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FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE :
ABOUT CALCULUS REQUIREMENTS Calculus
is required for the major in Chemistry, Physics, Computer
Science, and Mathematics. It also meets the calculus requirement
for Economics majors. (The Economics Department also offers
a calculus class for Economics majors through their department.)
Most students intending to take a calculus class at Kalamazoo
College will need to take an online placement exam. See the
Q&A area below to determine which exam is appropriate
for you.
CALCULUS AT KALAMAZOO
COLLEGE
The standard first-term calculus course at Kalamazoo College,
Calculus I (MATH 112)
is intended for students with no prior knowledge of calculus.
Even if you are uneasy about the calculus course you had in
high school, Calculus I
might not be the course for you.
We have two alternatives for you: Calculus
II (MATH 113), which begins with the definition
of the integral; and for those who have already mastered this
course sufficiently, Calculus
III (MATH 214), multivariable calculus.
Calculus II
is a continuation of the material in Calculus
I. If you think you still need more experience
with integration or with series of numbers, then this might
be the course for you.
Calculus III
is the study of functions of two or more variables. In particular,
differentiation and integration of these functions is studied,
as are vector-valued functions. Other topics include Taylor
series.
ABOUT THE CALCULUS
PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
(Use of calculators is not permitted on the placement exams.)
The purpose of your taking the
Calculus Proficiency Examination is to help
us assess the computational skills you have already mastered
in high school. It is roughly equivalent to the computational
portion of a final examination in the course we expect you
to have had. We ask you to take it so that we can recommend
with confidence which course it would be best for you to follow.
Whether or not you
have had an AP course in calculus, if you think your first
calculus course at Kalamazoo will NOT
be Calculus I,
you need to take this Calculus Proficiency Examination.
ABOUT THE CALCULUS READINESS TEST
(Use of calculators is not permitted
on the placement exams.)
The purpose of this examination is to
assess your mastery of the basic algebraic skills that will
be needed in the calculus series. Students who appear to need
more work in this area will be advised to take MATH 110 and
111: Calculus with review,
Parts I and II. This may
even apply to some students who have prior experience with calculus.
Material on the examination includes
factoring and simplification of algebraic expressions, solving
algebraic equations and systems of linear equations, functions
and their graphs, logarithms, exponents, and basic trignonometry.
WHAT MATH COURSE SHOULD
YOU TAKE?
| Q: |
DO
YOU THINK YOU MIGHT TAKE A CALCULUS CLASS AT KALAMAZOO
COLLEGE? |
| A: |
NO |
Calculus is required for
the major in Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, and
Mathematics. Calculus also satisfies the Quantitative
Reasoning Requirement for graduation. It also meets the
calculus requirement for Economics majors. (The Economics
Department also offers a calculus class for Economics
majors through their department.) Please note that Math
260-360, Applied Statistics
I-II, is a sequence of great value to prospective
biologists and social scientists. These courses do not
have calculus as a prerequisite. (They also satisfy the
College Area of Study and Quantitative Reasoning Requirements.)
You need not read further in this document and you
do not need to take a placement test. |
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YES |
Read the next question. |
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| Q: |
DID
YOU TAKE CALCULUS FOR A FULL YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL? |
| A: |
NO |
Then you'll need to take
the online Calculus Readiness Test. Click
here
to take the test. Your results will automatically be recorded
and used to place you in the appropriate course when you
register for MATH TBD. |
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YES |
Read the next question. |
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| Q: |
DO
YOU HAVE AN ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCORE? |
| A: |
NO |
Then you'll need to take
the Calculus Proficiency Examination.
Click here
to take the test. Your results will automatically be recorded
and used to place you in the appropriate course when you
register for MATH TBD. |
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YES |
Read the next question. |
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| Q: |
DID
YOU TAKE THE AB OR THE BC SYLLABUS? |
| A: |
AB |
If your score was 1 or
2, you should plan to enroll in the standard Calculus
I (MATH 112) course. You do not
need to take a placement exam. If you would
like to take calculus during your first quarter at K,
please register for MATH TBD when you complete your summer
online registration. The registration program will use
your AP Calculus score to place you in MATH 112. |
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If your score was 3 or
higher, then you'll need to take the online Calculus
Proficiency Examination. Click here
to take the test. Your results will automatically be recorded
and used to place you in the appropriate course when you
register for MATH TBD. |
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BC |
If your score was 3 or
lower, you'll need to take the online Calculus
Proficiency Examination. Click here
to take the test. Your results will automatically be recorded
and used to place you in the appropriate course when you
register for MATH TBD. |
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If your score was 4 or
5, you have probably mastered enough of the calculus to
enable you to profit from more advanced courses. If you
would like to take a math course during your first quarter
at K, please register for MATH TBD when you complete your
summer online registration. Then, during orientation week,
please drop by the math department to speak with a faculty
member about the most appropriate math course for you. |
In general, if you have questions about your mathematics
placement that are not answered on this page or unusual
circumstances which are not addressed, see a member
of the Mathematics Department in Olds/Upton 203 for
help. |
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