Math 222 - Calculus II

Courses with the name "Calculus" in them intimidate many potential students, but a well-prepared student dedicated to sufficient study will almost always succeed. Not as many people take calculus these days, which is all the more reason to consider taking it. Those who do will be more competitive and have more career opportunities. Working hard now can pay off for the rest of your life.

And why take calculus at Southern State? We teach the same stuff out of the same books used in universities, our standards are solid, our students do very well at universities, and you will be in a reasonably sized class with the opportunity for questions, discussions and individual help that may not be available at a large research-oriented university.

For more detailed information about the subject and the more advanced sophomore level math courses at Southern State please link to the following articles:

What is Calculus?

Advanced Sophomore Math Courses at Southern State.

Math 221 Calculus I or its equivalent is the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended that anyone who earned a D in Calculus I not take this course, but repeat Calculus I before proceeding on.

Calculus II is a Transfer Module course and satisfies part of the math and science requirements for both the A.A. and A.S. degrees.

The majority of Calculus II students are math, math education, physics, engineering, chemistry, pharmacy and pre-med majors. Students planning a career in economics or as an actuary also need calculus. Students should check with their transfer institutions to see how much calculus they need.

To our knowledge this course transfers easily to any four-year institution. The reason is because it is taught at a university level using a university level textbook.

Calculus III is the logical continuation. Many students will also need a linear algebra course and should check with their transfer institution. Math 250 Linear Algebra is offered during spring quarter.

Calculus is a demanding course for most students, but those coming in with good algebra skills can spend more time grasping the calculus concepts than trying to remember algebra. Almost all algebra skills previously learned are applied in this course. For an extended discussion of what calculus is please read What is Calculus?

Like most math courses in college this course will seem to go too fast--regardless of who you take it from. Those teaching it, in fact, go the same average speed because they cover the same number of sections in the same ten weeks. The reason so much material is covered in this course is so that it will readily transfer to universities. Your math professors are also dedicated to preparing you to be successful in your next math course whether you will be taking one or not. It is your responsibility to keep up. If you are starting to fall behind get help by talking to your professor right away.

Here is a general overview of the topics covered in Calculus II:

--Differentiation and integration of trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions, with applications.

--Applications of integration, including volumes of rotation, work, moments and centers of mass.

--Standard integration techniques: integration by parts, trigonometric substitution, partial fractions.

--Hyperbolic functions.

--Separable differential equations.

Students recently earning an A or B or middle to high C in Math 221 Calculus I are likely to succeed. Those who earned a low C in Math 221 will need to work harder to survive.

Students who took calculus in high school should ordinarily take Math 221 Calculus I first. Those who wish to skip Calculus I should discuss this with the professor.

As with all math classes, attendance and willingness to practice are serious factors determining success.

Workload varies based on many individual factors, but a student who wants to earn an A or a B can expect an average workload of ten to fifteen hours per week outside of class.

A graphing calculator is required for Calculus II and higher. Symbolic manipulator calculators--these perform algebra steps--such as the TI-89 and TI-92 are generally prohibited. Your job is to learn how to think, not to push buttons, and these sophisticated machines give an unfair edge over other calculators.

This page is a good faith effort to provide advising information related to this course. Some information is subject to change without notice. No commitments are implied by this page. For further information or clarification please contact a member of the Mathematics Department.