MATH 31A
Differential and Integral Calculus
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Preparation: at least three and one half years of high school mathematics (including some coordinate geometry and trigonometry). Requisite: successful completion of Mathematics Diagnostic Test or course 1 with grade of C- or better. Differential calculus and applications; introduction to integration. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
I had professor Ricardo Salazar for two straight quarters (Math 1 & 31,) and I can say he is a fair professor. First, his grading schemes were similar for both classes. His grading consisted of the following: two midterms, one final, homework, and quizzes. He will take out your lowest midterm grade, but will, instead, count the final at a higher percentage. Second, as a lecturer, he can be very difficult to listen to, as he mumbles, speaks softly, and has an accent. I would highly recommend you sit in the front. He mainly focuses on concepts and proofs, and seldom solved problems. He is pretty helpful in office hours, and is very approachable. The main reason people dislike him is the same reason people dislike math. As aforementioned, Salazar is a decent math professor. Would I recommend him? Sure; but ultimately, the decision is up to you.
I had professor Ricardo Salazar for two straight quarters (Math 1 & 31,) and I can say he is a fair professor. First, his grading schemes were similar for both classes. His grading consisted of the following: two midterms, one final, homework, and quizzes. He will take out your lowest midterm grade, but will, instead, count the final at a higher percentage. Second, as a lecturer, he can be very difficult to listen to, as he mumbles, speaks softly, and has an accent. I would highly recommend you sit in the front. He mainly focuses on concepts and proofs, and seldom solved problems. He is pretty helpful in office hours, and is very approachable. The main reason people dislike him is the same reason people dislike math. As aforementioned, Salazar is a decent math professor. Would I recommend him? Sure; but ultimately, the decision is up to you.
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Most Helpful Review
If this is Claus Schubert, then I love him. I took him freshman year for 31A and 31B. He's way of teaching is very effective even though it is simple differentials and integrals. He was one of the few teachers I've had that got a standing ovation at the end of the quarter. He's AWESOME.
If this is Claus Schubert, then I love him. I took him freshman year for 31A and 31B. He's way of teaching is very effective even though it is simple differentials and integrals. He was one of the few teachers I've had that got a standing ovation at the end of the quarter. He's AWESOME.
Most Helpful Review
He does all right at conveying the concepts, but the questions he gives on the midterms and finals are much more difficult than anything he goes over in class or assigns in the homework. The average class grade on the first midterm was a 69%. Also most people in the class took AP calculus in high school so its a tough curve. Good luck.
He does all right at conveying the concepts, but the questions he gives on the midterms and finals are much more difficult than anything he goes over in class or assigns in the homework. The average class grade on the first midterm was a 69%. Also most people in the class took AP calculus in high school so its a tough curve. Good luck.
Most Helpful Review
Let me just say that I took this class in high school and had a 4 on the AP exam. I am so glad I knew the material. It's very tough to understand his English; I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't taken it. The first midterm is easy, but it gets progressively harder from there. He told us to memorize proofs that would show up on the test, and it turns out, they didn't show up. Average on the final was under 65%. I ended up with a B in the class. Class is curved at the end, after all points are added up, median is a B-.
Let me just say that I took this class in high school and had a 4 on the AP exam. I am so glad I knew the material. It's very tough to understand his English; I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't taken it. The first midterm is easy, but it gets progressively harder from there. He told us to memorize proofs that would show up on the test, and it turns out, they didn't show up. Average on the final was under 65%. I ended up with a B in the class. Class is curved at the end, after all points are added up, median is a B-.
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Most Helpful Review
Summer 2020 - Professor Sprouse is fairly generous in the way he grades. I believe he gave everyone who got a 90% or higher as their overall final grade an A, not an A-. Whenever I had a question and I emailed him, he was prompt in responding which I was very appreciative of. The homework was a bit much but I will say it prepares you well for the two midterms and the final. He docked a few points on the exams for minor errors, but I think this is the norm for math professors. VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure you go over the notes very carefully and take note of the way he wants you to solve problems on the exams because if you do it your own way and still get the right answer, he will mark off a ton of points if not all of them. Solve the problems the way he wants you to solve them and you can figure out the way he wants you to solve them by carefully examining his notes. The bottom line is if you need to take Calc 31A, take it with Professor Sprouse. He is nice, a little funny, and really cares about his students. With Covid-19 going on, he was very understanding and tried to make the difficulty of the class fit the trying times we are currently in as best he could. In addition, my TA Mr. Johnson was great. I would highly recommend him as well.
