Hey, how's it going guys?

 

Anyways, I'm going into University first year for the 2003-2004 academic year, beginning in September. I just want to know what you guys thought of your first year, any tips or hints I should be aware of, how it's like, how many courses you took, what type of courses, etc. etc.

 

I know most of you are Secondary, Post-Secondary, or even Post-Graduate. So please feel free to include any comments you may have.

 

Thanks.

 

Oh, also, what types of supplies do you need?

ie., does a personal graphing calculator really help? do i still need a compass set? etc.

 

Oh, and I'm going into first year Mechanical Engineering. My schedule is as follows:

electives are in italics

 

Semester 1

Chemistry - General Chem

Comp Sci - Digital Computation & Programming

Math - Calc I

Math - Algebra

Physics - Physics I

Plato & the Roots of Western Philosophy

 

Semester 2

Mechanical - Engineering Design & Graphical Commun.

Math - Calculus II

Mechanical - Materials Science Fundamentals

Physics - Physics II -- Mechanics

Physics - Physics III

Problems in Philosophy

 

You're taking calculus and algebra in the same semeseter? I would recommend a graphing calculator, but some would probably disagree. Also, are you in the states or europe? (or elsewhere?)

I don't think theres a school in the US that would let you take calc 1 and algebra at the same time. it would be really pointless to take calc without knowing algebra, and if you know it well enough most schools have a placement test and/or accept high SAT math scores.

[offtopic alert!] I just visited your webpage, and I noticed you're calling them HONDA NSX? I thought they were made by Acura? Or is Acura a branch of Honda or something and they are honda nsx outside the states...[/offtopic]

well as an acura owner myself (as you know blike) Acura is made by honda and Acura is only a divison here in America. In europe and asia all the acura lines are called hondas so im guessing he is in a University out of state.

ford > honda

Ford is the devil...

as for suggestions, sorry I have none..I'm attending an art school, not a university;)

Originally posted by blike

You're taking calculus and algebra in the same semeseter? I would recommend a graphing calculator, but some would probably disagree. Also, are you in the states or europe? (or elsewhere?)

 

I'm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

 

Originally posted by fafalone

I don't think theres a school in the US that would let you take calc 1 and algebra at the same time. it would be really pointless to take calc without knowing algebra, and if you know it well enough most schools have a placement test and/or accept high SAT math scores.

 

Well, what I've heard from talking to the Profs is that first semester is usually a recap of what I learned in Secondary School; so the algebra is not just elementary 2x=y, isolate for x kinda thing. THe algebra course is actually Geometry & Discrete Mathematics. And calc is well, just calc.

 

and a bit Off-Topic, but what are these SAT scores thingys? As I Canadian, I don't really know what it is. What is it's purpose?

 

Originally posted by fafalone

ford > honda

 

 

Originally posted by M-CaTZ

well as an acura owner myself (as you know blike) Acura is made by honda and Acura is only a divison here in America.

 

ooh!

What do you drive?

So blike, you said you had a graphing calculator 1st year; which model is it?

 

In secondary school, we used the Texas Instruments TI-83+; is that sufficient?

NSX, I took Calc 1 and 2 in high school last year. I used a TI-83+ and I was fine. The TI-89 calculators can do a WHOLE lot of neat calculus tricks. They can differentiate and integrate for you! But guess what, you're supposed to know how to do that anyway. So I would stick with the TI-83+, it can do everything you need it to, from parametric graphic to radian graphing (which you'll use in calc 2 a lot). You won't have access to any of those cheap TI-89 tricks, but at least you'll actually KNOW how to integrate, unlike those TI-89 cheapos.

 

Oh, and what university are you going to? I'm a senior in high school, so I have to start college applications and all that soon. =\

Just because the TI-89 can do things for you doesn't mean you don't know how to do them.

 

I'm sure you know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide by hand too, so why get a calculator at all with that logic.

 

It makes things faster and easier.

I own an HP49 and since I have been in Physics and Mathg classes, I have never used the thing. A cheap ten dollar calculator has been my best friend for the past few years. The graphing calculators can not teach you how to use or set up the equations you will be using.

fafalone--true. I guess in my class TI-89s were harmful because we couldn't use calculators on certain tests. So all the TI-89 users used their 89s on homework, but bombed the tests. I still say go with a TI-83 for calc 1 & 2, because it's a little cheaper and will do everything you need. It will even give you the area beneath curves, but cannot do indefinite integrels.

I like the Casio fx85 MS.

Personally, I prefer The ES for all my pocket-computing needs. Its pretty fast.

 

5,120 (640 8-way nodes) 500 MHz NEC CPUs

8 GFLOPS per CPU (41 TFLOPS total)

2 GB (4 512 MB FPLRAM modules) per CPU (10 TB total)

shared memory inside the node

640 × 640 crossbar switch between the nodes

16 GB/s inter-node bandwidth

20 kVA power consumption per node

 

 

Originally posted by blike

Personally, I prefer The ES for all my pocket-computing needs. Its pretty fast.

 

5,120 (640 8-way nodes) 500 MHz NEC CPUs

8 GFLOPS per CPU (41 TFLOPS total)

2 GB (4 512 MB FPLRAM modules) per CPU (10 TB total)

shared memory inside the node

640 × 640 crossbar switch between the nodes

16 GB/s inter-node bandwidth

20 kVA power consumption per node

 

 

 

 

That's outta' my budget

first day of school today; it was okay, but i never knew books could be so expensive...

 

i also miss the lunch period