make it out to be. Its a change from calculus and should not be bad if you have a good math background. Just like every math class dont get behind.
Linear algebra after 308 is more difficult imo.

^
I loved linear. It was the ubber theoretical stuff after linear that prompted me to change majors. Grades were fine, just didn't like it. I'm much more of a concrete person, hence accounting and finance.

AggieBaller15, my post wasn't intended to be negative. I'd still recommend going and talking to the prof ASAP.

Thanks a lot for the advice everyone. OldJock99, I did contact a professor from the Math department. Karrde, which professor did you have for 308? Also...does anyone know anything about Guermond? Thanks again

I'm an engineering major...started with 152...thought calc was really easy...had Comech for 308....horrible prof...never went to class but went to A+ tutoring....made an A


Summary: If you are struggling go to A+

I don't remember exactly, but I had him for 308 honors in the fall of 2004. I'll see if I can look that class up.

I had Dr. Kuchment. Looks like he gave 17 A's, 2 B's, and 1 C in that particular class. That can happen often in the honors classes. The prof makes it very tough but still gives good grades.

Wow...that's amazing. But I looked up this semester's honors teacher, Stecher - He seems to have only given out 15% A's during 9 classes of 308.

I'm also really glad I switched out of Honors Engineering 111. The teacher, Wu, has given out only 5% A's throughout all his 111 classes, and apparently "doesn't believe in giving out A's".

I also contacted Dr. Rahe - his 308 class is full right now, but he put me on his wait list. He seems like a really nice guy.

Dr. Rahe is badass, he pats the computer and tells you that you must be smarter than the computer to make pretty pictures for your MBA boss, because your MBA boss doesnt understand one thing about vector fields But maybe you can communicate with them via pretty colors and pictures.

I liked Dr. Rahe as well. He used to always talk about your old friends, Mr. Fourier or Mr. Laplace. I can't remember exactly.

I had belmonte.

I got a B in there, and i only took all three of my maths at a junior college. Im not a fan of math. Do i know any of it now? No....but thats ok, i took it because it was required and i got a b and thats all that matters.

quote:

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I thought maple was pretty easy to pick up after spending a little time with it. The prof or the TA should teach you how to use the program. Just do your homework and you will be fine.

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This with A+ and you will be fine. The key is to take the time learning Maple.

you will actually find 308 fun if you like math... and Maple has a very gentle learning curve (unless they switch versions on you in the middle of term!)

Don't worry about it, the class will be a breeze, and you certainly don't want to go a semester without a math course, stepping back to 251 would be a big mistake.

I got an A from Stecher, and never took Calc I and II. He is a great guy, very very smart, teaches well, very entertaining and his tests are fair.
The class is itself very interesting and extremely essential, probably the most important class you will have taken up until now. Differential Equations unleash the true power of calculus, as corny as that sounds.
Is it hard? It depends. How well you grasp integral and differential calculus, as well as analytical geometry, should be a good indicator of how you do on the class.

Cool cool...well, I'm officially in Rahe's class now. Hopefully it'll work out since he teaches Maple from scratch to everyone.