Cornell MATH 1120: Calculus II
MATH 1120 continues Cornell's standard calculus sequence with integration techniques, applications of integrals, sequences and series, and an introduction to parametric and polar topics. It follows MATH 1110 for science, economics, and pre-health students.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Cornell University. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
Two distinct walls: integration techniques demand pattern recognition that only volume builds (knowing which method fits which integral), and the series unit (convergence tests, Taylor series) is conceptually unlike anything before it. Students who scraped through Calc I on weak fundamentals usually hit the harder wall here.
What you'll cover
- • Techniques of integration
- • Applications of integration
- • Improper integrals
- • Sequences and series
- • Convergence tests
- • Taylor and power series
The MATH 1120 study guide
How to study for Cornell MATH 1120, step by step.
- 1
Do mixed integral sets from week one
Technique selection, knowing whether an integral wants substitution, parts, or partial fractions, is MATH 1120's first prelim skill. It's built only by large volumes of mixed practice, never by topic-sorted homework alone.
- 2
Keep Calc I skills warm
Integration punishes weak differentiation and algebra twice as hard. A short weekly refresher on derivatives and algebraic manipulation prevents old gaps from resurfacing on new material.
- 3
Give the series unit double runway
Sequences and series is a conceptual leap unlike anything before it. Start reading ahead before the unit opens, and accept that convergence reasoning needs more sittings than computation ever did.
- 4
Build a convergence-test decision chart
One page: each test, its conditions, and the series shapes it handles. Practice classifying series rapidly with the chart, then without it, since the prelims test the choice as much as the execution.
Today
Today's MATH 1120 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for MATH 1120. 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 1120 harder than MATH 1110?
Most students say yes. Integration techniques require recognizing which method fits each problem, a skill only built by volume, and the sequences and series unit is a conceptual leap that catches even students who did fine in Calc I.
How do I study for MATH 1120 series?
Build a decision chart of convergence tests and practice classifying series rapidly before computing anything; the choice of test is the exam skill. The series unit is more logic than computation, so it rewards conceptual understanding over formula drilling.
Does MATH 1120 count for engineering?
The engineering track uses MATH 1910/1920 instead. MATH 1120 serves science, economics, and pre-health students; verify your degree audit, since engineering programs generally require the 1910/1920 sequence.
More Cornell courses
MATH 1110: Calculus I
MATH 1110 is Cornell's standard Calculus I, covering limits, derivatives, applications of differentiation, and an introduction to integration. It's taken by students across the sciences, economics, and pre-health tracks, and it's the entry to the calculus sequence for those not on the engineering math track.
MATH 1910: Calculus for Engineers
MATH 1910 is Cornell's first engineering calculus course, covering single-variable differentiation and integration with an emphasis on applications, plus an introduction to infinite series and differential equations. It's a required gateway for the College of Engineering, faster-paced than the standard MATH 1110/1120 track.
MATH 1920: Multivariable Calculus for Engineers
MATH 1920 is Cornell's multivariable calculus course for engineers, covering vectors and geometry of space, partial derivatives, multiple integrals, and vector calculus including line and surface integrals and the theorems of Green, Stokes, and the divergence theorem. It follows MATH 1910 in the engineering sequence.
MATH 2940: Linear Algebra for Engineers
MATH 2940 is Cornell's linear algebra course for engineers, covering systems of linear equations, matrices, vector spaces, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, orthogonality, and applications including differential equations. It's a required engineering course usually taken alongside or after the calculus sequence.