I took pre-cal last year and am taking AP Calculus AB this year. This is my first night of the school year. I had no homework, except for Calculus. I’ve been sitting here for 5 hours doing this stuff (I fell asleep before I got started b/c I was exhausted, so now it’s 12:45), and I’ve just gotten to the second part of the assignment. I’m sitting here staring at this paper and dreading my life. I’ve forgotten nearly everything from Pre-Cal. I could do the first assignment bc it was mostly just writing equations and definitions, but this part is actual work.
The teacher told us that he expected us to have to remember all the old stuff, but he figured we could do it in 2 hours. I’m looking at a 10-hour hw session here. He also said that if we fall behind or don’t do all our homework correctly every night, there was no way I’d pass the class.
I really want and need to pass this class and I’m totally willing to put in a ton of effort, but if this is any hint of what it’s going to be like all year, I don’t know if I can take it. It’s the first night and I’m on the verge of a breakdown here - emotional and mental (I know, pathetic, right?). I know it’s not that I’m not smart; I’m really good in school and passed Pre-Cal with decent grades.
SO my question is, what do I do??!! I need some advice here, bc I’m literally about to start crying over my homework. I don’t want to get behind or not do the homework, but I’ve never in any other class felt so confused and hopeless. Please help!!!
I took Calculus AB during Junior year (I’m a Senior in like 15 days) and I was absolutely terrified because I couldn’t understand the lessons that my teacher was teaching in class. To be honest, Calculus doesn’t get any easier because all the lessons taught are applied based on prior knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and so on. You learn the basics of Calculus and it builds on that so you would have to continue practicing and make sure you get all the theorems down. I kept failing tests and ended up with around a C for my first semester and then I ended up with a B in my second semester. My quarter grades were F’s, by the way, so that you know I really struggled. The key to passing Calculus is basically practice.
It is a hard class and I know how you feel. I’ve had multiple mental breakdowns where I just literally cried because I felt so disheartened and hopeless. For the first semester, I cried after every test because I simply did not know why I couldn’t get the lessons. I always did so well in my other classes that I became almost depressed that I’m doing so bad in Calculus AB. So I’m going to ask you this. Does your teacher offer tutoring sessions after school? Is there a math club that tutors students who are suffering? Is there anyone at all that can help you? You need help, now. You cannot wait any longer.
The longer you wait to ask for help, the worse your grades will hurt because you are not getting the lessons. The earlier you ask for help, the better your grades will be. You need to understand what the theorems are saying and you need to know how to apply the theorems. That is the key to Calculus. There are multiple variations to problems that require manipulations of several theorems. You forgot Pre-Cal? Calculus is not based on Pre-Calculus. It is based on all the math skills that you have mastered before.
What you really need to do is:
Go over basic algebra, trigonometry, geometry, etc… Know how to do the problems.
Make sure you know your formulas. Trig identities, basic unit circle radians, etc…
Go to KhanAcademy if you do not know how to do any of the problems.
Check your answers with your classmates. (Check and don’t abuse this.)
Ask your teacher for help. He knows that you’re struggling so he will do everything in his power to help you. If he’s not helping you, ask another math teacher that you are close to.
Ask your peers for help. Go to the stellar Calculus students for help. If no, go to your friends in your class for help.
Get over the fact that you might be failing and keep your head up. You got an F on that one test? Get over it. I learned this the hard way. You’ll perform better if you believe that you’ll do well.
Talk to your parents and see if they can suggest a plan that might be able to help you. (Ex: Private tutoring)
Do all the problems and check your work.
Do your homework and don’t be afraid that your answers are wrong. Homework = practice. If you don’t know how to do a problem, you MUST ask your teacher.
I’m a high school math teacher. While I have taught both Precalc and Intro to Calc, I’ve never taught AP.
And, I’m sorry, but 10 hours of homework is crazy. Even 2 hours is way, way over the top.
Why are you taking a class that has you spending 10 hours the first night?
Honestly, my advice is to run to guidance, drop the class, and take something that offers reasonable expectations. Sure, you’ll lose the chance for AP credit. So what? You’ll take college classes in college.
Never, in my entire education (I have a MS) did I spend that kind of time on a single homework assignment.
Personally I felt that pre-calc stuff barely came up in Calc AB, except maybe the unit circle. Pre-calc becomes much more useful in Calc BC.
Just for clarification, is your homework pre-calc review or is it a new calculus topic you’re learning right now? What topic of calc are on (limits maybe?) If it is calc, don’t stress out about not remembering a lot from pre-calc, calculus is based off of your algebra and trig skills and memorizing the rules of new concepts.
I second @Ahnissa 's advice, go in to your teacher for help now. Ask him to explain the concepts again and show you some examples on the homework. Also, how long do you have to drop a class without penalty? If things do not improve and calculus is genuinely ruining your mental health and affecting your performance in other classes, then you may have to drop it.
Finally, calm down. Breathe. Panicking will only make it seem harder.
@bjkmom I think the OP’s homework realistically takes around 2-3 hrs. It’s the fact that OP doesn’t understand the problems is the reason why it’s taking so long. He needs to ask for help.