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MATH 266 is the second three-credit introductory calculus course that further expands on topics that were taught in MATH 265. MATH 266 “focuses on definite integrals, which allow exact calculation of surface areas, volumes, the length of curves, and solutions of practical and theoretical problems.” MATH 266 does have a pre-requisite of MATH 265 and is also available for challenge for credit option.
For those interested in taking MATH 265, I recommend reading the MATH 265 course exam article that was written by another Voice Magazine writer!
Who and Why You Should take this Course
This course is designed for Math majors, however, many other majors including Sciences, Engineering and Computer Science typically are also required to take one or two university level calculus courses. With that said, this course is not limited to those in a Math major or studying a science or engineering program. If you enjoy mathematics or would like to expand your calculus knowledge, this course is also for you.
When I completed my Biology degree a few years ago, it was mandatory for me to complete two calculus courses as part of my program. Many times, I wondered if this course would ever come in handy, although most of the knowledge will not be used, I did find that after taking this calculus course, my general mathematics skills had improved significantly. It was most useful when I started working as I spent a lot of time working with our budget—financial reconciliation and all that fun stuff. Therefore, I recommend this course to everyone as it will improve your existing knowledge of calculus and improve your general mathematics skills in the long term.
Course, Assignment, Midterm and Final Exam Details
The course itself is six units starting with Unit 1: Inverse Functions, Unit 2: Inverse Trigonometric and Hyperbolic Functions, L’Hopital’s Rule, Unit 3: Techniques of Integration, Unit 4: Applications of Integration, Unit 5: Differential Equations and finally, Unit 6: Sequences and Series.
The course activity includes eight quizzes that are worth a total of 12% along with four assignments each worth 10%, 6%, 8% and 10% respectively. There is a midterm and final exam for the course with the midterm being worth 26% and the final exam worth 28%. The midterm covers the first four units, and the final exam covers the final two units of the course.
How to Be Successful in the Course
Student Tips
Throughout my schooling, mathematics and calculus have always been one of the courses that I find students either do well in or struggle through. The primary reason I’ve found is because, unlike many other classes, math courses require heavy practice. Unlike some other subjects, where understanding the concepts really well may get you a good grade or memorizing is key, math courses require lots of practice to be successful.
As someone who has taken a linear algebra course and a statistics course, I can confidently tell you that if you would like to excel in any mathematics course, practice is key. First, make sure you understand the concepts and then make sure you practice all the practice problems provided. This could be practice questions from the textbook, assignment questions or quiz questions. The more practice you do, you will become more confident and find that the course is actually quite easy.
For assignments and quizzes, when you are stuck, I find that we often try to troubleshoot, which is perfectly fine and a good strategy, however, if you are stuck for hours or just need a hand, also remember that Moodle Discussions and your Course Tutor exists for a reason. Do not hesitate to reach out to them if you have any questions!
Students may think that cramming is possible for math courses, and although, it has been done many times and some students get away with it, I strongly recommend against it. Practice takes time and I recommend spreading out your studying and do a little bit of practice each day, and that will come a long way, and you will feel confident with minimal stress for the exams.
Questions?
If you have any further questions regarding the course, please do not hesitate to contact the Course Coordinator at Fst_success@athabascau.ca. Happy practicing!
