3.2

Mahmoud Zarepour

Mathematics - University of Ottawa

3.2
Quality
3.5
Difficulty
74%
Would Retake
92
Reviews
3.2
Quality
3.5
Difficulty
3.3
Helpful
3.1
Clarity

74%

Would Retake

92

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

28

4

21

3

11

2

17

1

15

What Students Say

Exams are fair if you do your work and study for it

MAT4372 - 5.0 rating

He's really knowledgeable and will help you outside of class if you need it, but he did seem angry at our class all the time

MAT2375 - 4.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

86%

Textbook Required

7%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 19 grades
Most common grades:
B+ (7)
Not sure yet (5)
A- (3)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(2)C(2)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(10)
Based on 24 reported grades
B+: 7
Not sure yet: 5
A-: 3
A: 3
Common Tags
Skip class? You won't pass. (7)
Tough Grader (5)
Respected (4)
Participation matters (4)
Accessible outside class (4)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (3)
Amazing lectures (3)
LECTURE HEAVY (3)
Rating Trend

Improving

+1.15 avg change
Mar
Apr
Sep
Feb
Mar
Nov
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MAT2171

5.0

(1)

SYS5120

5.0

(2)

SYS5130

5.0

(2)

MAT0000

5.0

(1)

MAT4372

5.0

(1)
+23 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MAT2371MA

5.0

MAT4399

5.0

MAT1310

5.0

MAT2371MAT23

5.0

MAT3379

4.4

Reviews (92)
5.0
5.0
MAT2371
Jan 22, 2002

Man, your exam is so hard!

1.0
5.0
MAT2371MA
Jan 27, 2002

No Comments

5.0
3.0
MAT2171
Feb 14, 2002

He helped me a lot. Good teacher, and he knows his stuff.

5.0
3.0
MAT2375
Feb 22, 2002

very organised, useful material

5.0
2.0
MAT2375
Mar 7, 2002

You need a good calculus background for this course.

2.0
4.0
MAT1371
Mar 26, 2002

other than the fact he can't speak english + makes mistakes often, he tries hard

5.0
4.0
MAT2375
Mar 28, 2002

i think he is truly disappointed by his class' stupidity

2.0
5.0
MAT4399
Apr 4, 2002

Hates you if you're not a graduate math student loving prob...

2.0
5.0
MAT2371
Apr 4, 2002

No Comments

2.0
4.0
MAT1371
Apr 10, 2002

No Comments

4.0
5.0
MAT2375
May 15, 2002

VERY hard exams. Expects you to know everything. Very helpful.

2.0
5.0
MAT2371
Aug 1, 2002

dude, your exam made me cry!!!

2.0
4.0
MAT1320
Sep 27, 2002

hes ok..not fab thou. Difficult to understand

4.0
3.0
MAT1320
Sep 28, 2002

gets off topic really easily

3.0
4.0
MAT1301
Sep 28, 2002

kinda hard to follow in class.. need clac background & good attention span

4.0
3.0
MAT1320
Oct 19, 2002

Pleasant but extremely confusing at times (loves those proofs!).

5.0
5.0
MAT2371
Oct 30, 2002

He smells good. Man his exams are hard, I think probability is harder then Stats

2.0
3.0
MAT1320
Nov 10, 2002

I have no idea where he came from but his accent is totally throwing me off.

3.0
2.0
MAT1371
Nov 20, 2002

He means good, but his lectures are full of mistakes and he puts me to sleep

1.0
5.0
MAT1320
Dec 11, 2002

I never have any idea what he's talking about! He makes no sense!

5.0
2.0
MAT2371
Apr 5, 2003

Tough guy. Good course. Exams are hard, but fair. Makes you work for your A+. Lectures are enough to do well in the course.

1.0
5.0
MAT3172
May 13, 2003

Awefull teacher, tons of mistakes in notes, and terrible attitude. Unless you're a genius, he'll make you feel like an idiot.

2.0
5.0
MAT2371
Sep 18, 2003

Oh my god this was the hardest exam ever!! There were girls crying in the exam because they could only answer 10% of the questions!!! I answered about 40% and got an A soo go figure, bell curve @ ottawa U YAYAYAYAYAY

5.0
3.0
MAT2375
Oct 30, 2003

EXCELLENT PROFESSOR, KNOWS THINGS HE TEACHESVERY WELL.

