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I got 12/60 on my latest test I want to go over it to figure out what I did wrong and why and how to improve. I was looking if there is anything specific, any pattern to this. When I review my tests I just see all sorts of problems, I forget formulae, I forget basic math, I mess up signs, I run out of time and can't finish the test. Things like that, I don't have an answer key for this test is there any way I can go over it on here and someone else can tell me why I am messing up so much?

There 10 questions and I could probably type them up in under 30 minutes, and another 30 for my work.

Anyways here is the first one. I am supposed to find the derivative of $\log 3 (x+ \sqrt {(x^2-1})$. I then set the problem up as $1/u \ln 3 (1+1/2(x^2-1)^{-1/2}2x)$; this is wrong, completely wrong.

Next questions is let $f(x) = (\cos x)^x$ and find the derivative. I couldn't even do this on the test, I forgot how to get the derivative of a variable that is an exponent, I knew what to do I just couldn't make sense of how to do and I have scrawled down about 30 attempts at nothing.

Doing this now I think what I need to do is rewrite the problem as $e^{\ln u^x}$ and then solve it from there. I could be wrong though.

3) I am supposed to solve this word problem.

A particle moves along a real axis and its location, $s$, is given by $s=t^3-12t^2+36t$ ($s$=feet)
a) find the acceleration at $t=2$ seconds

For this I know that I need to get the derivative and put in $2$ for $t$. Pretty simple, I makes the problem $3t^2-24t+36=0$; I think I forgot to do this one, not sure what happened but this is all I have written down, not sure why. I would plug in $2$ and get $0$, oh I guess I did have the answer written down. It was probably just wrong.

b) When is the particle moving in the positive direction?

I know for this I need to find the critical numbers and test points around them to see where they are increasing or decreasing. I have positive from $5$ to $\infty$.

c) What is the total distance traveled in the first $6$ seconds?

I have written down $39$ ft.

I am not sure what the rules on this are so I will not post anymore questions under this topic unless I know it is okay to. I would like to transcribe the whole test if that is possible.

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    It would be much much much better for you to find some person at your institution to talk to; at the very least, hire a tutor to go over the test with you.2011-10-20
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    I can't hire a tutor, they are too much money. I can only use the free ones available at my school, and not until a week from tomorrow.2011-10-20
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    How much money is it going to cost you to fail calculus and have to take it again? How much money is it going to cost you to fail out of college? Anyway, talk to someone in the Math Department, and/or someone in Guidance/Counseling/Careers/whatever they call it at your institution.2011-10-21
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    None of them are really helpful, none of them really seem to care as long as I pay for classes. Anyways I already failed this class so I could probably save money by just failing compared to failing and paying for a tutor.2011-10-21
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    Then go to some other college, somewhere where they care about how students do. Meanwhile, enrol in something easier than Calculus; if your posts on m.se are anything to go by, you aren't ready for Calculus.2011-10-21
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    @GerryMyerson I just don't understand what to take, calculus is supposed to be just some easy high school class. I am sure people here think I am lazy or stupid because I can't pass a class they aced when they are 16 or younger. I have taken college algebra 3 times already, I don't see why taking it again would help.2011-10-21

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