Frequently asked questions about Math 251
Q. How can I get help with this course?
Q. I got a bad grade on the first exam even though I studied. What should I do?
Q. How can I use Maple without going to the computer lab?
Q. How can I get help with this course?
A. Free possibilities include asking questions in class, going to either your instructor's or a TA's office hours, and going to the Learning Resource Center or the MSLC Math and Science Learning Center. A non-free alternative is to go to room 303 Hill Center and ask for their list of tutors for Calc III.
Q. I got a bad grade on the first exam even though I studied. What should I do?
A. If the bad grade is a C or higher, one answer to the your first question could be -- Be glad it's only a fifth or so of your grade. Do better on the rest of the exams, quizzes, etc., and you'll be okay.
A longer answer is that it helps if you keep up with the material as we go along. Studying the night before isn't as helpful as keeping up on a weekly or (better) class-by-class basis. When you find something from an earlier semester that you've forgotten, go back to the appropriate section of the text, reread it, and do some of the problems.
Part of this has to do (I theorize) with short term versus long term memory. You want your calculus in long term memory because as an engineer you'll be using it for years in courses like fluids. That means learning the material and then retesting yourself every so often to make sure that it hasn't evaporated. Think of multivariable calculus as a skill, like tennis or piano playing, that has to be learned over time and maintained if you want good results.
Q. How can I use Maple without going to the computer lab?
A1. Download a copy of Exceed from http://dormsoftware.rutgers.edu/. After going to this website a student can follow the directions and download several different Rutgers owned programs for free. Exceed converts a PC to an X-term and students can use xmaple and program the eden machines through it. (This was possible in the past, but it has not been verified for Fall 2006. Two other possibilities have been added below in September 2006.)
A2. Allow your Windows PC to run software designed for unix including X-windows with Cygwin/X. This provides X-windows support on top of the Cygwin system that supplies basic unix-like support. This system will allow your computer to act as a graphical terminal to run Maple on eden. Performance may be limited, especially with three dimensional graphics, when running Maple over a network.
A3. A student version of Maple is available from Maplesoft for a moderate price, and there are frequently special offers giving additional discounts.
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