3.5
Quality3.2
Difficulty50%
Would Retake94
Reviews50%
Would Retake
94
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
24
4
34
3
14
2
12
1
10
What Students Say
“This class is bad but you can pass the class if you work for it”
MATH0290 - 2.0 rating“I absolutely loved Dr”
0230 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
20%
Textbook Required
29%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
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MATH0120
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Reviews (94)
Very good at overexplaining simple things and underexplaining complicated things. But overall pretty good. Tries to be funny a lot; which is funny even if his jokes aren't. I'd reccommend him.
Trofimov's the best! I had him for a night class, and maybe that's why, but he would always give us bonus pop quizzes in class. His tests aren't *easy* but they're certainly not hard. He's also a REALLY good teacher, just really good at explaining things. I would definitely recommend him to anyone taking the calculus/diff eq sequence
Dr. Trofimov is very accessible to his students. The exams are difficult, but are by no means impossible. Keep up with the syllabus.
Over explains easy things and shows very easy examples, but puts hard problems on the exams. Would not recommend.
Nice guy, actually wants you to succeed. Take at night to avoid departmental final. Quizzes are exactly like the example answers he puts on his website. Exams are much more difficult, but not impossible if you're good at math. Gave bonus quizzes, I don't think you'll find that with any other Calc professor. Recommend if you only need Calc 1.
He is very passionate and has a great sense of humor. The test are a bit more advanced than the homework and quizzes, so attention to detail is a must. Overall, a pretty good teacher that is willing to work with you.
Unlike other comments, I found him to be a very ineffective teacher. All lectures are literally him doing problems straight out of the text book number for number. Exam questions test more on your ability to simplify ridiculous fractions than your understanding of calculus. However, he is very accessible and willing to help.
Being math challenged, I attempted to take one of Pitt's easier courses. My roommate took the same class, different professor last year and thought it was easy. Trofimov over-explains easy concepts and barely touches on difficult ones. He copies straight from the text and tests are more difficult than homework. Takes off points for stupid things.
average professor. does problems out of book in lectures. assigns a few homework problems that are simply tedious and annoying. slight language barrier. lon capa is bonus though and can really help out your grade. good guy and very accessible for office hours if you get there before the other students
Hard to say whether I'd recommend Trof or not. His lecture are the example problems out of the book, which isn't helpful for the homework. However, he's really funny and makes his lectures worth going to. Also, he gives SO much partial credit on exams, and doesn't like having low averages.
Great teacher. Assigns a lot of problems but is more than fair with exam's. Explains things in a clear and easy to understand way. I would definitely recommend him.
He was an awesome teacher! His tests were very straight forward, so if you went to class and did the homework than it is more than possible to get an A. He was easy, but I still learned the material very well. He also gave alot of extra credit for people not doing well. I definitely recommend him!
Overall he is a good teacher and really nice. It is hard to understand him sometimes because he has a heavy Russian accent and he doesn't always understand students questions. He uses a lot of in class examples and offers a lot of extra credit to improve your grade. I got an A with a bad 1st test by doing all the book problems and doing all the hw.
Trofimov is a great teacher. Probably one of the best math teachers in whole department. Allows notes on tests, gives bonus quizzes, you can get 10 bonus PERCENTAGE points by just doing book work once a week. There is absolutely no reason why someone should not be able to get at least a B in his class. I would HIGHLY recommend him
Trofimov gives so much homework that it's impossible to focus on understanding the concepts of the course. The tests and quizes involved concepts that were barely covered in class or on the homework or were drowned by the insane amount of problems. You will need to teach yourself the material. (the book isn't very helpful either)
Nothing you go over in class is relevant to what he tests you on, and the textbook is utterly useless. His accent isnt bad but he rarely understands you which makes office hours a waste of time. He takes full credit off for small errors made in the beginning of answering a problem, even when the rest of your method is right. DO NOT TAKE THIS GUY
He gives relatively easy tests, but the final is usually difficult for his students because of that.
Trofimov is the man. If you go to class, do the assigned problems, and go to recitation, passing the course isn't that hard. The thing that makes it hard is that the final is incredibly difficult, and his exams aren't close to as hard as the final. You'll get out if the class whatever you put into it.
He is a really nice guy, and he genuinely cares about his students. He tries his best to make sure you understand something. If cares a lot about explanations on exams. If you don't show your work, you'll lose 9 out of 10 points even if you have the right answer.
