MATH 34A
GARFIELD P M
Peter Garfield
3.8
228 reviews

228
3.8
34B . Garfield P M 8 Months Ago

Explains concepts very well and is understanding about situations outside of class. Attendance is mandatory through iClicker, but it isn't geolocated to the room. Tests are just like the practice problems posted on canvas, so if you study those, you will do well.

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MATH116 . Garfield P M 8 Months Ago

Has not graded any midterms or given any feedback. More than a week late to post grades, and was does not give very good lectures. Rely on self studying.

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MATH116 . Garfield P M 8 Months Ago

I'm sure he's great for lower div classes but for upper division classes hes an absolute mess. He hasnt graded either of our 2 class exams, forgets to post homework MOST WEEKS, and regularly lies about things such as releasing lecture slides or giving us exam information. Also does not care to give practice exams, so you have NO CLUE whats going on

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34B . Garfield P M 8 Months Ago

Decent lectures/teaching style, but taking AP Calc before this class was very helpful. The practice tests were the best way to study and all 3 midterms & the final were fair imo. Overall Prof. Garfield was really nice; he made an effort to get to know students and make 9am lectures fun. Attendance via iClicker counts for small part of your grade.

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34B . Garfield P M 8 Months Ago

I took Garfield for 34A & B. He's really funny and takes the time to try to learn his students names even in a huge lecture. Its clear he really cares. You just have to take time on your own to try to understand the material in order to excel. He gives opportunities for you to do your best. The only college professor I've had that allows notecards.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

Great math professor. Makes great conversation as well as a great/honest lecturer. There is homework (obviously its math) and 2 midterms. Everything you need is in the lectures. TAs are very helpful as well. Overall a really great class.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

Professor Garfield was very nice and he did a good job at teaching. He does iClicker it pays off in the end if you go to almost all lectures because if he notices good effort (just good attendance and do all HW) he boosts any grade from C-B- to a B. Didn't go to class last 3 weeks and still passed final with a B, all tests are like practice exams

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 7 Months Ago

Very good lectures, also posted online if you can't make it. Tests are not very hard. Very friendly and funny guy.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 7 Months Ago

Peter was one of the best math professors I've ever had. He is fully aware that most of his students won't need to know calculus for their majors. Tests are exactly like the practice exams and he post at least 3 practice exams each test. Notecards allowed for every test even the final. gives in class reviews.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 7 Months Ago

The grading criteria for the class was clear, midterms are exactly like the practice midterms uploaded. Taught in a way that was useful for me to understand.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

3 midterms + a final, but old versions are given out and they're very similar to the exams. HW due before each lecture (3x a week), which is excessive. Final worth as much as all 3 midterms put together (35%). HW and section worksheets not relevant to actual exam material. Garfield is sometimes bad at explaining, but he's nice. Very doable class.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Made calculus very easy to understand. Homework was pretty straight forward & lectures were manageable. Only complaint was that our 3rd midterm grade wasn't released until after we took our final.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Peter is super kind and accessible outside of class. He has office hours 5 days a week (in person and zoom) which were super helpful for doing the harder homework problems. Sometimes he could break examples down a little better in lecture but for the most part he did a good job lecturing. Also his practice exams are SO HELPFUL! Overall an easy A.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Peter isn't the best lecturer, but his lecture slides are AMAZING. Downloading his lecture slides and working through them independently in lecture was the best method for learning the concepts. Tests are super easy, they're just like the practice tests. Peter is SUPER accessible outside of class. It's an easy A, as long as you put in the work.

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34B . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

There were 23 homework assignments this quarter (2-3 a week) worth 12 and he drops the 3 lowest- homework is frequent but doable. He is SO slow at getting exam grades in! The final is over and we are still waiting for our last midterm scores to be released. Disappointing!! Overall easy A though, exams are just like the practice exams he posts.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Good at lecturing, and when I went I understood the concepts pretty well, but on the quizzes/final he clearly wanted you to actually think because there were always a few curveballs. Go to lectures and its not hard to pass, attendance is "mandatory" and he uses iClicker w/o the geolocation so you can check in from anywhere. Section is mandatory.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

I already knew calc 1 before this class, but if you've never taken it before I think you would have a hard-ish time. He is an okay lecturer, better than most of the math department here, but you will probably still have to self teach. Weekly homework, 10 problems. No calculator exams, so they're pretty easy. Know the concepts and how to do stuff.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 9 Months Ago

A better lecturer than other math professors I've had and usually I wasn't too lost. Webwork homework could be frustrating but was helpful. There were weekly quizzes instead of a midterm, and they alternated between in-person and online. Biggest complaint was that he took forever to grade them.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

Peter Garfield was a great professor that gave lots of resources to succeed in his class. He does have weekly quizzes and there is more homework in this class compared to other math classes but the homework really helped me. No midterm, only weekly quizzes and a final. Calculus is not my favorite subject but his class was a great introduction!

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

he's the goat

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

Great professor, gives numerous resources to help out students and clearly cares about his class.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

I have a hard time with math and that's always going to stay the same. Professor Garfield was an amazing professor and he geniunely tried his hardest with this students. He would go over a version of all the problems in his office hours (TAKE ADVANTAGE) and the grading wasn't pure tests. He was very funny and gave a lot of grace. 10/10

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

Nice guy, not a good teacher. Lectures covered concepts but weren't helpful at all for homework or quizzes. Be ready to self teach, especially for applications (related rates, optimization, etc.) as lectures are useless. LOTS of homework, but he drops your lowest homework and quiz. Don't take this class unless you already have calc experience.

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MATH3A . Garfield P M 1 Year, 11 Months Ago

Lectures never really covered what was on the homework or even exams, had to rely on YouTube videos and my notes from AP Calc from high school to get me through. The final was 35% of our grade and had content on it that was barely discussed in the class. If I had never taken calculus before I would have failed this class.

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