Despite a nearly 5 year estrangement between me and the mathematics more notably Algebra, Factorization, and Trig, interestingly enough the Three Pillars of Calculus I.
THEN there happens to be a little problem of mine procrastination + shorty memory! Everything I am taught will unless I immediately grasp it will exit my cranium without a backwards glance.
Not very good when I am expected to learn the entire trig tables!!! As well as another half a dozen formulae!
Calculus seems intrinsicly invented to get on my nerves.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
Trig tables? What do you mean?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
f(x)=sinx
f'(x)=cosx
Posted by NewLurker (Member # 11525) on :
<Seconds KOM's question>
Blayne, from my lurking here, you seem to remember tons of details from Chinese history etc, which means that your memory is actually pretty good; better than mine certainly! The good thing about calculus, trig etc is that once you understand the stuff you don't need to tax your memory much anyway. Remembering names, dates and dynasties is *much* harder.
Posted by Fusiachi (Member # 7376) on :
As it turns out, doing those dreaded problems sets will almost certainly drive any key formulas into memory.
Posted by HollowEarth (Member # 2586) on :
Uh, if you can draw a sine wave you can figure out the derivatives of sine or cosine trivially, I suppose this assumes that you understand what a derivative is.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
quote:Remembering names, dates and dynasties is *much* harder.
I think that depends on who you talk to. I don't remember most mathematical equations, unless I use them frequently. I've probably forgotten almost everything relatively advanced that deals with trigonometry or calculus -- primarily because I have had zero need for it in the past four years. This is not to say that a review of the material wouldn't bring a significant chunk of it back, however.
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
If you understand the derivative concept, which is admitatedly a very sophisticated mathematical concept to understand on a deep level, the sin/cos duality makes perfect sense. Also by brute force.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Math is one of those things you just have to keep on doing in order to keep it fresh in your mind. Or, for some people, in your mind at all. Seriously, Blayne, keep up with your problem sets/homework/notes, etc for your math classes. Don't skip any of the math classes, either, or you'll fall behind (this goes for pretty much anyone, actually, unless they're a math whiz).
So, yeah. Take notes. Lots of them. Read them. Keep going through example problems. Read over the notes you take. Don't skip class.
Trust me. I'm a super-procrastinator and the only way I could pass math classes was to NOT procrastinate. Another thing you might look into is to be tested for a math learning disability, such as dyscalculia.
Good luck.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
Oh. Well, that's easy to remember; just do the Taylor series out to say x^7, differentiate the polynomial, and recognise the Taylor series of the other trig function, possibly with a minus sign. Trivial!
Posted by NewLurker (Member # 11525) on :
Reminds of Feynman -- A mathematical proposition is either false or trivial
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Reminds of Feynman -- A mathematical proposition is either false or trivial