Calculus III Review for University of Arkansas Math Majors

[MostlyHarmless]

I'm sure this question has been asked, but I'm unable to find where, but I was recently accepted to the University of Arkansas, majoring in Math and minoring in physics. I've taken Cal I-III already, but my course work is very sporadic, as I've changed majors once, and essentially taken two semesters off. Consequently, I finished Cal III a year ago(spring 2012) and I'm currently re-taking Cal II (to improve my grade and to be sure I was not without a calculus class for an entire year.)

So this is my "dilemma"(for lack of a better word): I remember a few of the bigger concepts of Cal III, like double/triple integrals, and partial derivatives, but I strain to remember the rules and workings of those two concepts and that's about as deep as I can go. So I guess, I am still familiar with Cal III but I'm far from a working knowledge of it, i.e. I wouldn't feel comfortable tutoring some one in it.

Generally speaking, how much of that Cal III stuff will I need going forward in my degree? The only core math courses that I have taken thus far have been Cal I-III and DiffEq. I plan on getting into institution specific things with my advisor when I get a chance for a face to face meeting(I'm out of state so I'm limited to phone and email correspondence.)

Last inquiry: Due to the fact that I'm transferring credit from two different Texas two-year colleges to a 4 year Arkansas school, there are disparities in my associate's requirements and the first two year of the Bachelor's program at Arkansas, and those disparities make it such that I was only able to fit one math class (Introduction to Math Proofs) into my schedule. Any recommendations for keeping my calculus fresh in my head for the coming semesters?

 

[R.Mesri]

It's great that you are re-taking Cal II to improve your grade and to ensure that you don't forget the material. In regards to Cal III, it is possible that you will need some of the concepts you learned in the course for upcoming math classes, such as linear algebra, real analysis, multivariable calculus, etc. However, these courses will typically go over the material from Cal III in more detail so you should not be too concerned if you are having difficulty remembering the details. As for keeping your calculus fresh in your head, you could try working through practice problems or reviewing the material from your previous calculus courses. Additionally, there are plenty of online resources available that can help you review calculus concepts. For example, Khan Academy has a wide range of calculus videos and tutorials.