2.0
3.0
MAT1371
Nov 17, 2003

Since when is it grammatically correct to leave out articles when speaking or writting?!?!? this guy makes NO sense! he only likes keeners and gives you crap when you don't always listen but still manage to do well in his class! why hasn't he

3.0
5.0
MAT1371
Dec 1, 2003

Knows the material but can't present it. Flips out on students.

2.0
3.0
MAT1371
Dec 19, 2003

Overqualified for teaching a basic stats course. Second-hand grip of English sometimes makes him hard to understand. Gets really uppety if you aren't paying attention.

1.0
3.0
MAT1371
Oct 27, 2004

No Comments

2.0
5.0
MAT3172
Nov 29, 2004

very intelligent but unable to communicate material effectively

1.0
5.0
MAT1310
Grade: B+
Jan 4, 2005

TERRIBLE PROF!! Not very conducive to helping you learn the material, and his attitude SUCKS the big one. Told us to stop emailing him for help before the final because he was too busy responding to people emailing from overseas asking about math PhD's.?? We pay your salary, I expect better.Terrible

3.0
3.0
MAT2375
Feb 23, 2005

Doesnt stick to relevant material. Goes off on tangents and causes the class to lagg behind other sections. Exams are harder then expected, study hard. Don;t bother going to class for previously mentioned items.

1.0
5.0
MAT2375
Apr 5, 2005

Very knowledgeable, but can't teach! Acts as if the material is beneath him. Throws around words like "obviously" for new material. Exams contain MANY questions he never taught, and does not resemble homework. Constantly makes mistakes, but demands ABSOLUTE PERFECTION from us. Sarcastic and rude.

1.0
5.0
MAT2371MAT23
Jun 28, 2005

I tutored a student through these courses. I would stongly suggest to any engineering students that they do not take the above courses from this professor. The material is presented in too theorectical a fashion, useful topics not covered engineers need to know. The world is not N(0,1)! There are other in town schools with transferable credits.

1.0
5.0
MAT2375MAT2371
Apr 12, 2005

This guy is the biggest jerk on the planet. He takes attendence, and before midterms, makes a point to threaten the whole class that he'll fail them for not showing up. Why show up to a class to get yelled at? This guy is TOTALLY unreasonable, don't bother taking prob or stat if Zarepours teachng

1.0
5.0
MAT2375
Grade: A-
Aug 31, 2005

Horrible professor.. totally killed my love for mathematics:( Classes were useless, hard to follow, he would keep on proving theorems then proving proofs and so on, until you're totally lost. And very unfriendly too, hates teaching, assumes everyone should know stuff already. but exams are multiple choice, so there's a chance to guess the answer:)

1.0
3.0
STAT
Nov 20, 2005

his class is boring

5.0
1.0
MAT2377
Dec 13, 2005

interesting course.

3.0
4.0
MAT2377
Dec 23, 2005

Compréhension très complexe. Il est aussi très difficile a suivre lorsqu'il développe sans arrêt des théorèmes imbéciles pas vraiment utile pour le niveau du cours. J'ai commencé ce cours avec un maximum de positivité et je dois avouer que j'avais hâte que ce cirque se termine. Ne prenez jamais ce cours avec ce brochet. Vous le regrettez; garanti

2.0
4.0
MAT2371
Jan 11, 2006

He is a terrible professor just like 90% of the maths professors at Ottawa University

2.0
4.0
MAT3377
Apr 15, 2007

Repeatedly ridiculed the $140 textbook he recommended for the course as "Statistics for Dummies". Lectures and assignment questions were taken from a different textbook altogether. Exam questions were completely different from assignments and lecture examples. Ad hoc marking scheme--just avoid this guy if you can.

5.0
1.0
SYS5120
Jun 14, 2007

He is an excellent professor who I have in my life. I like the style he taught.He will make students step by step to understand the lecture he taught.

5.0
2.0
SYS5120
Jul 19, 2007

He is one of my fav prof in my life. he knows his stuff and tries very hard to make sure we get it. exams are exactly same as class examples and assigment questions. attendance is more than necessary and try to do your assignments by yourself.

5.0
1.0
SYS5130
Sep 11, 2007

He is the best professor,you will learn a lot from his lecture.

5.0
1.0
SYS5130
Sep 11, 2007

He is the best professor,you will learn a lot from his lecture.

2.0
5.0
MAT2378
Oct 28, 2008

Yells a lot.