Trofimov is a friendly and funny guy and a great professor. He usually explained concepts very well and I definitely learned a lot in the class. My only complaints would be that he did not curve test scores even though the averages were well below 75% and I did not feel as if he prepared his class well for the final.
Great teacher. He really tries to get students involved. Provides all the resources needed for your success, including direct links to all old exams, which are very similar to current tests. Bonus question on every exam and weekly quiz!! For the difficult final, just do the old final exams as they are almost identical!
Great teacher. Did not give quizes every week. The course had a total of 3 tests and a final. If you can do the practice problems he gives you as review for the tests you should have no problem on them. He gives lots of bonus problems.
Really looks out for his students. The work is hard but reasonable. Do not be afraid to approach him, because the more you know him the more you can benefit and learn. His office hours are extremely helpful. GREAT TEACHER.
Good professor, explains material pretty well and you can tell he loves teaching because he will go beyond just the course material. Tests are pretty straightforward and quizzes and homework are too. Gives a good bit of extra credit as well.
He's pretty straightforward and chill in class. I never had the need to go to office hours, but he always seemed approachable if needed. His exams weren't bad. ATTEND CLASS (hint: random extra credit points for attendance sometimes). Definitely recommend him!
Great professor. Really explains concepts in multiple ways to convey it to everyone. Sometimes over-elaborates and runs out of time. Slight language barrier at first. Makes Calc 2 not bad, but his tests are somewhat easier than the departmental final. Never been to office hours, but he seems very willing to help. Definitely take!
Calc 2 at Pitt is an incredibly difficult class and this was my second time taking it. Trofimov definitely makes it easier, I would definitely recommend. He doesn't curve but he does give extra credit for attendance; I would say going to class is mandatory. He does have a pretty thick accent but it's easy to get used to. He's a super cool guy.
Calc 2 is difficult, but Trofimov does an excellent job of making it manageable. If you do his examples and go to lecture and A is absolutely doable. He's kind and is funny.
He definitely loves the math he's teaching and tries to show you in the best way possible. He teaches a tad slow but that was fine for me. He has a Russian accent that's mostly understandable. I only say his class is mandatory because, when people stop going to class, he gives bonus to those who still do.
Professor Trofimov is the man. Very fair exams, very fair grading, good lectures. He is hilarious and made Calculus 3 fun. Gives bonus points for attendance - make sure to always go! Also, it is your own fault if you're not prepared for the departmental final; Trofimov made me very prepared. Definitely recommend him!
Dr. Trofimov is a spectacular teacher. I had him for Calc 2 and 3. He keeps you interested in what could well be dull material with a unique sense of humor. He is very approachable, and if you are willing to put in the effort to talk to him after class or in office hours he will help you. He really cares that you understand. Take him!
Really good guy with a quirky sense of humor. Calc 3 is by no extents an easy class but he made it understandable. Lectures were OK but he made up for it by giving very fair tests with generous extra credit. Would recommend for Calc 3.
Professor Trofimov lectures very well on the subject material. Although he has an accent, it is understandable. Show up to class - he rewards those who are always there. His tests are very fair and cover only the lecture material. He is a good professor whom I would definitely take again for a math class. Really helps you learn the subject material
I would 100% take Eugene again. His sense of humor and teaching style makes calculus interesting to even those ambivalent about math. He is extremely knowledgeable about all curriculum topics (and more) and delivers information in a clear, concise, and easy to comprehend manner. He is engaging and exciting, and one of my favorite math teachers.
I absolutely loved Dr. Trofimov. He was a hilarious guy with a great sense of humor and made calc 2 very enjoyable. He is a very fair grader and eager to help students. His tests are very fair and he gives bonus to people who show up to lecture. I would 100% take Trofimov again.
Trofimov is awesome! I wish I had time to go to more of his office hours but I really don't need to; his lecture are very informative, organized, and clear. He goes through everything in a step by step process. He leaves everything on the board for a very long time for us slackers. Finally, he describes what we are doing before we do it. Best prof!
Trofimov is an excellent teacher. He's very clear in his explanations and very straightforward in his style of teaching. However, when it comes to his tests, he's an unforgivable grader. There is absolutely NO partial credit on tests, which results in the loss of 15 points (1 question), even if you got the answer correctly. Would not take again.
