I just finished up the grading of my first Calculus exam for the semester, and it is depressing how very little algebra or trigonometry the students seem to grasp, even though I’ve spent five weeks describing in some detail precisely the kinds of algebra and trigonometry they need to be capable of. It reminds me of a poem from Ralph P. Boas, Jr. that I am henceforth going to add to all of my future Calc I syllabi.
Prerequisites
How could you be a cowhand
If you couldn’t ride a horse?
If you yearn to cook for gourmets
You’ll need some food, of course.
You can master many subjects
If you only have the will;
But how can you cope with calculus
If your algebra is nil?
How could you sing in opera
If you haven’t any voice?
If music is too difficult
There is another choice.
Rewards in Math are plenty
But this obstacle looms big:
How can you shine in calculus
If you won’t learn any trig?
