4.0
Quality3.7
Difficulty100%
Would Retake101
Reviews100%
Would Retake
101
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
59
4
18
3
13
2
6
1
5
What Students Say
“Math 1B with this professor is ridiculous”
MATH1B - 3.0 rating“This was a horrible experience”
MATH1B - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
32%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.32 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH16A
5.0
(1)MATH110
5.0
(4)MATH151
5.0
(4)MATH104
5.0
(4)MATH160
5.0
(7)Difficulty by Course
MATHA
5.0
1B
4.0
MATH1A
3.9
MATH1B
3.8
MATH104
3.8
Reviews (101)
Hald teaches by the book. He has a cool haircut and cool mannerisms and cool quirks and Dadadun dadadun...
The midterm was impossible...everyone failed it pretty much...and he is not good
Hald is an awesome professor. He's incredibly shneaky with his lectures and i love his beautiful formulas.
Hald actually made Newton's Law of Cooling interesting...he is a very dynamic speaker.
Although it's often dificult to follow what he's doing calculus-wise, Hald is an extremeley entertaining lecturer. He's the quippy little sock-with-berkienstocks wearing distant relitive you never had. He's tests are ridiculously difficult, though (unless you're exschtremly schneaky).
Excellent lecturer and professor. Lectures are interesting and clear; they follow the book so it is easy to review. Exams are very difficult though. Focuses on theory and understanding rather than method.
he is the funniest guy ever!
omg, the best professor.. super danish, keeps lectures interesting, prefers that you listen to lecture rather than take notes b/c he proves methods in class, you might not get it the first time around but that's what the book is for, tests are super fair, FAT curves so no worries if you work hard
Hald is an excellent teacher who truely knows what he's talking about and teaches by the book. He is very hard and demands a lot from his students but in the end you'll find his class very rewarding. Hald won't waste your time.
Hald was an awesome professor, funny, enjoyable lectures. If you have the opportunity of taking him, I strongly recommend him. Take his class if you have the chance, and go to his office hours.
This was definitely my favorite class. Prof. Hald is great.
Pure awesomeness. He takes a lot of time designing practice problems and tests to acheive the best results. I had trouble understanding his English at first, but that's how it has been at Cal. Intelllectually challenging, funny, energized, professional, and cool(he did Tai-Chi during my midterm)
He cares so much about his students... even in a class of 500 he made sure to walk around and answer questions... and even though the tests are very hard he was willing to help!
Awesome professor, very available in office hours and walked through the rows while we worked on examples to make sure everyone understood. Tests were hard, but it's on a curve, so no big deal there. We had oral exams too, but I think that definitely made me understand the material better.
You will feel sad about missing his class (you know, if you ever "accidentally" sleep in). He is a REALLY great professor!
I miss Ole! very nice, smart and helpful professor. Lectures were clear. Tests are incredibly hard, but nice curves. Hard to understand his accent at first, but you'll get used to it. He gave 3 dollars for the winners of math "Jeopardy". Funny guy too, dun dun dun.. dun dun dun.. -good times
Awesomely funny teacher. Very enthusiastic, and makes the morning class easier to deal with.
Best Professor ever!. Won't allow you to take notes. No need to, he teaches directly from the book. Extraordinary explanation of the material in lecture and office hours. Very accessible when you need help, created daily extra office hours near exam time, definitely go to them. Take his class!!!!!!!
What a cool dude. He must have been a **** in his younger years... His lectures are excellent, and super interesting. Go to his office hours. When he thinks he's teaching something boring, he makes it interesting by telling a story. Oh man was he funny. I did struggle with the class though, since my GSI wasn't very helpful.
super cool guy! he's funny and one of the best teachers i've had so far. it's hard to find a teacher that actually wants his students to learn and (possibly) have fun w/ the subject... so take his class!
He was the best! Always kept you engaged, even at 8 in the morning.
The only bad thing about taking his class is I was so spoiled by his sheer awesomeness that all the other math professors and classes I've had since are such disappointments.
worst professor i have ever had
do it!!! one of my favorite professors at berkeley! he's even pictured on the pimentel wall! enthusiastic and really likes to teach! have to work a little for an A but very possible. his accent is cute.
Math 1B is a hard class in general, but Hald does a really good job of explaining things. He has funny mannerisms that keep you interested in what he's saying. One of few professors who wouldn't put me to sleep in the mornings!
