Math 1500 Distance: Some tips for preparing for your final exam
Published: Wed, 04/10/13
First of all, do note that many of the questions on your hand-in assignments are really unlikely to appear on your final exam. Here are questions that I think you should make sure you can do from your assignments:
Assignment 1: Question 8 is the only likely exam question.
Assignment 2: Questions 4 to 9 are all possible exam questions.
Assignment 3: Questions 1 to 3, 5, and 7 are all possible exam questions.
Assignment 4: Question 8 is the only likely exam question.
Assignment 5: Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8 are all possible exam questions.
Make sure you go over the Sample Exams included in your online course materials. They are a very good indication of what your exam may be like.
You may also want to consider purchasing the book of old midterm and final exams available at the UM Bookstore. I would suggest you work through both a midterm and final in one sitting. Note that you do not have to memorize proofs for the distance final exam, so omit the proof question that appears on each midterm and final in the classroom lecture exams. That also means that you do not need to memorize the 8 proofs I list on pages 3 and 4 of my book.
When going through old exams, don't do them open book. Do them in one sitting without interruption, trying to do the exam in 2 hours maximum (or, if you are going through a midterm and final all at once, maximum of 2.5 hours). Simulate exam conditions (no music, no phone, no stopping for a break, no stopping to look up an answer). After you complete an exam, then you can mark yourself and correct your mistakes before you move on. I suggest that you redo an exam where many mistakes were made before you go on to another one.
Good luck! Contact me if you have questions.