3.2
Quality3.6
Difficulty62%
Would Retake116
Reviews62%
Would Retake
116
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
36
4
22
3
16
2
27
1
15
What Students Say
“The homework can be time consuming as usual with upper division math courses”
MATH342 - 4.0 rating“Very test-heavy, I would not take this class again, can't sleep properly cuz of him, useless practice finals, didn't help at all with my preparation for the actual final, the midterms as well, his way of preparing his students for the midterms and finals is not professional at all”
157 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
15%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.45 avg changeRatings by Course
440
5.0
(1)MATH440
5.0
(1)MATH450
5.0
(1)MATH338
5.0
(1)MATH320
4.8
(4)Difficulty by Course
151
5.0
MATH232
4.6
MATH340
4.3
440
4.0
MATH338
4.0
Reviews (116)
No Comments
No Comments
No Comments
This prof is to be avoided, if possible.
No Comments
No Comments
No Comments
No Comments
No Comments
so so, not hard
No Comments
No Comments
No Comments
Easy course if you do the hwk, which most people who did poorly simply didn't do
eventhough got B-, never want to see him again
Good prof. Made calculus easy... Or maybe I am just smart.
No Comments
thought he would be good, but disappointing - in my opinion
Spends far too much time on his agenda rather than helping the class learn.
No Comments
worst prof I've had. He took a topic I got and made me not understand
I think he's good. Very clear notes, but assingments are harder than notes.
No Comments
No Comments
he's cute, but he's material is hard..... but he really likes to help if u go to him....
He is a very good teacher and helps a lot whenever you ask him questions. Puts a lot of effort in the lectures. His homeworks, midterms and finals have some of the most beautiful problems you can get in this course.
Good lectures, great prof. Challenging assignments but he is willing to help.
ONE OF BEST PROF @sfu~
Excellent teacher. Midterm was a bit too easy compared to homework. More willing than any prof I've seen to respond to questions 'above' subject material.
This class is very hard but mr. Chen is a good teacher.
One of da worst profs!! can't believe he's still using da chalkboard! he wasted most of the class time erasing da board!! and he likes to talk w/ his back facing u! his notes r vy vy messy & he luvs mumbling! he knows da stuff but can't teach!dont take this course w/ him! he'll screw u over!!
Hard homework and easy final is his style. Spend some time on the homework, make sure you understand the homework and do his practice exams and you'll get A+. Guaranteed.
Good prof. Very hard assignments and tests. Take his classes if you want to waste alot of time trying to figure out what he's trying to say.
Very difficult midterm and assignments. A very demanding but helpful prof.
His notes are very unclear. It's better to read the textbook instead. He likes to jump from chapters to chapters. Incredibly challenging exams and there are one/two challenging questions in every assignment. His lectures are impossible to follow because he takes v. little time to explain the complicated stuffs. He makes a hard course even tougher!
His lectures are a waste of time. He blasts through the material without properly explaining things, and belittles people who ask questions. "I have 5 more minutes..." - no you don't, Imen.
Really bad prof...recommend you take anyone but him...really hard midterms/finals...really bad notes...doesn't care about students and there success..avg for midterm was 40% but instead of helping students and maybe changing the way he taught to better explain materials he just seemed very indifferent
This course is hard. His notes are pretty good but some things I just didn't get in the course.
He is a nice guy and makes good notes but he runs through the material like no tomorrow so you better be able to write fast to catch up (I swear he must be the fastest writer alive). Exams were a little tricky more on the hard side. He slips out a joke once in a blue moon but the classes are really boring!!
He expects the students to do the questions as fast as he can. He blows through the material really fast. Likes to mumble to himself while solving equations during lecture not involving the students in the solving process. If you have this prof get ready to read the text alot and learn on ur own, ohh and the text SUCKS.
I never went to class, because in university you should sometimes be prepared to teach yourself everything. And as long as you study on your own time, his tests are so easy that you will do fine. But never go to class, it is a waste of time with this professor.
his notes are pretty much just a replica of the textbook ...that doesn't explain things clearly..so you're better off reading the textbook itself
All examples are from the textbook, if you read ahead and read the explainations it makes class alot more easy to understand. He went through very helpful examples right before FINAL!
Very simple, your grade is directly related to the exercise you do. no shortcut.
you'll only see him in lectures.. other than that.. you won't find him anywhere else..