Summer 2020 - Professor Sprouse is fairly generous in the way he grades. I believe he gave everyone who got a 90% or higher as their overall final grade an A, not an A-. Whenever I had a question and I emailed him, he was prompt in responding which I was very appreciative of. The homework was a bit much but I will say it prepares you well for the two midterms and the final. He docked a few points on the exams for minor errors, but I think this is the norm for math professors. VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure you go over the notes very carefully and take note of the way he wants you to solve problems on the exams because if you do it your own way and still get the right answer, he will mark off a ton of points if not all of them. Solve the problems the way he wants you to solve them and you can figure out the way he wants you to solve them by carefully examining his notes. The bottom line is if you need to take Calc 31A, take it with Professor Sprouse. He is nice, a little funny, and really cares about his students. With Covid-19 going on, he was very understanding and tried to make the difficulty of the class fit the trying times we are currently in as best he could. In addition, my TA Mr. Johnson was great. I would highly recommend him as well.
Most Helpful Review
Let me begin my evaluation by stating that I got an A in Watson's class. If you are thinking about taking Watson, be prepared for someone who has very well organized lecture material and great ways of explaining concepts. Students say he is not approachable, but I never went to office hours any way so I guess I wouldn't know. What I do know is that he answered everyone's questions during class and that as long as you payed attention, you would understand. FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: 1. Notes- Watson gives some pretty distinct hints on what he will be testing on, write that shit down. I remember a huge proof he did in the first week of class, then referred back to later on, and hinted that it might be good to know it, so I memorized it before the test. It was the last problem (most points) and it threw everyone off, throwing me above the curve. 2. Studying - do the problems in the book, all of them. There are only a limited amount of problem types he assigns for hmwk, do all of the books examples of those. Watson's test are really fair. Nothing was ever like "never seen this shit before" Encourage yourself to gain a firm understanding on not only the process, but the proofs and reasoning behind what you are learning.
Let me begin my evaluation by stating that I got an A in Watson's class. If you are thinking about taking Watson, be prepared for someone who has very well organized lecture material and great ways of explaining concepts. Students say he is not approachable, but I never went to office hours any way so I guess I wouldn't know. What I do know is that he answered everyone's questions during class and that as long as you payed attention, you would understand. FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: 1. Notes- Watson gives some pretty distinct hints on what he will be testing on, write that shit down. I remember a huge proof he did in the first week of class, then referred back to later on, and hinted that it might be good to know it, so I memorized it before the test. It was the last problem (most points) and it threw everyone off, throwing me above the curve. 2. Studying - do the problems in the book, all of them. There are only a limited amount of problem types he assigns for hmwk, do all of the books examples of those. Watson's test are really fair. Nothing was ever like "never seen this shit before" Encourage yourself to gain a firm understanding on not only the process, but the proofs and reasoning behind what you are learning.
Most Helpful Review
Yeah not that great of a professor. Granted I got a little frustrated but here is why. This class should be fine for anyone who has recently taken calculus before. He expects you to have a general level of calculus knowledge but thats not fair because this is the first class... I have never taken calculus... my high school didn't offer it, so this class was incredibly unfair to me. I started with scoring way below average on first midterm, then slightly below on second, and then reasonably above on final so obviously I started getting the material. But its just not a fair class. my recomendation is if you havent taken calc yet then get a tutor before the quarter and review. If it wasnt for my AAP tutor Saloni I would have absolutely failed. I learned far more from here than from Watson, his teaching is to theoretical and I had trouble grasping it. He needs to explain things more simply and slower for us out there who havent taken calc before.
Yeah not that great of a professor. Granted I got a little frustrated but here is why. This class should be fine for anyone who has recently taken calculus before. He expects you to have a general level of calculus knowledge but thats not fair because this is the first class... I have never taken calculus... my high school didn't offer it, so this class was incredibly unfair to me. I started with scoring way below average on first midterm, then slightly below on second, and then reasonably above on final so obviously I started getting the material. But its just not a fair class. my recomendation is if you havent taken calc yet then get a tutor before the quarter and review. If it wasnt for my AAP tutor Saloni I would have absolutely failed. I learned far more from here than from Watson, his teaching is to theoretical and I had trouble grasping it. He needs to explain things more simply and slower for us out there who havent taken calc before.
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