Here are some of my thoughts and suggestions on how one can improve his or her chances of succeeding in this course, or most mathematics courses for that matter.

• Find a spot, or a means, where you will not be distracted by people or devices.. Learning mathematics requires your undivided attention. Concentrate on mathematics for at least one to two hours a day.


• Get more out of our classroom meetings by
  • reading over the material to be covered in class prior to the meeting so that you can ask questions pertaining to the ideas you find most challenging.
  • turning off cell phones and other electronic devices.
  • talking with nearby classmates during class. Not only does limit your ability to learn while in class, it is distracting to many other classmates and the instructor.


• Read the text. The text should be more than just the source of assigned exercises. Reading a math text is different than reading many other types of literature. Read each word and each sentence carefully, multiple times perhaps, to grasp the entire meaning.


• Work through relevant examples with paper and pencil. Many examples leave out some simple steps. Filling in the steps provides an opportunity to reinforce the prerequisite material to the current example.


• Make an honest, independent attempt on all assigned exercises. I mostly assign even-numbered exercises (no answer provided in the book's appendix). Doing so will encourage you to work through a similar odd-numbered exercises to convince yourself that you can solve the even-numbered problem successfully.


• Make it your goal to work as many odd-number exercises as you can. Split up the exercises between you and one or two other students. Meet to exchange answers and discuss difficulties that members of the group may have.