This settles it: you people are being much too stingy with the chili peppers! Dr. Chen is a great lecturer, and has a knack for explaining abstract concepts in clear manner understandable at an introductory level. Notes can be disjointed, however, and lack explanatory comments given verbally. Exams are straight-forward, and marking is forgiving.
He is pretty good and responsible, but he rushed things like there is no tomorrow. Number theory is difficult, rushing through probably is not a good idea.
I found him to be a very good prof. He goes through the course in a very systematic way. Proofs are explained step by step even though you may not understand why certain methods are used unless you know a lot of advanced algebra. Assignments are short but help you understand the material. His exams are very easy and if you ask me they're very easy
although it is a bit boring in class, it is worth to go to his class as he explained proof step-by-step which is quite helpful. he tends to go slowly at the beginning and goes pretty fast at the end. (like covering 1 chapter in a 2-hr lecture). and writing on chalkboard is a bit hard to see from the back !!... overall he is pretty good though. thx
Great prof! Assignments are pretty hard but exams are fairly easy. Very helpful and approachable professor. Recommended!
He is a difficult professor who is too smart for the average person.
The final was way harder than the practice ones online, I hope the class gets curved
Clear, concise, organized professor. However, he tends to explain the material even worse than the textbook. First midterm was relatively easy, second midterm was a few notches harder. Final was insanely difficult. Nice guy though.
Final was too difficult. A lot more than either midterm. Other than that good guy. If u take him make sure u do lots of practice.
One of the best mathematicians at SFU. Incredibly kind and helpful. His assignments are tough but enlightening.
Amazing prof. I had never met anyone at the SFU Department of Mathematics so willing to give extra time to answer questions. His lectures are clear and often really interesting. He understands the groups necessities and adjusts the course's pace to improve the learning experience. Highly recommended.
Hands down the worst prof I have ever had. He's constantly mumbling during lectures and the notes make absolutely NO sense. It's actually more beneficial to read the textbook than go to his lectures. If you're going into this class with just pre-cal12 knowledge I suggest getting a different prof or a tutor because he doesn't explain anything.
The final was very difficult. He gave us 3 hours to finish 10 questions, tho. Also, the old exams on canvas did not help much, because the questions on the finals were way harder! This prof didn't give a clear note in class, so you have to study by yourself. P.s. I couldn't hear what he said sometime, because he talked so softly in class.
His assignments make a dramatic leap in difficulty after the last day to drop. His assignments may be long and tough, but his exams are easier and really designed for you to answer quickly. He has good notes, but his speaking is frankly not too great.
The subject is difficult to begin with, lectures help for the homework as Imin gives relevant examples you can look at. The homework can be time consuming as usual with upper division math courses. The midterm wasn't that difficult but the final was hard and is worth 75% of your final grade.
I will not add much since the other reviews took the words out of my mouth. The final exam is HARD and only slightly resembles the sample final that he gives out.
He is open to questions and does not balk at "cringeworthy" or "stupid" questions. He is surprisingly accessible for help outside of his office hours. On the flip side, his homework can not only be demanding, but are sometimes downright impossible without assistance. His exams are NOT easy, though.
There is no midterm, instead there is a quiz mid way through the semester, and there are weekly homework. The final exam is worth 75%. His lectures are clear and he is very open to helping students succeed in the course. Humble and can be funny when he makes analogies between math and other subjects!
One of the most straightforward lecturers Ive had for a math course. He gives pretty clear explanations but its honestly almost exactly the same as whats on the textbook so you could just as easily learn it on your own. However, hes kind (super patient when answering questions) and you can tell he really cares about his students!
one of the best math prof in SFU
One of the best professor I've ever met in my sfu math life. I will must take him again soon.
Imin is a fantastic professor. MATH 450 (Topology) is not an easy course, in fact it was probably some of the hardest math material I've ever seen at times. Imin does a great job of explaining things though so I am glad I could take the course with him. I can tell he cares and doesn't have that elitist attitude that so many math profs at SFU have.
Textbook is "Linear Algebra" by Fredberg, it's a brilliant book. The course content is difficult, the homework is tough but very inspirational. Each homework boosts your understanding of Linear Algebra. Prof is extremely helpful! If you love math or if you love linear algebra, this is the course to take! Do attend the lecture and take notes though
Dr. Chen is an excellent professor. He provides clear explanations and truly cares about the students' learning. The TA that did most of the grading this semester was extremely picky and seemed rude but Imin tried to fix the grading issues throughout the semester. Exams are super fair but homework is extremely difficult.
