Pablo Sanchez Ocal
Department of Mathematics
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2.0
Overall Rating
Based on 3 Users
Easiness 1.7 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 1.3 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.7 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 2.0 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

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Reviews (3)

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B
June 30, 2023

This class consisted of homework, discussion worksheets, a midterm, and a final.
Like almost all other math classes, there are two grading schemes, where the second scheme drops the midterm.

Grading Scheme 1:
Homework 25%
Discussion 15%
Midterm 25%
Final 35%

Grading Scheme 2:
Homework 25%
Discussion 15%
Final 60%

The homeworks and discussion worksheets were extremely difficult since they were based on accuracy (at first) and the TA was very nitpicky on our answers. Not mentioning a certain theorem or even missing a step could cost you a lot of points. However, during the second half of the quarter, the TA began to grade on completion which definitely saved me a ton of points. The good thing is that the TA would make comments on our homework and discussion worksheets on what was wrong or what we need to do.

The midterm and final were essentially like the practice exams he gave us. However, don't rely on just going over these practice exams because the TA is also nitpicky with our exam answers. I remembered how the professor had solved one of the exam questions during a review session, and I understood and remembered it. However, my TA still took off a lot of points for my answer to that exam saying that I didn't really explain my proof. So, the professor and TA seemed to have their own ways to prove the problems.

Speaking of the professor, the lectures were definitely not that helpful as all he would do is write down theorems/ideas briefly and then spend a lot of time proving that theorem without using much time to go over examples. Most, if not all, of the examples that he did do were from the textbook, so anyone could've self-studied the class. With that being said, I stopped going to lectures after Week 4 since I realized I would be better off studying on my own. I will say that the professor is nice and approachable at least.

Overall, the content is definitely difficult and the homework and discussion assignments can be time consuming since the TA is strict with grading. Even if the exams are like the practice tests, I recommend studying a lot and meeting with the TA to make sure your solutions follow what the TA wants. Although he wasn't as bad compared to what I had heard from the Math 31B students, he was still pretty bad and I would not take a class from this professor again.

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 25, 2023

Pablo is not bad as everyone says but I have to say that discussion and homework problems are tough and harsh on grading. His exams are all from practice exams he gives out so you only need to focus on solving them correctly and memeorize them all to get a satisfying grade.

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: N/A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
May 30, 2023

I wrote a draft review that ended up being a short paper, so here is the very, very gist of the class:

1. Standard math class policies: homework and discussion assignments are worth some peanuts of your final grade, while the midterm and final make up most of it. The midterm can be dropped on a second grading scheme. Discussion assignments and homework are graded half on completion and half correctness. Discussion work is graded harshly by the TA, Kong.
2. The class is well organized: All lessons and chapters they will cover are shown from the start of the quarter on Ocal's github, which he uses in place of Bruinlearn. All discussion assignments and homework are there as well, in addition to helpful a practice midterm and final. Although I haven't taken the final quite yet, the midterm was fair and conducive to the practice midterm, and I suspect the final will be similar. (Fair=/= easy, again the class is quite difficult, but doable)
3. Ocal himself is a fairly nice person: Self explanatory. He delivers his lectures with excitement and tries his best to answer questions. Some things are a bit rigid like the fact that he still has assignments due the weeks where he has exams, which is annoying but manageable.
4. LECTURES ARE VERY VERY VERY CONFUSING: Lectures are basically a 1 to 1 of the associated textbook chapter. While the class has no proof based math courses as a prerequisite, it probably should. Off the bat, Ocal assumes you are comfortable with mathematical proofs, although, again, the course does not require any proof based math courses as a prereq. In addition, besides the proof part of the class, Ocal's lectures end up being extraordinarily hard to follow. It is almost as if the lectures are geared towards those who have already taken the class before. I went to all the lecture up until mid quarter, because the lectures would confuse me so much, so I ended up reading the book (which he anyways teaches out of) for the rest of the quarter, and it was actually less confusing than the lectures.

In essence, while the class is well organized consistently paced (albeit very difficult still), Ocal's lectures provide virtually no benefit to students taking the class, and honestly this could be a self study online class and would not be different in the slightest. If you are confident in learning the entire class by yourself, take it, the exams are fair and the work is consistent and available in advance. However, if you are not extremely comfortable with proof based math, then PLEASE take another professor.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B
June 30, 2023

This class consisted of homework, discussion worksheets, a midterm, and a final.
Like almost all other math classes, there are two grading schemes, where the second scheme drops the midterm.