Hald is such an entertaining and knowledgeable professor that he actually makes 1B fun. His tests are fair, and his much-dreaded oral exam actually boosted most people's grades. His biggest weakness is teaching too quickly -- you have to read the book to keep up with the material! Take his class, he's amazing!
ok so if u have to take math 1b...take hald. hes hilarious and wil keep u up during lecture. the oral presentation was scary, but its not half as bad as u'd think. only downside is the final was worth 50% of the total grade, and it was unbelievably hard. he grades on fat curves though
Hald was a great professor. His midterms and finals are very difficult, but he grades on a very generous curve. Pay attention in class, go to your GSI's office hours, and USE THE BOOK if you don't get something.
He is a very helpful professor who can be quite entertaining to listen to in lectures. The material in the course is quite difficult, however, so it is important to practice from the book often and even then, tests are quite challenging. There is also a pointless oral examination based on memorization (10% of the grade).
He isn't the easiest professor but if you pay attention, it isn't too hard to understand the material. His lectures are really entertaining. He actually interacts with the students during lecture. I've sat through some math 1B lectures of other professors and so far he is the best.
Lectures are funny and amusing though not a must. Grades consist of finals and midterms, which are all extremely difficult.
Interesting and funny guy; very helpful in OH; can be intimidating; tests are very difficult and TRICKY so hard to prepare for exams
Interesting and funny guy; lectures are concise and to the point but not entirely necessary; OH are very useful although he is a bit intimidating; exams are very difficult so hard to prepare for; may not do well if you know all the material
Easy class. GSI said other GSIs tried to persuade him to give me an A+ in the class, but he wouldn't allow it.
His lectures were really funny, and I have to say I never fell asleep but his class is challenging especially if you are not a math person. I enjoyed his class but didn't do so well.
professor is very enthusiastic about the class and teaches the concepts rather than simply how to do problems. He may go a little fast at times. tests measure how well you know concepts and how you can apply them to complex problems, so it's pretty hard.
The professor is very kind. However, the class is very hard. I got 5 on both AP Calculus exams and I was thinking of earning an easy A to boost my GPA. The problem is I got lazy and too depending on my pass knowledge. The test questions that he has are mostly new stuffs. If you want to get an A in this class, work hard and attend adjunct that offer
First of all, Hald gives very difficult tests that challenge you more on concept and math tricks rather than straight up derivatives. Given he can be funny, but I'd rather have an A than a funny teacher. Your grade also depends on the quizzes, which likewise depend on how good your GSI is.
Hald is a *really* good lecturer, which is hard to find in the math department. He hates "repetition" learning, so you have to study in a new way. 10% of the class get As, but we all did so badly on exams that the curves were huge. Bottom line- take math with Hald!! and hope you get an english-speaking gsi.
Great lecturer, very entertaining for Calculus; challenges you and makes sure you know the material. Midterms and final is hard, but if you know your stuff, you'll do fine. Study and don't sleep through this class and you'll get a lot from it and learn the material very well. TRY TO GET A GOOD GSI; IT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
Hald manages to make calculus fun, mainly because he is such an entertaining lecturer. However, his midterms & final are CRAZY hard. It doesn't help to just know how to do problems; you have to know how to blow minds with the concepts. But if you have a nice GSI, like I did, then you can probably manage a B.
He is a very entertaining lecturer. Don't have to take notes because everything is in the book and he tells you that. A good GSI is very important though. Midterms and final are hard but not impossible.
entertaining lecturer, mainly because of his accent. the material isn't too hard but the midterms and final were impossible (especially with a bad gsi)
He was entertaining in the beginning of the course, then his jokes got dry and forced. His lectures focus a lot on theory and proofs which don't really help with the tests/quizzes. If you have an idiotic GSI then you're basically screwed. His exams don't follow the book at all; they're hard. I recommend just cutting lecture and studying at the SLC
Hald was a funny guy with his accent and random noises. Class was easy to start so score as high as possible on first MT, because the second will suck. Reading the text before and after corresponding lecture is a good idea. A good GSI who understands Hald's tests is really helpful too. Curve was huge, but only 10% get As.