Trofimov is truly a great professor. I highly recommend him for Calc 1. His lectures are very clear and engaging and you learn a lot from him. The tests aren't too hard as long as you take advantage of the numerous resources he provides for his students. His class is by no means an easy A but if you work hard it WILL pay off
Trofimov has an accent but you quickly get used to it. He gives extra credit for coming to class as well as on all quizzes and tests. He's a very tough grader but don't let it get you down, it will be curved. He prepares you well for the final. I would highly recommend. He cracks jokes often and explains multiple ways.
I took Trofimov for Calc 2, Calc 3, and Differential Equations. I really like the dude. Tests are clear cut. If you genuinely do the homework and attend the lectures, everything will go well.
Trofimov tries his best, but lecture tends to be extremely unclear and unhelpful. I ended up teaching myself the majority of the material. However, I would recommend taking him for DiffEq - exams were extremely easy. I got a 100 on both midterms and despite the difficulty of the final got an A.
Very fair for a difficult class. Exams are clear and fair. Trofimov really wants you to pass. He gives a fair amount of extra credit. Probably the best math professor at Pitt, as long as you put the work in too.
He gets confused in lecture a lot if he makes mistakes, and will sometimes only get one problem done per lecture. I just skipped the last 8 weeks of lectures and turned in HW and did the exams. I got a 98 and a 108 on both of them and the finals for 290 are really easy so I'll probably have an A+. He doesn't use MATLAB anymore so HW is easy.
Approachable professor. He allows a formula sheet on tests which make them very easy. However, there is no formula sheet on the final which can make for a difficult transition.
Good prof.
He has a great personality and his lectures are very interesting. Pay attention and don't get distracted and you will do fine with this professor.
Trof is great. He's pretty funny and his lectures give you all the material you need to know. The pace of the class is a little slow, we ended up a bit behind schedule but it was nothing serious. His tests are very straightforward and fair; if you know the material you will pass without a problem. Highly recommend him for calc 3.
He's decent, but not as cool as some people are saying. Tons of work, and he expects a ridiculous amount of participation. Lectures are hard to understand. Find another prof honestly.
He was a good person and a cool professor. But we were really behind in lecture so by the end we only got 1 review instead of 3 as well as really rushed through the last bit of material. The problem was that the last bit of material was the heavy basis of the final. His tests are easy but the departmental final screws you and he really doesn't help
This class is bad but you can pass the class if you work for it. On tests, he doesn't give partial credit and the homework are hard because he doesn't teach you how to use MATLAB. He wants you to use it without teaching it. Another note you can't understand him so no point of coming to class.
DO NOT TAKE ALGEBRA WITH EVGUENI TROFIMOV. I am really good at algebra and I took this class to refresh my skills before I went into calculus. You do not want him to teach you. He is hard to understand, he goes back on his word (quite often), and his tests are graded in a backwards fashion. The tests themselves will be missing instructions.
He is not the best teacher to understand, and not the most useful, but he's enough to get by. He's a kind man and applies magical curves to test. Some tests can be brutal, but most are fair. Very homework heavy, don't skip any.
Trofimov was a fine professor once you get passed the accent. Lectures were kind of boring but he was not an unclear teacher. Homework was graded pretty hard and didn't have good feedback. Practice tests on his website are very helpful for doing well.
He goes over very few examples in class, but answers questions really well. If you don't do the assigned problems you won't pass. Super funny and makes lecture interesting. Curves both midterms.
Very funny guy. He has a bit of an accent but it's not too bad, and he gives pretty good examples.
There's a method to his madness. His lectures sometimes start with some wild claim, but they are always relevant and help prove a point. If no one participates, the lectures slow down because he thinks everyone is lost. So, if he asks a question, answer it! Lectures were fun and laid-back, and I really enjoyed the class.
Really great at comparing calc 1 concepts to calc 3. Uses many props in class to highlight 3D concepts. Teaches everything you need to know for exams. Exams were easy with maybe one challenging problem, and he allowed a note sheet. Curves exams. Weekly quizzes are easy and just like the examples in the textbook. He wants his students to do well.
Dont take him. Barely any partial credit on tests, does not help with extra credit either. Take someone else!
Avoid him if you can. While not the worst prof. in the world, he is far from the best. He seemed like he didn't want to lecture every class. I am only taking him for another class I NEED to graduate or else I'd be avoiding him. Did offer some occasional extra credit and did curve our exams (or else most would've failed).