1.0
1.0
MAT2378
Dec 13, 2008

Wow, i stopped going to this class all together. It is an easy class and can be learned totally from the textbook. He is a useless professor when it comes to lower level courses. He can't explain easy topics without getting overcomplicated.Half of our class went to another professor's lectures.

3.0
4.0
MAT5191
Sep 8, 2009

N.B. He does NOT teach SYS5120. He only teaches stats. In his class, there is such a thing as a stupid question. And he talks a good game, but details are often wrong. He knows little about stats in the real world.

5.0
4.0
MAT2377
Dec 23, 2009

Dr. Zarepour is an excellent professor. He is absolutely skilled in Mathematics and Statistics. You can see how much he loves the subject. He is very approachable. He took 45 minutes to explain an assignment to me. I highly recommend taking any class with him. He might come off rude or assertive but he really isn't. Don't be shy to ask.

5.0
3.0
MAT3172
Jan 5, 2010

You learn a lot from him. They way he teaches , you'll never forget. If you want to succeed in his course, don't miss classes and read his notes. He actually wants you to learn and I don't find him rude at all. He was always there when I had a question and I'm 100% satisfied with my grade.

4.0
3.0
MAT2377
Jun 26, 2010

His explanation is not very clear but he solves a lot of questions in class to help us understand the material which is very helpful. Exams are very easy....they are easier than the assignments and they are multiple choice. He gives a sample exam before each exam and the exam is very similar to the sample!!!

5.0
1.0
MAT0000
Jan 14, 2011

He is very interested in what he teaches. He explains everything well and reminds of us of stuff needed that we have already learned. Exams are fair. Meaning, if you have studied there is no reason to do poorly. He is always available for extra help. Dresses well and is very professional. Overall, a great proff!

5.0
3.0
MAT2377
Jan 31, 2013

I personally think, he's a very helpful professor, and really cares to make sure you've learned the material. Of course the material we learn is not easy,and his exams are not easy-peasy either, but he does his job really well to teach you well.

2.0
3.0
MAT2377
Jan 26, 2013

Over complicates everything. Glad I switched my section.

5.0
2.0
MAT2377
Jan 31, 2013

You need help, just go to his office hours! Thats all I should say, really!! Dr. Zarepour forces me to think hard and critically about a question. I really appreciate that. I've learned a lot from him.

4.0
2.0
MAT2377
Aug 29, 2013

A Good Prof, Midterm and exam were open book, which helped if you went to every class and took good notes, do the assignments and go see him if you have a problem right away dont wait. Overall a good prof who does a lot of examples in class and wants you to learn the material.

3.0
5.0
MAT3379
Nov 25, 2013

He seems good with math students and asks us to continuously think and figure out formulas on our own. The big problem for me is that his class has not been adapted for non-math students (I'm in sciences). Furthermore, he doesn't write any crucial definitions on the board which left me lacking on a lot of important information.

5.0
2.0
MAT3377
Grade: B+
Dec 18, 2013

Super nice guy. Is willing to repeat things over and over until you understand. We moved pretty slowly in this class so it was easy to understand. Assignments, midterm & exam were fair. Good lecturer! Glad that I chose to take this as a math elective.

5.0
2.0
MAT4372
Apr 25, 2014

Definitely go to class and pay attention, I even suggest pre-read his lectures ahead of time so that you know what he's going to talk about. Exams are fair if you do your work and study for it.

4.0
1.0
MAT2377
Jun 13, 2014

If you attend classes, study and do your assignments. You are good. He's a very good teacher and always willing to help

4.0
3.0
MATH
Jan 8, 2015

Really nice teacher, always trying to help students, answers emails quickley, make sure to go to class and study and you'll do great!

3.0
3.0
MAT2377C
Jan 13, 2015

I already wrote a review but never got it approved, so I will write it again: THIS TEACHER IS BAD. DO NOT TAKE HIM, here is why: He demonstrates simple problems in class but when it comes to the test, the difficulty is suddenly exaggerated. He constantly goes off subject and starts to talk about his daughter. Buy (130$) and read the textbook.

4.0
4.0
2377C
Mar 3, 2015

assignments are a fairly clear indication of the level of difficulty of his upcoming exams (Midterm and final). Sooo, make sure you work through them on your own first, then discuss with other students, consult solutions and ask him for help. I also did some extra practice Qs from the textbook and it helped my understanding.

3.0
5.0
MAT2375
Grade: C
Apr 29, 2015

He yelled at our class a lot. He's decent at explaining things in class but the difficulty of exams is just brutal.