Extremely ridculous final and 2nd midterm, 1st midterm was definitely the easiest so study the hardest for that one. About more than half the class got D's and F's, so basically, avoid his class at all costs, unless you want an "entertaining" professor. Not worth it at the end. Hopefully you'll have a good GSI or else you're screwed.
It definitely helps if you've taken calc. before, but Hald defintely does a great job teaching Math 1A. The poor ratings probably come from those who didn't attempt the worksheets in class. Really try to follow his logic, and practice! And you definitely can't fall asleep in this class. It's just not possible.
Tons of fun to watch, pretty impossible to follow. There are several points where his lectures can make you feel like you're way out of your league. I loved his accent and jokes so much I kept attending lecture solely to lighten my day. However, I doubt I once left his lecture light hearted after the second week...
Great energy which will keep you awake throughout the lecture, but the whole time most people can't understand what he is saying and he will leave most of the class behind by the end of the lecture.
Profesor Hald course is designed for geniuses or those who really and I mean REALLY want to be challenged. Do NOT take Hald unless you want your confidence in your mathematical capabilities to be destroyed, because you will never recover from the your inability to answer the questions on his midterms or final. Good luck.
Awesome Lecturer, he makes you understand Calculus. But once the midterms and final come along, they are nearly impossible. He loves Proofs and trick questions. Only take his classes if you want a real challenge and are majoring in Math. If you just want to get rid of 1A requirement, take another prof. Great Professor, but not for first year Calc!
I like Hald. By far the hardest class I have ever taken, but Hald is wonderful. I think he teaches math exceptionally well. He makes you think about things that you'd rather not think about (proofs) but his worksheets are great! Huge curve on tests. Be warned: he's a difficult teacher. Advice: go to class and office hours. Do worksheets. Good luck!
Very entertaining professor. I love his accent! Makes students stay awake in the class, even though the lecture is usually fast-pased, and hard to follow. Gives out worksheets to be completed in class, which actually helped a lot. Tests were hard, but the curve was generous. He teaches right out of the book too.
Class is hard if you don't have a solid HS calculus (Calc BC) background. Tests are difficult, but the curve can be very helpful because the exams are curved to a C/C+ average. To do well in Hald's 1A class, get acquainted with his exam style and definitely don't depend too much on the book (book problems were generally easier than exam problems).
This class is REALLY hard. You have to work our butt off. His lectures are confusing, but the good part is he works right out of the book. Most of my learning happened in my dorm at my desk. Tests are ridiculously difficult, even the GSIs say so. But the curves reflect that. Don't take this class expecting it to be easy, even if your good at math.
I have never learned so much or had this much fun in any math class. Prof. Hald is a funny, interesting lecturer with hands-on worksheets every day. Having taken his class, it is easy to see why Prof Hald won the Distinguished Teaching Award.
Hald is a very good lecturer. He uses worksheets that keep students on task and awake and are helpful study tools. Exams may be hard, but are doable and curves are generous. Definitely recommended.
He seriously scared me a little (mostly because of his energy) the first half of the course. His lectures are very dynamic, and he ensures the students learn the heart of the proofs. hw is due every class, so you should show up.
He is very clear in explanation. Best office hour I had in Cal!
One of the best math professor you can meet in Cal! He is so energetic and he has put a great effort to let you enjoy math
Best professor I've ever had. Though his lectures are supremely pellucid and interesting, his defining characteristic is that he truly, deeply cares that each of his students reaches a deep understanding of the material. Also, I'm grateful to him for choosing a great textbook. I know Axler has its detractors, but I think it's fantastic.
Terrific professor who really understands how to teach undergraduate mathematics. Uses worksheets to keep students awake, has a highly energetic lecturing style with a hilarious accent and funny mannerisms. Tests are curved, usually difficult so the curve is generous.
I had Hald for Math 54 and even though I'm not fond of linear algebra or differential equations, I enjoyed Hald's lectures. He is very entertaining and presents the material clearly and succinctly. His tests were all very reasonable. If you read the book and do all of the homework problems you should do just fine. Take Hald's class! He's awesome!
The best professor I have ever had! If you have a chance to take any of his classes, do it.
I've taken 151 and 152 with Prof Hald, and he is without a doubt the best professor I've ever had for any subject. He is very helpful and enthusiastic. Classes are very useful, and office hours are superb. Tests are also fair. No surprises here - just direct testing of whether you learned the material.
