There is a placement test available for MATH233.
The Calculus courses are hard at UNC. But they are fruitful as you will remember what you have learned. When I took these courses at another institution, I could not learn much and retained nothing. My Math Lab by Pearson may be used by the instructor for homework assignments and it may have hard questions. If you can solve these, it will prepare you for the exam. The Math Help Center has free tutoring.
Pre-requisite knowledge for MATH233
- Vectors and Geometry of Space
- Understanding of vectors, equations of lines and planes, and operations with vectors.
- Familiarity with conic sections (circles, ellipses, parabolas, hyperbolas) from precalculus, as these are foundational for identifying and graphing quadric surfaces in three dimensions.
- Differentiation and Integration of Vector Functions
- Ability to differentiate and integrate vector functions, and understand their application in describing motion in space, such as velocity and acceleration.
- Partial Derivatives and Multivariable Functions
- Skills in finding partial derivatives, gradient vectors, and directional derivatives.
- Proficiency in evaluating limits of multivariable functions and determining extrema (maximums and minimums) of surfaces.
- Basic Limit and Derivative Rules
- Proficiency in simplifying limits of indeterminate forms and taking derivatives using the power, product, and quotient rules.
- Mastery of the chain rule for polynomial, rational, and trigonometric functions.
- Multiple Integrals and Coordinate Systems
- Ability to evaluate multiple integrals to find area, volume, and work done by a force field or fluid flow rate.
- Understanding of techniques such as Riemann Sums, U-Substitution, Integration by Parts, and Trigonometric Integration.
- Knowledge of polar coordinates and basic concepts of work, including converting between polar and rectangular coordinates and handling parametric functions.
Content
- Vectors and The Geometry of Space
- Vector Functions
- Partial Derivatives
- Multiple Integrals
- Vector Calculus
The content is similar even with different instructors.
Textbooks
- Calculus: Early Transcendentals by William Briggs
- Calculus by James Stewert
A good reading tutorial: Paul's Online Notes
Video Playlists
Check the Study Strategy.