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A spaced repetition schedule for calculus
Calculus builds on itself: if limits fade, derivatives wobble, and if derivatives wobble, integrals collapse. Spaced repetition fixes this by bringing each topic back just before you'd forget it, instead of cramming everything the night before the exam.
The core rule
Review each topic at growing intervals after you first learn it, for example:
Day 0 → Day 1 → Day 3 → Day 7 → Day 14 → Day 30
These are starting points, not science-backed magic numbers. If a review goes badly, shorten the next gap. If it's easy, lengthen it. Algorithms like FSRS and SM-2 automate exactly this adjustment.
What a "review" means for calculus
Not rereading. Each review should be retrieval: 1. Write the definition or rule from memory (e.g. $\frac{d}{dx}[f(g(x))] = f'(g(x))\,g'(x)$). 2. Solve 2–3 fresh problems without notes. 3. Name one trap (e.g. forgetting the inner derivative). 4. Check, and mark it easy, OK or hard.
15–25 minutes per topic is usually enough.
A 12-week Calculus I template
| Week | New topic | Reviews that week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Limits, limit laws | — |
| 2 | Continuity, squeeze theorem | Limits |
| 3 | Definition of the derivative | Limits, continuity |
| 4 | Power, product, quotient rules | Derivative definition, limits |
| 5 | Chain rule | Product/quotient, continuity |
| 6 | Implicit differentiation, related rates | Chain rule, derivative definition |
| 7 | Midterm week | Everything due, weakest first |
| 8 | Extrema, MVT, curve sketching | Chain rule, implicit |
| 9 | Optimization, L'Hôpital | Extrema, related rates |
| 10 | Antiderivatives, Riemann sums | Optimization, chain rule |
| 11 | FTC, u-substitution | Antiderivatives, L'Hôpital |
| 12 | Area between curves | FTC, u-sub, chain rule |
Before the final: a mixed review of every topic, weakest first, spread over 7–10 days rather than one night.
Tips that matter more than the schedule
- Mix problem types in later reviews. Exams don't label which rule to use.
- Keep a trap list per topic. Most lost points are repeat mistakes.
- Short and regular beats long and rare. 20 minutes a day beats 3 hours on Sunday.
Doing this without a spreadsheet
In RecallHaven, write each topic as a note (KaTeX supported), attach a quiz with a section per concept (multiple choice and self-graded open questions), and pick FSRS or SM-2. When you finish a section, its next review is scheduled for you and shows up in Today and the calendar.
FAQ
How long before the exam should I start? As early as the first lecture. The schedule works because reviews are spread out.
Does this work for Calculus II? Yes. Swap in integration techniques, series and parametric topics. Series especially benefits from frequent short reviews.
FSRS or SM-2? See our FSRS vs SM-2 guide.
What if I fall behind? Do the most overdue, most foundational topic first (usually derivatives) and don't try to clear everything in one day.
Want the reviews scheduled for you? Put one calculus topic into RecallHaven as a note with a quiz. Try it free →
Use the free spaced repetition schedule calculator (no sign-up), or try RecallHaven.
Open the calculator