Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site rruxo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxv!rruxa!rruxo!vch From: vch@rruxo.UUCP (V. Hatem) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Intelligence Message-ID: <199@rruxo.UUCP> Date: Sun, 23-Jun-85 16:11:38 EDT Article-I.D.: rruxo.199 Posted: Sun Jun 23 16:11:38 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Jun-85 03:46:55 EDT References: <456@ttidcc.UUCP> <457@ttidcc.UUCP> <1586@hao.UUCP> <238@rti-sel.UUCP> <2545@randvax.UUCP> <485@ttidcc.UUCP> <1111@peora.UUCP> Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J. Lines: 33 >>Much of my academic energy over the past decade has been spent in finding >>ways to progress academically without having to study calculus. My mind >>simply shuts off and refuses to deal with it. > >However, this might itself be an indication of "intelligence". A major >problem with teaching of the calculus is that it is taught differently, in >most colleges, from higher mathematics; this is especially true of the >integral calculus. It is taught by memorization, the same as Organic >Chemistry. I have seen several computer scientists have trouble with the >introductory calculus courses as a result of this, and some even become >disillusioned with mathematics as a result. Later, if they are fortunate, >they find that most mathematics is nothing like the calculus... I agree. I hated calc more than liver. But, to my initial dismay, they made me take MORE math classes! (OH, NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!) But to my surprise, I found the differential eq, linear algebra, etc... VERY interesting! I would even say I liked them! Much to my surprise, might I add. My school was somewhat fanatical about math, (the CS dept was a subset of the math dept) and I wound up taking more math classes than CS classes! What kills me is, after keeping up a very respectable average (even with the c's in calc [3 times in a row]), I was turned down by more than one school when I decided to continue my education! My GPA was well above the 3.5 needed, but alas, MY CALC GRADES WERE'NT HIGH ENOUGH!!!! AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Any others out there plagued by such things??? Vince