Avoid this professor if you can!! Very unfair with the distribution of partial credit. Exams were pretty hard, but there was a curve on each one. Attending tutoring is a necessity in order to pass this course if you have Trofimov because hes so horrible at explaining concepts. AVOID HIM!!!
He has an accent so he can be hard to understand at times. He is a really strict grader and barely gives partial credit. The tests are pretty hard, but he does curve. I would probably take it with someone else given the option.
tests are extremely hard but are heavily curved. as with most calc classes with pitt lecture doesnt do much so u need to do textbook problems to survive. quizzes arent hard. i do not recommend
I loved Professor Trofimov for Calc 1. He was a very funny and smart man. He does make you work for your grade but you learn a lot. All of his exams are curved. I got over 100% on one of them. He prepares you very well for Calc 2.
Took him over the summer online. He had weekly quizzes and homework assignments, but as long as you keep up with the notes and do the homework every week the quizzes are easy. He also extended deadlines for me when I didn't get enough time in the week to finish the work on my schedule. Overall, he was a really great professor.
Funny guy, but makes calculus way harder than it needs to be. EXTREMELY difficult exams that most people would fail if he did not apply huge curves and offer a bit of extra credit. Even the TAs thought his class was unnecessarily hard. It's possible that he's a good choice for upper level courses, but don't take him for calc 1.
He grades so tough and he takes off points for the smallest things on tests. His lectures are also confusing and he is not good at explaining anything. Had to learn it myself later.
He gives you a deep understanding of a lot of the core Calc 1 concepts that he ensures you learn. This class is basically 75% tests so make sure you prepare, but his practice exams he provides are usually exactly how the real thing would be. Also attend lecture and answer questions! He gives you 1 whole bonus for every answer - it adds up.
Calc 2 is a terrible class to take at Pitt. Take it at a community college while you have the chance. Trofimov's lectures were not helpful and the tests were incredibly hard. He does curve nicely and gives practice before tests that are very similar to the test problems. He's not the worst option for calc 2 from what I've heard, but he is not good.
Great prof!!! Couldn't recommend more. Cares about his students and makes the exams manageable. Haven't taken finals yet but he curved our midterm by adding 50 points to the numerator and denominator, which is a godsend. Super sweet and passionate about what he teaches.
Super nice and willing to help you. Definitely join office hours for help. All self-taught, and it took up A LOT of my time. I learned from youtube bc it was an online course n calc is hard. Your week: 1 lecture video, 1 homework (20 probs), 1 discussion board,1 quiz (4-5 questions). Lots of work, so only take it if you need it. Know syntax file!!
Trof is great for Calc 3. A lot of your experience will depend on your TA, because many are international and take time to adjust. The course consists of weekly quizzes starting roughly a month in and 2 midterms. The final is departmental. Tests were fair, nothing to write home about. Great and caring, particularly during office hours.
Eugene, gives tons of extra credit opportunities and his tests are more than fair. For every one of his midterms he gives a practice test with very similar questions. His lectures are engaging and fairly easy to follow along. I would definitely recommend taking Calc 1 with him!
Super funny guy, but felt we really rushed material. Overcompensates for an accent by explaining things more. Don't fall behind in this class, there's not much homework but it's very difficult to catch up if you get too lost. For a difficult class, he was a good professor.
Dr. Trofimov was really funny & a very dynamic teacher so even though the material was challenging, the class wasn't terribly boring, & he encouraged questions & explained things well. We did have to speed thru some concepts so I absolutely bombed some questions on tests/quizzes, but he gives A TON of partial credit, huge curves, and bonus points.
Pros: Curved exams more than any professor I've ever seen, and gave us extra credit just for attending recitations Cons: Accent is tough to understand, lectures aren't well taught and not worth attending (I read the textbook instead), and the quizzes are incredibly difficult. Make sure to study for them, as the first one gave me a rude awakening.
Something about the way he explains things just makes sense. Great for people who like to visualize the material. Awesome teacher, he knew what the class needed help with. Looks like he is not organized but will surprise you! Grading was a bit hard, but fair once you learned how he graded from practice exams. Curved our midterms and final heavily.
Trofimov offers great lectures in terms of content explanation. Toward the end, he usually tries to bite off more than he can chew and loses some depth, so be sure to read before the lecture. He's approachable during office hours, but his pace is very fast, and exams are no joke! He curves well, but they're still tough exams.
