How to succeed in NJIT Math 222

The most important thing: preparation 🏃

Make sure you know calculus. If you were placed in this class but don’t know calculus well, it will be very hard.

• In particular:
  • Know the difference between derivatives and integrals
  • Know integrals and derivatives of common functions: $\sin{x}$, $e^{ax}$, $\ln x$, etc.
  • Know techniques including integration by parts and $u$-substitution.
• Calculus review materials in Canvas.

The other important thing: work 👷

There is a lot to learn! Don’t fall behind!

• Start working in week one. 📆
• Keep up day to day (or at least week to week). Friday’s lecture will be easier to follow if you have understood Thursday’s lecture.
• Attending every lecture but doing no work is a poor strategy.
• Read the book 📖, work through the examples, and try to understand the ideas. Then do the homework.
• Spend 2-3 hours working for every hour of lecture.

Your time is valuable 🕰️ = 💵

Too many students take this class two or more times before passing. Put in enough time and work to pass it on the first attempt.

Our time is valuable ⏲️ = 💰

Your instructors put a lot of time into planning and teaching the class. We like to see positive results.

Read the syllabus

Understand the grading scheme

• Nothing is optional. Skipping the MATLAB drops you two 2️⃣ letter grades.
• Homework and quizzes are there to encourage you to keep up every week.
• The homework is (relatively) easy. It can compensate (somewhat) for poor test performance.

Why so much MATLAB?

• MATLAB (and computing more generally) is a tool to help visualize the solutions to differntial equations, which helps you think about the meaning of solutions and not simply write down formulas.
• Numerical methods (e.g. Euler’s method, sec. 2.7) are an essential tool for understanding ODE. It helps understanding if you work with the computer code.
• You will use MATLAB in later courses.
• When you see ODE after this semester, numerical solutions are likely to play an important role.

For math/MATLAB help

• Professor’s office hour is your first option. We like helping, especially early. 🧑‍🏫
• Ask questions in class. ❓
• If you don’t understand why we cover something, ask. It’s all there for a reason.

For errors in materials 😕

Contact the coordinator! There are dozens of links, assignments, and due dates in Canvas. There are bound to be mistakes. Help me fix them .

We want you to succeed!

Good luck this semester! 😄