Learning Calc

[Squintz]

I am a very slow learner when i comes to math and i plan to take it in college soon. So i want to get a head start. I dont even know how to use a Graphing Calc so im pretty far behind. Is there a free online tutorial to teach calc from the very basics. My fiance has a AP calc book that i could use but since i dont know even the basics of calc it doesnt do me to good

[VendingMenace]

well, you don't need a calculator to understand calculus. I myself barely know how to use a graphing calculator as well, yet i took a fair amount of math in college. In fact, at my school, you were not allowed to use calculators in any of the math classes i took. And i think i am better off for it. Why? Because i understand the thoery behind the math now. I know why it works. Beucase of this, i know what situations different types of math are applicable too. The math courses i took were an actuall learning expreience in the science of math, instead of a really expensive technical course in how to use a calculator.

 

The point is, don't worry about not being able to use a calculator. And there is no reason you should know the basics of calc, if you haven't taken it yet. Everyone starts out in the same place -- knowing nothing, so that is nothing to be afraid of/embarassed by. And you might know more that you think about calc. YOu will be suprised by how logical some of it seems.

 

But if you want to get a head start, then i would just start reading your calculus book and working through it. Read the chapter, then do all the problems. Of course this will be quite dry, but it is really the best way to do it, better than online tutorials, since the textbook will be at the same time more thourough and will assume no prior knowledge of calc.

 

Of course, if you have trouble understanding what is being said, you can always ask you fiance, she could probably help you out, and you can ask people here on these forums, we should be able to answer most of you questions

 

Whatever you decide to do, have fun! OH, and congradulations on getting engaged, whenever that happened

[NSX]

vendingmenace is right; you don't need a calculator for calculus, but it does help when picturing the properties or description of a function. my TI-83 really helps.

 

but have no worry, here's a program Graphmatica that allows you to play around with functions. I've used it since secondary. It's a reallly great program. I deduced how to find derivatives and definite integrals from it.

 

http://www8.pair.com/ksoft/

 

You say you want to learn the very basics. How your knowledge of mathematics up to this point?

[vixenell]

I took calculus my freshman year... never used a calculator.