Valentina Gutirrez

Precalculus
Brian Webb
May 26, 2016
Precalculus - End of Course Reflection
Math is only required up until the level of Algebra 2, so some would wonder why I would
trouble myself with precalculus. To those, I would respond that I took precalculus because I
enjoy math -- looking at a seemingly impossible problem and solving it effortlessly. This was
was often the case in precalculus. Other times, however, I spent hours upon hours repeating the
same problem -- unable to find a solution or simplification. I enjoy the challenge of learning
something new and then doing it well. In my opinion, this is a good enough reason for taking
precalculus, because it means I will never stop stretching myself and subsequently growing.
This year in precalc, I found that I learn best through practice. When it came to studying,
I would re-do past problems multiple times. In some part, I was probably just memorizing the
problem and procedure. More than anything though, it was my way of familiarizing myself and
becoming comfortable with the content matter. Knowing this about myself will help me study for
tests in college.
In addition to learning how I learn best, I discovered that staring at a math problem for
long periods of time, or even taking breaks and coming back to it, wont help me solve it any
sooner. Indeed, when it came to trigonometric identities, there were a host of homework
problems that I didnt know how to solve. In all, it took me about ten hours of trying them on my
own to finally get them right. Even then, I had to ask Brian and my peers for guidance. This
means that next year, at least in math classes, Im going to need to reach out to my professors
and classmates for help or risk failing.

Precalculus was difficult. It required hours of practice and some memorization.

Nonetheless, I made it through successfully. Studying the radian circle, for example, required
failing some quizzes, but by the test, I had memorized the relationship between radians and
degrees. I believe this is representative of how I deal with life, and therefore means that I can use
precalculus class as evidence that I will be successful -- even when Im tried and tested.
Next year, I hope that I can be as successful as I was in precalculus. Realistically though,
I know that I will be challenged more than academically. I will also face social, emotional, and
financial setbacks. So, yes, I am afraid. However, I am trying to come to terms with the fact that
I will never be the best at anything -- no matter how hard I try -- so that I am never
disappointed in myself. Even though I feel prepared in some aspects, I know that there will be
students who had a just too great a head start. In order to avoid going crazy and turning back to
my perfectionist habits, I hope that I can do what I did in precalculus -- study until my eyes were
too tired, and ask for support the next day.