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Friday, November 15, 2013

Studying calculus at an advanced age



A friend of mine on Facebook mentioned Coursera recently. I respect his opinions, so I went to check it out.


It's for real. It’s a website where you can find college-level courses offered for free. Really.


Okay. So I never took calculus in high school or college, and I saw that that Coursera was offering “Calculus 101.”


What could it hurt? It’s an online course. It must be very gentle, right?


Brother, was I wrong.


This is a complete thorough-going college-level course in calculus, with lectures, and homework, and quizzes, and a textbook (all free).


I’m barely through with the first week, and I’m already terrified.


I haven’t felt this way since high school.


Calculus turns out to be demanding and difficult, which is not good for my ossifying over-fifty brain.


Every evening I resolve to quit the course, and every evening I try again.


Now: can someone tell me: how do you multiply square roots? I’ve forgotten.


And I need to know by next Friday’s quiz.


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