Rutgers MATH 151: Calculus I for the Mathematical and Physical Sciences
MATH 151 (01:640:151) is the calculus course for math, physics, CS, and engineering tracks at Rutgers, covering limits, derivatives, applications, and the beginnings of integration at a more rigorous level than MATH 135. It feeds directly into MATH 152.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Rutgers University. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
MATH 151 is a notorious GPA sink: common-hour exams written at a higher difficulty than the homework, theory questions alongside computation, and a pace that buries anyone with shaky precalculus. Many students fail or withdraw on their first attempt, usually because of algebra and trig gaps, not the calculus itself.
What you'll cover
- • Limits and continuity
- • Derivatives and differentiation rules
- • Related rates and optimization
- • Curve sketching
- • The Mean Value Theorem
- • Antiderivatives and intro integration
The MATH 151 study guide
How to study for Rutgers MATH 151, step by step.
- 1
Fix algebra and trig gaps in the first two weeks
MATH 151 failures are usually precalculus failures wearing a calculus costume. Diagnose your gaps immediately (factoring, trig identities, function composition) and patch them before limits give way to derivatives.
- 2
Do problems daily; treat homework as the minimum
The common-hour exams run harder than the homework, so finishing assignments isn't preparation, it's the entry fee. Add harder textbook problems on every topic.
- 3
Mine recitation and office hours for exam-style problems
Recitation is where the exam-difficulty problems actually get explained. Show up with attempted work. TAs help far more effectively when they can see where your reasoning broke.
- 4
Work past common-hour exams under timed conditions
Old MATH 151 exams circulate through the department and they're the most accurate preview of exam difficulty and pacing. Make timed runs a weekly ritual after the first midterm window opens.
Today
Today's MATH 151 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for MATH 151. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is MATH 151 at Rutgers hard?
Yes. It's one of the most failed and retaken courses at Rutgers. Exams are harder than the homework, and weak precalculus is the most common reason students struggle.
Should I take MATH 151 or MATH 135?
MATH 151 is for math, physics, engineering, and CS tracks; MATH 135 serves life-science, business, and social-science majors. They are not interchangeable for major requirements, so check your program.
How do I pass MATH 151?
Fix algebra and trig gaps in the first two weeks, do problems daily, and practice from old common-hour exams. Office hours and recitation are where the exam-style problems get explained.
More Rutgers courses
MATH 135: Calculus I
MATH 135 (01:640:135) is Rutgers' calculus course for life-science, pharmacy, business, and social-science majors: limits, derivatives, applications, and basic integration, with less theoretical depth than MATH 151. It's one of the highest-enrollment courses at the university.
MATH 152: Calculus II for the Mathematical and Physical Sciences
MATH 152 (01:640:152) is the second-semester calculus course for math, physics, CS, and engineering tracks at Rutgers, covering techniques and applications of integration, sequences and series, and an introduction to differential equations. It follows MATH 151 and runs on the same common-exam structure.
MATH 250: Introductory Linear Algebra
MATH 250 (01:640:250) is Rutgers' introductory linear algebra course: systems of linear equations, matrices, determinants, vector spaces, linear independence, bases, and eigenvalues. It's a required course for math, CS, engineering, and many science majors and a prerequisite for upper-level theory.
MATH 251: Multivariable Calculus
MATH 251 (01:640:251) extends calculus to multiple variables: vectors and the geometry of space, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, and vector calculus including line and surface integrals with Green's, Stokes', and the divergence theorems. It's the third calculus course for math, physics, CS, and engineering tracks.