MATH 3A
Calculus for Life Sciences Students
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Preparation: three and one half years of high school mathematics (including trigonometry). Enforced requisite: successful completion of Mathematics Diagnostic Test (score of 48 or better) or course 1 with grade of C- or better. Not open for credit to students with credit in another calculus sequence. Modeling with functions, limits, and derivatives, decisions and optimization in biology, derivative rules and tools. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
My first quarter at UCLA, first day of classes, and in walks this smoking hot woman. "Hello Everyone! I am Professero Kucherenko. Who's ready to learn math?" Without a doubt, Tamara Kucherenko is probably one of the best teachers, yes teachers, I've ever had. No tricks on her exams. They weren't easy, but if you went to lecture, took good notes, made a decent effort on the homework problems, and generally knew what you were doing (meaning you cared about the material), you will do well. Don't let her accent intimidate you. She is a very sweet woman, and an effective teacher. She teaches based on examples, but every so often she will throw up a derivation or two just to show how the equation came to be. All in all, I look back at this class fondly. And after taking 25+ classes at UCLA, you tend to know which teachers genuinely cared about their students and wanted them to do well, and which ones did not. She is the former of the two.
My first quarter at UCLA, first day of classes, and in walks this smoking hot woman. "Hello Everyone! I am Professero Kucherenko. Who's ready to learn math?" Without a doubt, Tamara Kucherenko is probably one of the best teachers, yes teachers, I've ever had. No tricks on her exams. They weren't easy, but if you went to lecture, took good notes, made a decent effort on the homework problems, and generally knew what you were doing (meaning you cared about the material), you will do well. Don't let her accent intimidate you. She is a very sweet woman, and an effective teacher. She teaches based on examples, but every so often she will throw up a derivation or two just to show how the equation came to be. All in all, I look back at this class fondly. And after taking 25+ classes at UCLA, you tend to know which teachers genuinely cared about their students and wanted them to do well, and which ones did not. She is the former of the two.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2015 - This was Professor Kunze's first time teaching the class. The exams were much more difficult than the material in lecture and unncessarily difficult for Math 3A. (Take it with Professor Greene!) There were two midterms and a final along with online assignments and weekly homework. My TA saved me in this class (If Sudesh is your TA you are in good hands). The only good part about this class was that she dropped your lowest midterm and made your HOMEWORK worth more if it gave you a better score in the end. This is the worst class I've ever taken. Midterm 1: High: 96% Median: 58% Mean: 57% Midterm 2: High: 88% Median : 60% Mean: 58% Final Exam: High: 90% Median: 63% Mean: 61%
Fall 2015 - This was Professor Kunze's first time teaching the class. The exams were much more difficult than the material in lecture and unncessarily difficult for Math 3A. (Take it with Professor Greene!) There were two midterms and a final along with online assignments and weekly homework. My TA saved me in this class (If Sudesh is your TA you are in good hands). The only good part about this class was that she dropped your lowest midterm and made your HOMEWORK worth more if it gave you a better score in the end. This is the worst class I've ever taken. Midterm 1: High: 96% Median: 58% Mean: 57% Midterm 2: High: 88% Median : 60% Mean: 58% Final Exam: High: 90% Median: 63% Mean: 61%
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Most Helpful Review
Professor Lee was such a great professor for 3A, I practically fell in love with her adorable style, humor and kindness! I loved her even more after getting my A+... More importantly she's a great teacher, she seriously cares that her lectures are very clear and comprehensible, she makes math easy and painless. Plus, let's face it, 3A is easy and SHOULD be a breeze. Don't ever fall back in math, that goes for every single math class you'll ever take. Stay on top of it and you should never get below an A-.
Professor Lee was such a great professor for 3A, I practically fell in love with her adorable style, humor and kindness! I loved her even more after getting my A+... More importantly she's a great teacher, she seriously cares that her lectures are very clear and comprehensible, she makes math easy and painless. Plus, let's face it, 3A is easy and SHOULD be a breeze. Don't ever fall back in math, that goes for every single math class you'll ever take. Stay on top of it and you should never get below an A-.
Most Helpful Review
Professor Murfet is a nice guy, but a horrible teacher. I took calculus in high school and still struggled in this course. The way he teaches in ineffective because he spends too much time explaining concepts, instead of actually helping us understand them. He is very neat and puts time in to the class, but if I could register again, I would not pick him as a professor. His midterms are about 27 points each, which gave me the idea that he almost wanted us to fail. His tests are much more difficult than his practice exams, and some of the questions seem almost impossible to answer. His exams are tricky, so you must study hard in order to recieve a good score. Take advantage of whatever tutoring you can find, and memorize the concepts from his lectures. Do the book problems for extra practice. Some of the things he teaches though, are not in the book or online anywhere because they are "made up." But on a positive note, his accect is very nice, and you can get a giggle out of the lectures if you pay attention. You can get a good grade in the class. Good luck
Professor Murfet is a nice guy, but a horrible teacher. I took calculus in high school and still struggled in this course. The way he teaches in ineffective because he spends too much time explaining concepts, instead of actually helping us understand them. He is very neat and puts time in to the class, but if I could register again, I would not pick him as a professor. His midterms are about 27 points each, which gave me the idea that he almost wanted us to fail. His tests are much more difficult than his practice exams, and some of the questions seem almost impossible to answer. His exams are tricky, so you must study hard in order to recieve a good score. Take advantage of whatever tutoring you can find, and memorize the concepts from his lectures. Do the book problems for extra practice. Some of the things he teaches though, are not in the book or online anywhere because they are "made up." But on a positive note, his accect is very nice, and you can get a giggle out of the lectures if you pay attention. You can get a good grade in the class. Good luck
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