Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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Also, banging undergrads.

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There will likely be a thread on this at some point this quarter. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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you're making me feel guilty at my lack of effort as a student (when I was a student)

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Students tend to think we don't notice and don't care but we do.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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Also, banging undergrads.

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There will likely be a thread on this at some point this quarter. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

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Jason I'm going to need some advice about this as there are some decent undergrads in my section this semester and I'd be curious as to the best approach if you will...

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Find out where all the good parties he's going to are at and invite me and your ex and her roomate.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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Nothing. This student doesn't care / want to learn right now. Maybe they will in the future but they are only going to get to that place on their own.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Get drunk. Then call him and tell him he should seriously consider not being a math major.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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How does one score that low? Wouldn't it be more humane to just give him a zero?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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This should be a wake-up call in itself. Nothing you can do at this juncture.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

is this grade an improvement? [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

bleh, don't do anything, youre his TA not his mother...besides you can't do anything, you already tried and he wasn't responsive...

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Not a college student, but an instructor.(math too) What you did was completely appropriate and should open the students eyes. I commend you for trying to help.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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What my dad usually does is email the kid or talk to him at the end of class and just say "Is there anything that I can do to help you? Is there anything that you would like to talk to me about?" Usually the kid just says no thank you and drops the class. Sometimes, though, they explain that they have a sick mother or whatever and you help the kid work something out with the school.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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course in complex analysis. We will study from an advanced perspective the theory of analytic functions of a single complex variable.

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Trying to figure out what this means... To Google!

Analytic Function: "A complex function is said to be analytic on a region R if it is complex differentiable at every point in R."

So y = x^2 is an analytic function, then? Or does it not meet the requirements of being a "complex function"? To my knowledge, it doesn't have singularites and is differentiable at every point (which I beleive just means it's slope at every point is non-infinite).

Complex Variable: "A variable that may assume complex values."

So this means the variables can have values that can potentially include an i component. Uh, but like, what variables can't? I mean, what's to stop me from solving any ole' function, say, y = 4x^2 + 2x + 4, with x = (4 + 3i)? Are the variable police going to arrest me?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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course in complex analysis. We will study from an advanced perspective the theory of analytic functions of a single complex variable.

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Trying to figure out what this means... To Google!

Analytic Function: "A complex function is said to be analytic on a region R if it is complex differentiable at every point in R."

So y = x^2 is an analytic function, then? Or does it not meet the requirements of being a "complex function"? To my knowledge, it doesn't have singularites and is differentiable at every point (which I beleive just means it's slope at every point is non-infinite).

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A region is an open subset of the complex-plane. In calculus we talk about functions defined on intervals; in complex analysis we talk about functions defined on subsets R of the complex plane that have the property that each point can be put inside a little disc still contained in R.

y = x^2 is only defined on the real-line; it's not defined on the complex plane.

w = z^2 = (x + iy)^2 = (x^2 - y^2) + 2xyi is defined on the complex plane and is analytic.

w = conjugate z = (by definition) x - iy is defined on the complex plane and is NOT analytic!

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Complex Variable: "A variable that may assume complex values."

So this means the variables can have values that can potentially include an i component. Uh, but like, what variables can't? I mean, what's to stop me from solving any ole' function, say, y = 4x^2 + 2x + 4, with x = (4 + 3i)? Are the variable police going to arrest me?

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Because attached to each function is a domain, that is the set of values that you are allowed to plug in. It's abusive, but traditionally when we use x and y we mean ONLY real numbers and when we use w and z we mean complex numbers.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

I see. Thanks.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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Also, banging undergrads.

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There will likely be a thread on this at some point this quarter. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

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Whoever bumped this thread, thank you. I forgot about this. Jason T, bring it. This would be a quality thread.

-Jihad

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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With a 2.5% on a MT is there any chance at all he can pass the class? If not I'd adivise him to see the registrar and see if he can withdraw from the class to avoid an F.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

This is okay.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Random somewhat OT question. Are you going to be covering Residue Theorem and solving real integrals using it?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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Random somewhat OT question. Are you going to be covering Residue Theorem and solving real integrals using it?

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Yes.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Sweet. Still one of my favorite things in any class ever.

Man now I want to take grad complex next semester.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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Sweet. Still one of my favorite things in any class ever.

Man now I want to take grad complex next semester.

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That's why I fell in love with complex analysis.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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That midterm came up quickly after what was presumably the first graded assignment. Having the first graded assignment this close to the midterm is not a good idea as you probably just figured out.