4.0
3.0
MAT3377
Grade: A+
Jan 13, 2016

Good prof. There is a bit of a language barrier, but nothing too bad. You definitely need to go to class to do well though - he doesn't follow the textbook and likes to use his own notation. But if you go to class and pay attention you're golden, as all of his midterm/exam questions are straight from class and the assignments.

4.0
3.0
MAT2375MAT2371
Grade: A
Jan 16, 2016

Really encouraging

4.0
3.0
MAT2375
Grade: A
May 27, 2016
Would take again

Decent prof. He's really knowledgeable and will help you outside of class if you need it, but he did seem angry at our class all the time. He also writes difficult tests that will often have a few questions that are unrelated to the class material.

1.0
4.0
MAT2371
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 5, 2016
Wouldn't take again

It would be best to avoid taking this prof. He is extremely unapproachable and doesn't explain why things are being done. He's very harsh and his assignments and exams are tough. If you are taking him it's best to study ahead, you will definitely need to.

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
4.0
4.0
MAT2371
Grade: B+
Dec 24, 2016
Would take again

He is not an easy prof, but is fair. Everything on test was mentioned in class at some point. So participation is mandatory, skipping will do no good. I used office hours and he was helpful.

Tough Grader
Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
4.0
3.0
MAT4375
Dec 24, 2016
Would take again

Solid. Super sharp. He dislikes students who skip class and actually notices participation!

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
4.0
3.0
MAT2371
Grade: A-
Feb 4, 2017
Would take again

He is a good prof, I wouldn't skip his class especially before midterm and final exams because he gives lot's of hints about the type of question that might be asked. Overall, fair exams , if you work hard through the assignments, It's easy to get A++

Skip class? You won't pass.
Amazing lectures
4.0
3.0
MAT2371
Mar 24, 2017
Would take again

In retrospect, I am happy I took my class with this professor because he made me understand and look at material from a more sophisticated angle. He is really smart and I value his knowledge and interest. He seemed tough in the beginning but with lots of practice and going over his n-class examples i made it through (thankfully).

Respected
Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
3.0
4.0
MAT2375
Grade: C+
May 4, 2017
Would take again

Professor will give you a difficult time on the expense of building a solid foundation. i didn't do well in his class but was able to do very well in other related courses.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
3.0
MAT2377
Aug 8, 2017
Would take again

provides good examples in class, also assignments are good indicator of exam difficulty. I did not take the assignments too seriously before midterm, so my midterm grade suffered, but I did practice using the assignment and in class practice questions for final, and I ended up with a decent grade. he also holds a review sesh which was very useful

Amazing lectures
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
3.0
MAT2377
Aug 8, 2017
Would take again

provides good examples in class, also assignments are good indicator of exam difficulty. I did not take the assignments too seriously before midterm, so my midterm grade suffered, but I did practice using the assignment and in class practice questions for final, he also holds a review sesh which was very useful

Amazing lectures
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
5.0
MAT2377
Jun 2, 2018
Would take again

I am taking the course now and I am learning a lot. Doing more questions outside of class actually helps me (i.e. important to do the homework)

Tough Grader
Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
4.0
MAT3379
Grade: B+
Jan 21, 2020
Would take again

just go to class, listen and take good notes. Then ask questions during office hours or after class. You need to do the work and he will help you get there.

Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
Lecture heavy
2.0
3.0
MAT2375
Grade: A-
Apr 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Very smart guy, but goes very fast and makes things hard to understand. His examples are good but the theory is hard to follow.

Gives good feedback
1.0
4.0
MAT2371
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Zarepour is really irritated by just about everything. I find it painful to listen to his lectures because he is always irritated by someone or all of us and has called us "irresponsible" or a similar term on multiple occasions. His notes are very hard to follow and he gives one massive pdf for notes. The final exam was brutal.

4.0
4.0
MAT2371
Grade: B+
Mar 16, 2021
Would take again

Pros: you truly learn the foundation of probability; thorough lecture slides; he really wants you to learn Cons: tough grader, don't try to get extra marks (it doesn't work lol) Comments: you gotta actually do the work and study, attend class and office hours as needed to pass.

Accessible outside class
Skip class? You won't pass.
Tough grader
4.0
3.0
MAT2375
May 1, 2021
Would take again

Sometimes his explanations can be a bit confusing, but on the whole he really wants to make sure you understand the material. Lecture slides are good as well.

