Department of Mathematical Sciences

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3890

Carnegie Mellon Telephone: (412) 268-2545

Fax: (412) 268-6380
jmackey@andrew.cmu.edu

May 2008

Dear Member of the Class of 2012,

Your curriculum as a freshman entering Carnegie Mellon indicates that you will be taking a calculus course
next fall. On behalf of the Mathematical Sciences Department, I am writing to welcome you to the university
and to share some observations on the relationship between prior courses and a university level calculus
course.

Your high school courses probably qualify you to start calculus, and many students will earn advanced
placement. In order for us to more accurately place students, we are requiring that all candidates take
an On-line Calculus Placement Test.

When you left arithmetic and started algebra and geometry, you were able to consider far more complicated
problems, but you still needed to do arithmetic occasionally. The solution of a quadratic equation or the use
of similar triangles are clearly beyond arithmetic, but cannot be completed without it. Algebra and geometry
simply assume arithmetic, and go on to develop other ideas relying on it.

So it is with the transition to calculus. Algebra, geometry, much of trigonometry, some analytic geometry,
and an exposure to logarithmic and exponential functions are assumed. We start with the critical topics of
functions and limits and build from there.

Many students have difficulty with calculus because they are trying to build on a shaky foundation, in which
they attempt to shore up their precalculus background while trying to master new material. We use the
placement test to try to identify the students for whom this is a problem.

Please take the on-line test, following the directions found at:

http://www.cmu.edu/mcs/academics/freshman/mcs/calcInst.html

and submit it no later than July 8, 2008. We can not consider you for advanced placement without
receiving your placement test scores.

The test might also be helpful by indicating the most crucial topics involved with beginning the study of
calculus or moving directly into subsequent semesters of the course. Any problems that cause difficulty
could suggest areas to review before the fall to smooth the transition.

Have a fantastic summer, and I look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

John Mackey
Associate Department Head
Mathematical Sciences