At this point, it's probably impossible for the student to pass the class, right? You can't really be giving students second shots at exams unless you feel the exam was unfair and then you need to extend that amnesty to the whole class. The only thing left to do is advise the student to withdrawl. It's probably far too late for a no penalty withdraw, and it's up to you and your school's policies if you want to give him a "withdraw failing" or a "withdraw passing."

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Hey, sorry guys this is also a bit OT... but it seems like a lot of math people are reading this thread and I don't want to fail my midterm tomorrow =P.

My midterm is on the convergence/divergence of infinite sequences and series. This is the last part of the solution which uses l'hopital's to find out if the sequence converges. Mostly this is a question concerning the differentiation of ln. Does anyone know the math that converts the ln part of the top right of the pic to what shows up in the brackets on the bottom left?

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4278/math4un.jpg

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

The first day of class was Sept. 29. Their first assignment was due Oct. 6. I graded it the evening of Oct. 12. Their first midterm was yesterday, Oct. 26. We are on a quarter system here at UCLA and the quarter ends around Dec. 7. As you can see, time flies by very quickly; students are aware and adjusted to this.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

The derivative of ln x is 1/x. The derivative of ln f(x) is f'(x) / f(x) (by the chain rule).

Therefore, with f(x) =(x-1)/x = 1 - 1/x we have f'(x) = 1/x^2 so that (ln f(x))' = (1/x^2) / (1 - 1/x).

I can elaborate on the rest of the solution if needed.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

the instructor gave you a very good note and let you know exactly what you have to do to excel in his class. That's his job. Holding your hand, is not.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Ah, that makes sense now, thank you. I had the 1 - (1/n) in the denominator as just 1 - n (flipped upside down... yeah... stupid mistake). You should definately start teaching at UCD, when it rains it doesn't burn [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Where is Davis?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

lol. i think this one was a bit over your head...

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Right outside of Sacramento. Ag school originally, but has a lot to offer. Like asian girls and the smell of cow shat [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

Yeah, 15 mins from Sac. It is definitely an agricultural school, my friend just milked a goat and a cow the other day for class. But yeah, in terms of subjects offered it's diverse, but in terms of people it's a little lacking. Almost 80% of our total population is either white or asian, and white is barely edging out the competition.

And you get used to cow [censored] after awhile [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This student scored 2.5% on today's midterm. I have no idea what to do. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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Uh, fail him?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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the instructor gave you a very good note and let you know exactly what you have to do to excel in his class. That's his job. Holding your hand, is not.

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Does no one read the thread? He is the instructor of this course, asking what to do about a student.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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the instructor gave you a very good note and let you know exactly what you have to do to excel in his class. That's his job. Holding your hand, is not.

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Does no one read the thread? He is the instructor of this course, asking what to do about a student.

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Read the thread? Just read the damn OP. It's clear.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

You'd think, wouldn't you?

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

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This is okay.

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What?!? Homophobic functions?

Oh. Never mind.

[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

LOL...fine, I read it quickly and I just assumed he was the student since he was using the first person and talking AS the student....

But my intial response still goes - he gave the student all that is needed - it his not his job to hold the student's hand.

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

If i were the student, assuming i made an honest effort, that would hit a nerve. I'd be like, "What do you mean by this????" Then i'd confront the professor ask him/her why, how i could improve, is it personal, tell him what i meant by my solution, where i was coming from, and wouldn't leave until i was satisfied that we were on the same page.

First of all.. NOBODY is inferior... Everyone has gifts...

If I was THE PROFESSOR, i'd explain my statement with constructive reasoning...

If i was the student, and no good came of my confrontation, I'd go to your boss immediately, and demand an explanation, and demand a more constructive rewording of your statement, and a formal apology.

Don't be an ass... that is a very assinine way of putting it.... Do you really want your students to excel?? Are they trying?? if so, that's a phucked up way of "encouraging" and directing them...

and if so, you're a cokky a$$ and i guarantee you that karma will whip you so hard, that i guarantee you that student will be the one in the future outbidding you for that research grant, son...

Re: A quick question for college students about encouragment
 

actually maybe i misread it...
"effort"...
if they're not putting effort, you're probably authorized to use that verbiage... However rephrase it slightly...

"I don't get the feeling from this, that you're putting the effort required into this solution set... Please see me so we can discuss further... Otherwise I have to fail you, as it doesn't seem to me like this is your full potential.."