I feel like a loser after this calc III college mid-term. What should I do?

Question

I just got back my midterm, 35/50. Then our instructor send us this e-mail

"Hi Everyone,

I have marked your exam. The highest mark was 48.5/50 and the average was 33/50. So, no scaling this time.

You will soon receive another e-mail, probably no subject with a number in it. This is your midterm mark out of 50.

Many of you have done very well, but some have not. If you are trying to decide whether or not to drop. Chapter 12 is probably harder than chap 11, although if you are doing well, it is probably about the same. Also, the next mid term will be a little bit harder because the material on it will be harder. If you did badly, but manage to improve on the second midterm and the final (and have done the assignments), then I can reduce the impact of the first midterm on your final grade. If you have questions, I will be in my office tomorrow about 10 - 12."

Now I am a bit worried. I don't know how to treat this "average" is it the mean, mode or median? I am too embarrassed to ask, what do you think it is? I literally feel like a loser right now. ch12 is integration

What should I do? Should I just drop it? I am embarrassed for my life. I wanted to be a math major, now I just don't know...

Answer 1

if you still like math then stick with it. get extra help from your professor and see if you can get a peer tutor. also, find out if your professor offers extra credit.



the worst thing you can do is drop calculus simply because you are worried about your grade. you should drop a course because it's boring, difficult, and unnecessary or you believe you could do better next semester with a different professor.



also, is this a summer class? summer classes are always more difficult. everyone struggles. don't let a summer class scare you away from calculus.

Answer 2

it's hard to know what to tell you. what is clear, is that no matter whether "average" means mean, mode or median, you are squarely in the middle of the class performance, in the instructor's eyes.



why do you want to be a math major? if it is because you enjoy the subject, and find it interesting, then one low mark shouldn't deter you from your goal. if it is because you thought you would do better in math than in other subjects, perhaps you should re-assess. i don't know your motives, so i can't tell you what would be best for you.



in any case, i wouldn't drop it, even if you don't become a math major, unless you are afraid you might fail the class. a passing grade in calculus says something about you no matter what your eventual field of study is; namely, that you don't shy away from something just because it is technically difficult.



the best advice i can give you, based on what you have said, is to talk to your instructor, and ask him why it is you aren't doing as well as you had hoped. perhaps there are a few areas that are proving to be stumbling blocks for you, and just a little improvement in those areas might dramatically improve your grades.

Answer 3

nicely, you probably understand the basics like taking good notes, reviewing them, examining problematical, and and so on. i think of the suitable concern to do while your at a loss for words in math is to pass the instructor and get help out of the college room. this way the instructor is likewise standard with of that your somewhat attempting problematical. do no longer procrastinate or slack off in pre-cal. It somewhat messes each little thing up.