Best instructor ever in any given subject from grade school to grad school. Prof. Hald will be one of the most inspirational, supportive, and challenging faculty you will have the fortune of taking a course from if you can approach his courses with an open attitude and willingness to be pushed.
Behinds the fact that this professor is super good and enthusiastic, he is so adorable!!! He teaching style is the best among all I have see and I look forward to this class every single day! He just makes u love math! Take a class with this professor and u will understand how a professor could be adorable !! <3
This is a great and enthusiastic professor that will make you love learning math even more. He gave us study guides for the midterms; the midterms themselves were questions taken out of the study guides. Easy and short homework assignments. Memorization is a must in this class.
His tests are stupid hard. Is super opaque about what will be on them, and one time, changed the weight of the questions after the midterm, without telling us. Lots of proofs. Lots and lots of proofs.
Its a pretty easy class, if you READ EVERY THING IN THE TEXTBOOK. Here is how it is: Went to lecture before the first midterm, got a 1620, with the curve that was an A Skipped every lecture and read straight from the textbook, got an 1820, with the curve that was also an A. What do we learn? READ.
Will most likely be the first difficult math class of your life. Test score averages were around 60% despite the fact that most of us had taken calculus. He's a real charming devil though.
One of the best professors ever. He gives worksheets so students work through problems and ask questions. Plus, he cracks jokes left and right. In terms of grading and testing, he does his best to be fair. This being said, if you dont already have a solid understanding of the material, you will have to work hours to be test-ready .
Hald can be interesting and amusing in lecture, but his tests are HARD. It is extremely difficult to study for his tests because you (and the GSIs) never know what will be on them. The style of questions on the test are completely different from the homework problems and the lecture worksheets. NOT an easy A, GPA booster class.
Prof. Hald's lectures are not necessary to passing since he teaches straight out of the book. Attending lecture is useful for understanding his preferred notations, proofs, and the worksheets that you work through together. ATTEND OFFICE HOURS: he will make you understand anything you don't. He's super kind and lovable. TESTS WILL KILL YOU THOUGH
Not a hard class. He's a funny guy and quite quirky, but the lectures aren't all that helpful. Most of the time, he goes off on a tangent and doesn't talk about what's going to be on the tests. If you've taken BC before, it's not really worth going to classes. Maybe stop by now and then if you care.
Funny, amiable, inspirational professor with lovely Danish accent! I like his tests, more about proofs rather than calculations-- after all proofs are the essence of mathematics. He sticks to the textbook and the lectures are well organized. I'd like to take his class again!
So-so clarity; relied on GSI for much of the learning. However, he is great at retaining attention with his antics and humor. Homework wasn't tough at all. His tests are very hard relative to the subject being taught (elementary calculus). Everyone bombed the final, relying on the curve.
Hald is a great math professor but he also reminds you that this is Berkeley. Therefore this class will test your dedication, determination, and desire to do well. He also expects you to know A LOT before hand. I gained a lot from his class he really prepares you for math1B. The adjunct for his class is pretty helpful but it adds extra work.
Prof. Hald's tests are tough and his lectures are hard to understand, but if you take the time to go over material from lecture and challenge yourself with practice problems, you will grow immensely as a math student. This class was very difficult, but it taught me how to be a Cal student. I would definitely recommend taking Math 1A with Hald.
Math 1B with this professor is ridiculous. You can take BC calculus in high school, and that won't necessarily help you. His lectures challenge you to think critically about these concepts, and his tests are effectively written in Greek. If you think studying your hw was going to help prepare you for the test, think again. Learn the theory.
This was a horrible experience. A side by side comparison of the midterms for this class and the section of Math 1B with the other professor clearly shows that this test is practically impossible, while the other professor's test is based off of homework problems. Bonus fact - the second midterm scores were cancelled because nobody submitted it!!
This was the WORST experience! As people have already mentioned his midterm was practically impossible. No one really submitted the second midterm for this same reason. With so much material to study and his lack of clarity on what the test will be like, you'll spend days reading the book and still not be ready for his test. AVOID him for MATH1B!!!
Ole is a fantastic and hilarious professor. His test are indeed challenging but if one has a basic understanding of the material (which was not hard, taking into account his excellent skills in teaching math) a decent grade is not hard to get. Unfortunately he is retiring soon so we were one of the last to have the honor to take a class with him.