Good professor. Highly recommend supplementing MATH342 (Number Theory) by reading through the textbook and asking him any and all questions you have otherwise you will fall behind very fast. Assignments are incredibly hard, averages about 20-40%. TA marks very harshly and will dock marks for trivial things, but provides a little feedback.
The TA was so picky!!!!!!!!!
He is a good professor who explains concepts in an elevated and engaging manner. His assignments can be tricky but nonetheless doable if you go through the homework and practice on a daily basis.
I would suggest sitting at the front of class because he speaks really quietly and his notes can be hard to see. He slips a few jokes once in a while, and the IQs and OQs are interesting. Overall, good prof.
He's a L mans
run if you get this man
Currently have him and this class is basically a GPA booster if you put in the effort in. Prof Imin is a mediocre lecturer but most of your knowledge and math skills will come from you consistently practicing each day, not the prof themselves. Do the homework, IQs, OQs, and watch Youtube videos. I didn't take calc in HS but I'm doing aight.
This is the most self studying I've ever had to doin my life. He basically just spews calculations and writes down numbers without really explaining anything.
Basically a full on self-study course, he throws questions in exams that weren't even on the slides/practice questions phrased completely differently to make it harder and expects us fully master over 10 subjects of the material for the exam just to put less than half of them on it with no formula sheet expecting us to memorize it.
Imin chien is a knowledgeable professor that has trouble teaching and communicating with the class. He often rushes through lectures, skipping much needed examples and principles. I do not recommend taking him.
all lectures
Imin Chen has a great background in mathematics, his only redeemable quality. He fails to teach well and can't control a classroom. He reads off the slides and the slides he does read off of he does not explain in any meaningful way. You are better off looking up the concepts on youtube than showing up to his class. Don't take his class.
Personality is pretty chill, he throws in a couple jokes here and there. I personally didn't find too much value in his lectures or the notes as I prefer to self learn, but I wouldn't say he's the worst prof ever. If you're in HS reading this, TAKE AP CALC IF YOU CAN IT'LL BOOST YOUR MARK. Huge game changer.
I took calc in high school and breezed through this class without reading the textbook. Stopped going to lectures halfway through because Imin did not explain things well so get ready to teach yourself everything if you have never taken calc. Exams were very reasonable and covered key concepts. Homework questions were often harder than exams.
Gave me B midterms and finals were not that different from hw. study your cnqs attend math workshop and you should be fine. no related rates, proofing or optimization on any exam although he emphasized it during lecture.
First year calc is always going to be terrible no matter who you take with it. There are so many concepts and it can be hard to learn quick enough (or at all). The exams did not have concepts he emphasized in lecture which was annoying. They scaled marks up and marked pretty generously considering I wrote nonsense for a lot of stuff.
If you haven't taken calc in highschool, you're going to have to do a lot of self-learning. However, midterms and final had no surprises, and if you do enough review it shouldn't be too hard to do well. Most people did very poorly, but Imin is great and scaled us all like crazy!
Although this professor wasn't the best at teaching, it is possible to do well in the class. I would recommend going to the ACW and learning the concepts on your own by watching Youtube. Halfway through the course, the majority of students stopped going to his lectures because they didn't learning anything from watching fly through the slides.
Although he seems to be a very knowledgeable professor, he doesn't teach the concepts to the students very well. He would skip over some of the material assuming that we already knew how to do it, and he wouldn't answer the questions the students had very well. I didn't take calculus in high school so I had to do A LOT of self teaching. Good luck
Enlightening! Imin is such a sweetheart, his lectures are engaging and funny -- he's like my dad. Read the lecture slides, do lots of practice questions, and you'll be fine; the tests are relatively simple.
He is not the best teacher in the world but he may just be the best at SFU. Lot's of self-learning but his exams are fair.
In his lectures, Imin does examples from the textbook. Students are often confused by his explanations. He speaks quietly, so it is very hard to hear him. I attended every lecture but I don't think I learned anything. It was more beneficial to use the textbook, watch Organic Chemistry Tutor, and go to ACW for help. His grading is reasonable though.
He's as chill like my dad
Mark my word I love him and would take his other courses
Do all the practice questions from the textbook, practice tests, IQ and OQ consistently throughout the semester.
Had a great time with him at my best friend's birthday party. Awesome prof. He knows it all !
I failed this course 3 times, but finally passed with this professor. Imin is the GOAT.