Class can be pretty tough. Starts off hard but gets easier over time. Material can be very intimidating but isn't too bad as you start to figure it out. He focuses more on conceptual explanations which can help to understand the material. Exams are not too bad and are heavily curved. Overall a pretty good professor for a pretty hard class.
Pretty good professor. Moves really fast so you just have to work a little bit harder to keep up. Exams are pretty brutal but he basically adds 25% to curve them. Final exam was also pretty doable. Solid professor but prepare to put in work to get a solid grade.
This was a VERY difficult class. Tests were graded extremely meticulously, with little to no partial credit. Quizzes were hard but manageable. Homework was very difficult.
Lin Alg starts off very easy but picks up during the second half. His accent is a little difficult to understand, but sitting closer to the front helps a lot. Midterms were easy-ish. Homework was doable. The final is hard. However, he is extremely fair and understanding. HUGE curves on everything. Overall, extremely nice and a good teacher.
I took Prof. Trofimov's night class, which is nice because he makes and curves his exams (20+%). Calc II is a difficult course, and while Prof. Trofimov tries his best to help students understand a subject, sometimes it is not too clear and a bit rushed. Organic Chemistry Tutor helped me succeed in this course. Know how to do Lon Capa HW.
calc 2 is a very hard class. eugene is kind but not a great professor in my opinion. Moves crazy fast compared to other sections. writes his own exams and curves about 20%. took the night class and he wrote his own final too. choice between webassign and loncapa for hw, I liked webassign because I had used it before. USE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY TUTOR!
I've had Eugene before for Calc 1 and specifically chose his class again for Linear. He's my favorite math prof. His lectures are super organized so although the content is difficult, if you take good notes, you're solid. He's friendly & has a dynamic teaching style so you're not super bored. Tons of partial credit on exams & extra credit in class!
His class lecture notes are not clear, his midterms are very hard. However, he curves a lot because his students midterm average are very low.
Calc 2 at Pitt overall sucks, and I guess Eugene is not that bad. He does heavily curve, but his lectures are hard to follow and he often gave up on problems and said "you guys can finish this one". He does offer extra credit, but for answering questions, which is not helpful if you have anxiety or just do not like speaking in class.
eugene is just a goofy little guy. I retook calc 2 bc i didnt get a high enough grade the 1st time and he made it easier to endure. the way he teaches was much better than my first professor and he was very nice to students in his class. overall a good guy but the class is still v difficult. study like your life depends on it
Worst professor ever at Pitt. His lectures are so tedious, especially with his mumbled accent. Exams consist only of workout problems—no multiple choice in the exams. If you take his class, you should be ready to study by yourself. Lectures are not mandatory, but you'd better take them cuz he never announces a quiz outside class.
eugene is a great guy, but his class is so hard man :( tests are straight from he|| but he curves 20+%. i have two calc tutors outside of class and still have a high chance to flunk the class. however, i would take eugene again; i just cannot grasp the concepts whatsoever. tell him you need help and he can calculate your grade and offer advice.
Dr. Trofimov at no point made me feel prepared for any of his homework assignments or exams. Intro to Analysis is, in my experience, an exceedingly challenging subject, and Dr. Trofimov did not in any way make the material easier to understand. If you take this class with Dr. Trofimov, you're basically paying to read a textbook.
Dr. Trofimov genuinely made my semester unbearable. His lectures were boring, and from the textbook. Then, he would give homework assignments that you basically had to do twice. And he gives basically no partial credit on exams, so prepare to get a terrible raw score before he hides his awful teaching by giving a giant curve and problem correction.
This has been the worst experience of my life. This class is entirely self-taught (and for someone who isn't the best with math, the only thing saving me was my dad who is very good at math). He isn't a professor that encourages teaching, only the right answers.
Probably the worst professor experience I've had at Pitt. Lectures are super hard to follow and he will do only 1 problem per hour lecture which is crazy and half the time he doesn't even finish the problem because its wrong. Barley any partial credit on tests that rely so heavily on them. Only has 6 quizzes compared to 15 of other classes. Avoid.
He's a bit tough to understand, but if you can understand him, he's hilarious. He covers all the material in-depth during lectures, and he doesn't give too much homework. The tests are tricky, but there's usually a significant curve.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
20%
Textbook Required
29%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.85 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH0120
5.0
(1)0220
5.0
(2)MATH1180
4.5
(2)MATH220
4.0
(2)CALC0220
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MATH0400
4.0
0230
4.0
0220
4.0
MATH0230
3.8
MATH0413
3.7