Although his finals were difficult, he gave us a relatively fair final. He is actually an inspirational professor and hope he can enjoy his life. I am honored to be one of his last calculus students.
If you worked your butt off his grade distribution and fair final payed off at the end. Everyone complaining is probably a freshman and/or have never had to try different methods of studying to see improvement. Heard he is an extraordinary professor by multiple SLC math faculty which is why I decided to take the class.
Professor Hald is definitely one of the best professors that I have had so far at Berkeley. His lectures are extremely clear and rest assured you will never forget the concepts that he teaches. Don't get discouraged by his tough tests; he has a very generous curve. DO NOT MISS HIS LECTURES IF YOU WANT TO SCORE WELL.
Really forces you to work hard. But in general brilliant and funny. Really great in office hours. Hard tests, but reminds you you are at Berkeley. Probably learned more math in a single semester with him than I did in my entire high school education. Great curve, listens to students and their concerns.
The professor is super funny, but his class lacks clearness and consistency. Also the midterms are horrible.
Ole Hald was a great lecturer, kept the class engaged by adding humor when the math got dull. Some concepts weren't too clear, but he made a point of drilling them into our heads in lecture so we understood them before appropriate tests. Our second midterm was exceptionally hard (average 5/30) but he made up for it with an easy final.
Hald is a very fair and supportive teacher. He is always challenging his students and expects the very best from the. He is always available during office hours and very helpful. You can definitely sees that he put a lot of thought into his lecture. He covers things in depth and he engages his students through out his lectures.
Tough professor for a good cause. Genuinely cares for his students and wants students to get the most out of their teacher education (for Math w/ Teaching courses 151-153). Lectures are very engaging, and helps students more clearly grasp the material by sending students to the blackboards to work through the math in pairs. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I've taken Hald for Math 151, 152, 153, & 160. I would take every math class with him if I could. He makes math engaging and not passive by having students working together by discussing or writing on the board. He writes/gives all class notes used to ensure that he is on top of the material. He truly cares for his students and their understanding.
One of the best professors that I've had at Cal. Cares about his students and is always willing to help out. Content is sometimes difficult to master but can be learned with lots of practice. Overall, great professor.
I always looked forward to going to his lectures. He makes you work with other classmates at the blackboards to solve problems and proofs, but he just wants to ensure that everybody understands everything. Homework was assigned every day but it wasn't difficult. Both midterms were optional and the final was very easy.
Ole has found a perfect balance between rigor and fun. His sincerity when teaching is infectious and serves as the healthiest inspiration I have ever experienced in a math class. Ole has singlehandedly revolutionized my concept of what a great educator looks like. I am forever grateful for my experience in this class. I cannot recommend him enough
Please don't hesitate to take a class from Ole. Even if he taught us about ecology, fashion, bunny rabbits, or some obscure math concept which is not even true, I would still love to sit down and hear him talk. His is sweet and wants every student to succeed. A real gem and worth your time!!!! Also exams are fair (some might even say easy).
Professor Ole provides you with notes to follow along while he lectures. He's knowledgeable. Although some of the histories seemed dull, he made them fun and engaging. Ole was accessible with 5 sessions of office hours throughout the week. Homeworks can be hard, but Ole will walk you through them with thorough explanations during his office hours.
Great lecturer, makes every topic interesting and motivates you to try and answer it yourself. Normally would have students work in groups for lectures, but class was online, so it was harder to do that.
Best math professor at Berkeley. Lectures are extremely insightful, with plenty of supplementary material from the history of math to allusions to other courses, like Math 202A. Such a good professor. His exams are hard, though, beware! This is analysis though...
Superb professor. Exams are friendly. Assignments are relatively short. Grading is quite lenient. Overall his class is one of the best in the math department.
Prof. Hald gives by far the best lectures I've ever seen- witty, engaging, and very rigorous. He is approachable and caring, patient and relatively nonjudgmental yet also has high expectations for his students. I've taken 3 of his classes and would take more if I could- he's just that good.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
32%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.32 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH16A
5.0
(1)MATH110
5.0
(4)MATH151
5.0
(4)MATH104
5.0
(4)MATH160
5.0
(7)Difficulty by Course
MATHA
5.0
1B
4.0
MATH1A
3.9
MATH1B
3.8
MATH104
3.8