4.0
3.0
MAT2375
Grade: A+
May 7, 2021
Would take again

Very understandable professor. Wants you to do well and take the most from class. Sometimes not the most clear and this means that usually each assignment will seem "impossible" at first. However, after asking for clarification or emailing him, you will understand the questions very well. Midterm and Final were manageable.

Lots of homework
Participation matters
Hilarious
3.0
4.0
MAT2375
May 10, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Professor Zarepour is a good professor and he's accessible outside of class hours. However, he only marks the hardest questions on the assignments which is not fair. Exams are similar to the content covered in class, but they're too long so make sure you're 100% ready for them.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
5.0
4.0
MAT3377
Jun 6, 2021
Would take again

Good prof, great at explaining the material. He is very organized and provides different formats for the slides including formula sheets, which I find very helpful for studying. Encourages questions/participation and is available to help if something isn't clear. Would recommend!

Respected
Accessible outside class
Skip class? You won't pass.
2.0
4.0
MAT2375
Grade: B
Jun 11, 2021
Wouldn't take again

still ok but his style is hard to be accepted.

5.0
3.0
MAT2375
Grade: A
Jun 14, 2021
Would take again

He share his very organized slides. He giving every formulas a proof and some formulas different version. So overall he is great. Cheat sheet is allowed for exams. The assignments are hard and have many thinking question. But you will really learn a lot from them. One bad thing is his handwriting is bad.

Participation matters
Inspirational
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MAT2375
Grade: B
Sep 26, 2021
Wouldn't take again

very bad teaching skills, and bad writing. his ppt can make people very sleepy but he requires attendance. if you not attending his zoom meeting more than 20% of the class, he will fail you. tests are hard on each question but still solvable, but very hard.

Skip class? You won't pass.
4.0
4.0
MAT3379
Grade: B+
Mar 14, 2023
Would take again

It appears most find him a really knowledgable professor yet difficult grader. Instead of difficult I would say you need to learn his style of teaching and testing. So assignments are a fair representation of difficulty. It's a fundamental course to take to learn basics in this area of mathematics. I actually learned a lot.

Tough grader
Respected
Test heavy
5.0
3.0
MAT4381
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 25, 2024
Would take again

This is a course that is being offered for the first time, but professor Zarepour did a great job delivering it. He explains clearly in lectures and he sometimes brings up other things that are helpful in the context of the course. Assignments can be hard but he is very friendly to help you in office hours. Exams were very fair. Would take again.

Participation matters
Amazing lectures
Caring
4.0
4.0
MAT3172
Grade: Not sure yet
Sep 6, 2024
Would take again

This class is challenging, so I strongly suggest studying regularly. The professor does his best to explain everything we need to learn, even though the material is tough. Pay close attention in class because he often gives hints about key questions that might appear on the final exam. If possible, make sure to attend his classes.

Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MAT3379
Feb 26, 2025

His notes are not detailed enough.

5.0
4.0
MAT3379
Grade: B+
Mar 6, 2025
Would take again

Professor Zarepour teaches a challenging course, but with engagement and using resources like Unstuck study, you can succeed. Attend class, take notes, and use office hours - his guidance is invaluable.

5.0
2.0
MAT2379
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 16, 2025
Would take again

He's a really kind guy! One of my favourite profs. He offers review sessions before midterms. Make sure to do your part; content review and practice at home. If you do this, the class will be so easy. Attendance and the textbook aren't mandatory but help with understanding. Great guy!!

Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

86%

Textbook Required

7%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 19 grades
Most common grades:
B+ (7)
Not sure yet (5)
A- (3)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(2)C(2)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(10)
Based on 24 reported grades
B+: 7
Not sure yet: 5
A-: 3
A: 3
Common Tags
Skip class? You won't pass. (7)
Tough Grader (5)
Respected (4)
Participation matters (4)
Accessible outside class (4)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (3)
Amazing lectures (3)
LECTURE HEAVY (3)
Rating Trend

Improving

+1.15 avg change
Mar
Apr
Sep
Feb
Mar
Nov
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MAT2171

5.0

(1)

SYS5120

5.0

(2)

SYS5130

5.0

(2)

MAT0000

5.0

(1)

MAT4372

5.0

(1)
+23 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MAT2371MA

5.0

MAT4399

5.0

MAT1310

5.0

MAT2371MAT23

5.0

MAT3379

4.4

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