1. FIRST DAY OF CALCULUS Welcome to WWOC! WONDERFUL WORLD OF CALCULUS!

2. Ways to Be Successful in WWOC (Wonderful World of Calculus) Calculus requires that you make a substantial investment of TIME. You need to spend one hour each night studying calculus. Build this into your life. One of the best ways to learn anything is to explain it to someone else. Form a study team. Amaze your friends and family with explanations of how to determine limits or how to compute derivatives.

3. Math is not a spectator sport. You will need to actively participate! You will need to exercise your brain. Some of the problems will require some serious thinking. Take time with them, talk about them, take breaks if you are getting frustrated (but a certain amount of frustration is GOOD), and ask questions if you are stuck. Enjoy the process…. You are learning!

4. Solve problems in more than one way: Numerically, Graphically, Analytically, and Verbally. Thinking and understanding concepts will be emphasized. Many problems that require calculus cannot be solved with the simple application of a formula. In most cases, if you understand the concepts, memorizing a formula becomes unnecessary because you construct the process as you solve the problem.

5. Attendance. Classes are held for your benefit. If attending class were not important, all courses would be by correspondence and your teacher would be able to spend most of her year on vacation. There is a direct correlation between understanding and class attendance. Just as you play a lot of basketball (or ski a lot) to be good at it, you must do a lot of calculus in order to be successful. At minimum, work every problem that your teacher assigns for homework. Document your process and methods used. If you are having trouble or want more practice, work other problems in that section.

6. Work problems more than once. When reviewing or redoing a problem, think about why you take the steps that you do. Remember, the process is more important than the result! Document/explain your mathematical process! Tests and exams can be the bane of your existence or they can be showcases of your mastery of the material. When studying for them, work every homework problem assigned in the sections, paying special attention to your methods. Review and work through examples in your notes, again with emphasis on the process being used.

7. The fastest way to get into trouble in calculus is not to do the homework. You must practice what we have discussed in class and explain your process and document your method! Think outside the box. Try to solve the problems in more than one representation. Solve them Numerically, Analytically, Graphically, and Verbally if possible.

8. To be Successful in WWOC Attendance! Attendance! Attendance! Attend every class and be PREPARED, PARTICIPATE, PRESENT. You must be a “risk-taker”. Try every problem, use diagrams, explain your thinking, document your process, present in class, ask questions in class, go in for help. Do your homework every night. ATTEMPT ALL PROBLEMS! Show all work! Use diagrams, explain your method and process, write down questions you have.

9. Do your own work. Be Honest. Ask questions in class, share ideas and methods, discuss ideas and methods with others, write down questions on your homework. Document your process and thinking in solving the problems. Try to solve problems in multiple representations or ways: Numerically Analytically Graphically Verbally

10. ANALYZE/SOLVE PROBLEMS IN MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIONS NUMERICALLY GRAPHICALLY ANALYTICALLY VERBALLY

11. PROBLEM-SOLVING EXPECTATIONS TAKE RISKS. ATTEMPT ALL PROBLEMS OR WRITE DOWN A QUESTION YOU HAVE OR WHY YOU ARE STUCK! SHOW ALL YOUR WORK! INCLUDE DIAGRAMS EXPLAIN YOUR PROCESS. DOCUMENT YOUR THINKING. JUSTIFY YOUR SOLUTIONS AND PROCESS.

12. SOLVE PROBLEMS IN MORE THAN ONE WAY IF POSSIBLE. (Multiple Methods) DON’T ROUND NUMBERS UNTIL THE END. ALWAYS ROUND TO THE THOUSANDTHS PLACE.

13. Top Ten Tips for Flunking AP Calculus 10.Sit in the back of the classroom. This will immediately indicate a lack of interest in the class, but what are the chances that the instructor will notice? 9.Don’t take notes. Convince yourself that you can remember everything that is discussed in class. Notes are for dummies. 8.Don’t do the daily homework assignments. You don’t need to practice the lesson for the day. You can just wait until the day before the test to figure it out.

14. 7.If you ignore #8 and do the homework, don’t check your answers in the back of the book. That just takes time, and besides, that’s what teachers are for. 6.Cram for tests. Just wait until the night before to study for a test – don’t study each night. 5.Stay up late the night before a test or exam. You don’t need sleep or to be able to think clearly. Besides, that late night movie may not be on TV again for another two weeks, but there will always be another calculus class.

15. 4.Don’t form a study group with other members of the class or others who are enrolled in AP Calculus. It is not helpful to discuss concepts with others and look at multiple ways to solve the problems. 3.Memorize! Memorize! Memorize! Don’t try to understand anything, just memorize it. 2.Catch up on your sleep during class (or talk to friends so that you will stay awake). What are the chances that the instructor will say anything important anyway? 1.After missing a class, be certain to ask the instructor, “Did we do anything important?” or “Did I miss anything?” This will show the instructor exactly what you think of her class.