Calculus Ready

08/26/2026

🧮 Can you recognize the same Algebra pattern when the expression gets more complicated?

Yesterday I shared another Professor's Readiness Check and started with a familiar factoring problem. Then I asked you to apply that same idea to an expression that looks quite a bit more complicated.

Today I work through the answer and explain why pattern recognition matters so much as students move into Calculus.

The expressions may change, but the underlying Algebra often doesn't.

One of the things I see in Calculus is that students can know how to factor a simple expression, but have difficulty recognizing that same skill when functions, fractional exponents, negative exponents, or several factors are involved.

That's why fluency with foundational Algebra matters. Calculus builds on those familiar skills and asks students to recognize them in new forms.

🎥 Watch today's video here:
https://youtu.be/N1af4_ImvDc

📘 Then take the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment to discover whether there are any hidden learning gaps before your first Calculus class.

👉 https://calculusready.com

👇 I'd love to hear from you...

Did you recognize the factoring pattern in the second expression before seeing the solution?

🧮 CAN YOU FACTOR THIS?Start with a familiar Algebra problem:6x²...

08/25/2026

📘 **Professor's Readiness Check No. 8**

Can you factor both expressions?

The second one may look much more complicated than the first, but don't let all those extra pieces intimidate you. 😉

One of the most important skills students bring into Calculus is recognizing when familiar algebra still applies, even when the expressions don't look quite so familiar anymore.

Start with the first expression, think about the factoring pattern you're using, and then see if you can apply that **same pattern** to the second.

Give it a try, and come back tomorrow when I'll walk through the solution.

Did the second one make you look twice? 😊

08/19/2026

📐 Can you find the slope?

Yesterday I shared another Professor's Readiness Check and asked everyone to find the slope between two points on a curve.

Today I reveal the answer—and show why this familiar Precalculus skill is actually one of the foundational ideas behind Calculus.

If you remember how to find slope, you may already know more about Calculus than you think!

In today's video, I connect:

Slope between two points ➡️ Average Rate of Change ➡️ Derivative

One of the things I love about teaching Calculus is helping students see that they aren't starting from scratch. Calculus builds on mathematical ideas they've already learned—the key is making sure those foundational skills are still strong.

🎥 Watch today's video here:
https://youtu.be/DzdWPskZfU0?si=-T3QLRMHlNjKeH5Y
📘 Then take the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment to discover whether there are any hidden learning gaps before your first Calculus class.

👉 https://calculusready.com

👇 I'd love to hear from you...

Did you realize that the slope formula you already know leads directly toward one of the most important ideas in Calculus?

📐 CAN YOU FIND THE SLOPE?Using the functionf(x) = x² + 2xcan ...

08/18/2026

📘 Professor's Readiness Check No. 7

Can you find the slope between two points?

This week's challenge uses a skill you probably learned quite a while ago, but there's a reason I'm asking you to remember it before Calculus begins. 😉

Calculus builds on many of the math skills you already know. Sometimes the key isn't learning something completely new, but recognizing how a familiar idea can be used in a new way.

Give it a try, and come back tomorrow when I'll walk through the solution and show you the Calculus connection.

You may know more than you think! 😊

08/13/2026

📘 Can you solve this exponential equation?

Yesterday I shared another Professor's Readiness Check and challenged everyone to solve an exponential equation that may look a little unfamiliar at first.

Today I reveal the answer—and show you the familiar Algebra pattern hiding inside it.

One of the things I love about mathematics is pattern recognition. In Calculus, problems can look very different from what you've seen before, but often the foundational Algebra underneath is something you already know.

The more fluent students are with skills like exponent properties, factoring, substitution, and logarithms, the easier it is to focus on learning the new Calculus concepts.

🎥 Watch today's video here:
https://youtu.be/C-WHp2UVccU

📘 Then take the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment to discover whether there are any hidden learning gaps before your first Calculus class.

👉 https://calculusready.com

👇 I'd love to hear from you...

Did you recognize the quadratic pattern hiding inside the exponential equation?

Take this free Calculus Readiness Assessment to identify strengths, uncover learning gaps, and help your student start college math with confidence.

08/12/2026

📘 Professor's Readiness Check No. 6

Can you solve this equation?

Recognizing patterns and knowing when to use familiar algebra skills in a different setting is an important part of preparing for Calculus.

Give it a try, and come back tomorrow when I'll walk through the solution.

This one may not be quite what it seems. 😉 Hint: There's a quadratic hiding in this equation. Can you find it?

How did you do? 😊

08/08/2026

📘 Saturday Teaching Tip

A simple way to prepare for Calculus...

If you're getting ready for Calculus this fall, don't try to reread an entire Algebra or Precalculus textbook.

Instead, make a small stack of flash cards with concepts you know you'll need to remember, such as:

📘 Logarithm properties

📈 Exponential properties

📐 Special right triangles

⭕ Unit circle values

🧮 Algebra formulas you haven't used in a while

A few minutes of review each day can go a long way toward building confidence before classes begin.

Not sure which topics deserve a spot in your flash card stack?

That's exactly why I created the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment.

Complete the assessment, and I'll personally review your results and send you a personalized Study Roadmap highlighting the skills that would benefit most from a little review before Calculus begins.

🎓 Take the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment here:
www.calculusready.com

Prepare for Calculus with Confidence.

Take this free Calculus Readiness Assessment to identify strengths, uncover learning gaps, and help your student start college math with confidence.

08/06/2026

"I'm nervous about Calculus."

As a professor, I hear that every semester.

The interesting thing is that most students aren't afraid of Calculus itself.

They're afraid of not remembering enough algebra, functions, or trigonometry to keep up once class begins.

That's a very different problem.

Before spending hours reviewing everything, wouldn't it be helpful to know where you stand?

That's exactly why I created the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment.

After you complete the assessment, I personally review your work and send you a personalized Study Roadmap showing:
✅ the skills you've already mastered,
✅ the topics that would benefit from a little review,
✅ and where to focus your time before classes begin.

My goal isn't just to help students prepare for Calculus.

It's to help them walk into the first day of class with confidence.

🎓 Take the FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment here:
www.calculusready.com

Prepare for Calculus with Confidence.

08/05/2026

Professor Explains: Logarithms

Did you solve yesterday's Professor's Readiness Check?

Logarithms are one of those topics that many students haven't used in a while, but they're an important prerequisite skill for Calculus.

In today's Professor Explains video, I walk through the solution step by step and explain why understanding logarithms now can make learning Calculus much easier later.

🎥 Watch the full explanation here:
https://youtu.be/7jV59zXfv8I

If you're preparing for Calculus this fall and aren't sure whether you're ready, I'd also invite you to take my FREE Calculus Readiness Assessment. I'll personally review your results and send you a personalized Study Roadmap to help you focus on the skills that matter most before classes begin.

📘 FREE Assessment:
https://www.calculusready.com

Prepare for Calculus with Confidence.

08/04/2026

Professor's Readiness Check #5

Can you solve this equation?

📝 Take a minute to work it out before looking up the answer.

Logarithms are one of those topics that many students haven't used in a while, but they become very important in Calculus and many STEM courses.

Don't worry if you don't remember exactly what to do. That's the whole point of these weekly readiness checks!

I'll post the solution tomorrow and explain why this concept matters in Calculus.

Prepare for Calculus with Confidence.