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<p>Well, I do come from a different system, but there was no formal proof-based course necessary for basic algebra and analysis. There were geometric proofs in the cegep linear algebra course (introduction to vectors, matrices and complex numbers) before university, but length segments on polygons are way less abstract than the epsilon-deltas of analysis and the groups and rings of algebra. My calculus courses were more theory based than the standard Stewart though. McGill does have a sink-or-swim attitude however, compared to many American universities.</p>
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<p>I don’t know why so many people find algebra tougher than analysis. To me it was the other way around (even though I had 3 courses of calculus before taking analysis). I fared way better in algebra, but in the end I had to take more analysis. It’s a shame, algebra was much more fun.</p>