UW MATH 124: Calculus with Analytic Geometry I

MATH 124 is UW's first-quarter calculus course: limits, derivatives, and their applications, taught with an emphasis on word problems and graphical reasoning. It's required for engineering, CS, and most science majors, making it one of the largest courses on campus.

Fennie is independent and not affiliated with University of Washington. This is an unofficial study guide.

Build my MATH 124 study plan

What makes it hard

UW's calculus exams are famous for multi-step word problems — related rates and optimization built on unfamiliar setups rather than textbook templates. Students with strong high school calculus still get caught off guard because memorized procedures don't survive contact with UW's exam style. The course is also a key GPA input for capacity-constrained majors.

What you'll cover

• Limits and continuity
• Derivatives and differentiation rules
• Implicit differentiation
• Related rates
• Optimization
• Linear approximation and curve sketching

The MATH 124 study guide

How to study for UW MATH 124, step by step.

1
Patch precalculus gaps in week one
Most lost points in MATH 124 are algebra and trig errors, not calculus errors. Spend the first week drilling factoring, trig identities, and function manipulation before the related-rates wave hits.
2
Treat weekly WebAssign as the floor, not the ceiling
The online homework keeps you current, but it's easier than UW's exams. Finish it early each week, then add textbook problems on the same topics at higher difficulty.
3
Work the math department's past final archive, timed
UW posts old MATH 124 exams, and they're the truest signal of what you'll face — long word problems with unfamiliar setups. Work them under exam timing from the midpoint of the quarter onward.
4
Drill related rates and optimization setups separately
Practice translating word problems into equations without solving them — setup is where UW's exam style does its damage. Ten setups beat three full solutions.
5
Let Fennie pace the whole quarter
Upload your MATH 124 syllabus and Fennie builds a Daily Plan of problem-solving blocks paced to your midterm dates, with extra reps queued on related rates and optimization and quizzes generated from your actual materials. Free to start.
Start my MATH 124 plan free

How Fennie helps with MATH 124

Fennie's Daily Plans break MATH 124 into daily problem-solving blocks paced to your midterm dates, with extra reps on related rates and optimization where UW exams hit hardest. Chat through a word problem setup step by step when the textbook solution skips the reasoning, and generate practice problems for weak spots.

FAQ

Is MATH 124 at UW hard?

Harder than its AP equivalent because of exam style — long word problems with novel setups. Students who only practice template problems often score a full letter grade below expectations.

Should I take MATH 124 if I have AP Calculus credit?

If you earned AP credit for it, most majors let you start in MATH 125. Some students retake 124 for a grade boost, but the unfamiliar exam style makes that a riskier bet than it sounds.

How do I study for MATH 124 exams?

Work the posted exam archive under timed conditions. The lecture and homework are easier than the exams, so the archive is the truest signal of what you'll face.

Pass MATH 124 with a plan, not a cram

Upload your MATH 124 materials and Fennie generates a Daily Plan paced to your deadline — plus chat, flashcards, and quizzes built from the actual course content.

Get started free

More UW courses

MATH 125 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II

MATH 125 covers integral calculus: techniques of integration, applications like volume and work, and an introduction to differential equations. It's the second quarter of UW's calculus sequence and a prerequisite for most engineering and physical science coursework.

MATH 126 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III

MATH 126 finishes UW's calculus sequence with multivariable calculus — vectors, partial derivatives, double integrals — plus Taylor polynomials and Taylor series taught from UW's own course notes. It's the final calculus prerequisite for most STEM majors.

MATH 207 — Introduction to Differential Equations

MATH 207 (formerly numbered MATH 307) is UW's introductory ordinary differential equations course: first- and second-order equations, solution techniques, and the Laplace transform, with applications to physical systems. As of autumn 2021, students may use either the 207 or 307 number toward degree requirements.

MATH 208 — Matrix Algebra with Applications

MATH 208 (formerly MATH 308) is UW's applied linear algebra course: systems of linear equations, matrices, vector spaces, subspaces, orthogonality, least squares, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors. As of autumn 2021, either the 208 or 308 number counts toward degree requirements. It underpins machine learning, graphics, and most quantitative fields.