Grading Scheme 1:
Homework 25%
Discussion 15%
Midterm 25%
Final 35%

Grading Scheme 2:
Homework 25%
Discussion 15%
Final 60%

The homeworks and discussion worksheets were extremely difficult since they were based on accuracy (at first) and the TA was very nitpicky on our answers. Not mentioning a certain theorem or even missing a step could cost you a lot of points. However, during the second half of the quarter, the TA began to grade on completion which definitely saved me a ton of points. The good thing is that the TA would make comments on our homework and discussion worksheets on what was wrong or what we need to do.

The midterm and final were essentially like the practice exams he gave us. However, don't rely on just going over these practice exams because the TA is also nitpicky with our exam answers. I remembered how the professor had solved one of the exam questions during a review session, and I understood and remembered it. However, my TA still took off a lot of points for my answer to that exam saying that I didn't really explain my proof. So, the professor and TA seemed to have their own ways to prove the problems.

Speaking of the professor, the lectures were definitely not that helpful as all he would do is write down theorems/ideas briefly and then spend a lot of time proving that theorem without using much time to go over examples. Most, if not all, of the examples that he did do were from the textbook, so anyone could've self-studied the class. With that being said, I stopped going to lectures after Week 4 since I realized I would be better off studying on my own. I will say that the professor is nice and approachable at least.

Overall, the content is definitely difficult and the homework and discussion assignments can be time consuming since the TA is strict with grading. Even if the exams are like the practice tests, I recommend studying a lot and meeting with the TA to make sure your solutions follow what the TA wants. Although he wasn't as bad compared to what I had heard from the Math 31B students, he was still pretty bad and I would not take a class from this professor again.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B+
June 25, 2023

Pablo is not bad as everyone says but I have to say that discussion and homework problems are tough and harsh on grading. His exams are all from practice exams he gives out so you only need to focus on solving them correctly and memeorize them all to get a satisfying grade.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: N/A
May 30, 2023

I wrote a draft review that ended up being a short paper, so here is the very, very gist of the class:

1. Standard math class policies: homework and discussion assignments are worth some peanuts of your final grade, while the midterm and final make up most of it. The midterm can be dropped on a second grading scheme. Discussion assignments and homework are graded half on completion and half correctness. Discussion work is graded harshly by the TA, Kong.
2. The class is well organized: All lessons and chapters they will cover are shown from the start of the quarter on Ocal's github, which he uses in place of Bruinlearn. All discussion assignments and homework are there as well, in addition to helpful a practice midterm and final. Although I haven't taken the final quite yet, the midterm was fair and conducive to the practice midterm, and I suspect the final will be similar. (Fair=/= easy, again the class is quite difficult, but doable)
3. Ocal himself is a fairly nice person: Self explanatory. He delivers his lectures with excitement and tries his best to answer questions. Some things are a bit rigid like the fact that he still has assignments due the weeks where he has exams, which is annoying but manageable.
4. LECTURES ARE VERY VERY VERY CONFUSING: Lectures are basically a 1 to 1 of the associated textbook chapter. While the class has no proof based math courses as a prerequisite, it probably should. Off the bat, Ocal assumes you are comfortable with mathematical proofs, although, again, the course does not require any proof based math courses as a prereq. In addition, besides the proof part of the class, Ocal's lectures end up being extraordinarily hard to follow. It is almost as if the lectures are geared towards those who have already taken the class before. I went to all the lecture up until mid quarter, because the lectures would confuse me so much, so I ended up reading the book (which he anyways teaches out of) for the rest of the quarter, and it was actually less confusing than the lectures.

In essence, while the class is well organized consistently paced (albeit very difficult still), Ocal's lectures provide virtually no benefit to students taking the class, and honestly this could be a self study online class and would not be different in the slightest. If you are confident in learning the entire class by yourself, take it, the exams are fair and the work is consistent and available in advance. However, if you are not extremely comfortable with proof based math, then PLEASE take another professor.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 1
2.0
Overall Rating
Based on 3 Users
Easiness 1.7 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 1.3 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.7 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 2.0 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

There are no relevant tags for this professor yet.

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