Goated BUS 320 prof all across Beedie. Take it with him and you will never shed a tear. He makes accounting much simpler than all the other accounting profs
I took Calc 12 in HS so I could follow along, he does make some concepts more confusing so watch videos and practice in your own time. Him and his TA's are extremely lenient with marking, everyone there wants you to do well. Students in my lecture were super rude to Imin (Ie. Talking over him mid lecture), but he's super kind. He's a good prof.
quizzes are easy, his class is straight forwards, just go ask for help if unsure
It's math. Practice is the best way to learn in this course. The quiz questions are taken straight from the textbook, so if you do them you should be fine. The concepts are best learned from practicing with the oq and cnq. His lectures are sometimes too fast but he's understandable and clear in concepts.
do NOT.. i repeat do NOT use his mock midterm exams as a means to look into/study course material you think will help/be on the actual midterms. Midterm comprised of not even 5% of the questions that were found in the mock exam and quizzes. exams are MUCH harder than any practice.
For the people saying his practice exams are so diff from actual exams he tells you to NOT to rely on the practice as they are diff and the actual will be harder. Do the CNQ and keep up with the material you will be okay. Quizzes most Fridays, only 2 questions, out of 8 marks. Good prof lectures can be a bit boring cuz of his monotonous tone.
practice practice practice!! i'm not great with math but it's the only way to learn. focus on cnq's for the quizzes, and don't even consider mock exams being remotely similar to the actual exam. hard class but imin's a nice guy
He's not a bad professor, but he isn't a good one either. Lectures are snooze fests and he goes at lightning speed so you're pretty much gonna have to review it while studying for the weekly quizzes. Also speaking of which studying is the name of the game, especially if you didn't do well in hs math; you're going to struggle. Do extra practice too
Good prof, always accessible outside of class in applied calculus workshop so it shows that he cares. Just get ready to spend lots of time outside of lecture to watch videos and practice concepts as lectures can be fast-pace and confusing at first. Also he teaches Calc III material in 157 so get ready (Multivariable Calculus)
Imin has slides and does not teach in class rather fills in blanks. His textbook questions are so hard that the ACW TAs cannot even solve them. He cannot control the class, and his exams are MUCH harder than the sample practice. It's like he wants you to do badly. Avoid at all costs. People giving him good reviews need to go to a mental hospital.
Very test-heavy, I would not take this class again, can't sleep properly cuz of him, useless practice finals, didn't help at all with my preparation for the actual final, the midterms as well, his way of preparing his students for the midterms and finals is not professional at all.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!! Lecture slides are useless fill-in-the-blanks. You're better off teaching yourself the topics or watching videos because his explanations are pointless. The workload is extremely heavy plus quizzes every Friday. One of the hardest classes and a huge amount of people who take this class FAIL and will take it like 2-3 times.
My goat 👑 If you're taking this class try to plan going to the Applied Calc Workshop (ACW) after math classes. The ACW is the literal method to do good on the weekly quizzes and midterms/final. TAs and Prof Chen were super helpful for questions in the ACW. I failed math last year but locked in and cooked thanks to Prof Imin Chen. 🙏
Decent Prof. Lectures get boring and on Friday when it's quiz day the low GPAs at the back talk over him but he seems to not have control of the class. Accessible outside of class at workshop for help. Midterm1 was fair, midterm2 challenging n not related to practice. Final exam was easier than expected, just put in the work and you'll pass w imin.
he was a nice guy to be honest and i loved talking to him but holy this guy doesnt know how to teach, he reads off fill in the blank slides and does no teaching at all. you have to learn everything by yourself and the sample finals and midterms he provides are not good at all
Utterly shocking. He didn't teach me a single thing. But the final was pretty easy so it wasn't horrible.
Exams are very different from the practice questions, so make sure you actually understand the concepts and how to apply them.
So many people complaining because they are a bunch of social science people. Aka “Calculus 1 for the not so bright and unemployed”
Not a very good lecturer -- does not explain concepts well and moves too quickly through lectures. However, the midterms were extremely fair and the final was quite easy. I would recommend him overall.
Very nice man
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
15%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.45 avg changeRatings by Course
440
5.0
(1)MATH440
5.0
(1)MATH450
5.0
(1)MATH338
5.0
(1)MATH320
4.8
(4)Difficulty by Course
151
5.0
MATH232
4.6
MATH340
4.3
440
4.0
MATH338
4.0