Patton, Linda  

Mathematics

3.69/4.00

121 evaluations


MATH 124


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2008
I LOVE PATTON. Linda is AMAZING. It seems like everything is SO SIMPLE when she teaches it and the hour passes really quickly - and it's like, "wow, that's all there is to that?" I have had patton for two quarters now and hopefully there will be a third. I wish there were more teachers like her. She's really appraochable, doesn't make many mistakes on the board, always knows the easy ways around a question and always cuts the boiler plate to get down to what is important! TAKE HER CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!

HNRS 134


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Jan 2011
Dr. Patton did a wonderful job of explaining all of the concepts of Calculus III last quarter in the Honors section. Admittedly, it was not the easiest class, resulting in my B- for the quarter. Linda's teaching style is a very comfortable one and any student will feel at home in her class. However, her insistence that our tests needed to be significantly harder because we were the Honors section made things difficult (Not that I really blame HER for it). In terms of clarity, Dr. Patton is vague sometimes, but asking for more explanation usually results in a more in depth breakdown of the subject in question. If anything, Dr. Patton is fair. She understands what we're thinking and provides an environment which, if not always easy, is at the very least orderly and fair. If asked, I would recommend her to fellow students.

MATH 141


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Aug 2001
I've taken Dr. Patton for two math classes at Cal Poly, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to take her for all of them. She is an amazingly good professor. She lectures very clearly, and is excellent with questions if you aren't clear. She has weekly quizzes that make sure you're keeping up on the material, which pay off BIG on tests. Homework is due every Friday, so you can do it at your own pace over the week if you have a busy schedule. She almost always has one night a week before the quiz that you can come in and get additional help. I'd highly recommend everyone to take advantage of this, as it is incredibly helpful. Linda is very approachable, and a wonderful professor. Take her if at all possible!


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Oct 1999
If your ever, EVER have the opportunity to take one of Linda's classes, you must do it. She is a most excellent teacher. Her lectures are always clear and informative. The homework represents the course material well. The tests are of easy-medium difficulty. And most of all, she CARES about the students and is very easy to approach and get help from. If you ever get into one of her classes, consider yourself very lucky. Not only will you come out knowing the material well, you won't have been dragged kicking and screaming the entire way.


Freshman
D
Required (Major)
Sep 2013
I got a D in the class but I honestly thought Prof. Patton was a great instructor. Great lady and veryyyy intelligent. Moves fast but is helpful in office hours. Do the homework! Tests are a bit hard. But I feel good about retaking Math 141 and getting an A. I just slacked off a lot and BS'd the HW and did poorly on tests. But she's great.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Sep 2017
LINDA IS BAE. She is so sweet and nice. Go take her

HNRS 142


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2008
Linda Patton has a wonderful personality and really demonstrates her passion for the subject while teaching it. She really is also concerned about the students' well beings and is always open to help (extremely responsive with emails, creating extra office hours, etc.). Her projects usually focus on getting the conceptual idea of the material, and her tests are generally straightforward. Sometimes she goes off on tangents that are a little advanced for the class or difficult to understand, but that's just her getting passionate. As long as you are willing to ask, she will always bring it back to basics for you. She definitely changed my perspective of math for the better, and I highly recommend her!

MATH 142


Sophomore
C
Required (Major)
Aug 2001
Dr. Patton has to be one of the coolest math professors at Cal Poly. I wish I could have taken her for my other classes. She was willing to work with me when I needed to get caught up after a long absence, even let me do extra credit. Her weekly projects were tough and it helps to get together a group that can work hard on it. We rarely needed to correct her in class. Even now, being a former student, she still remembers me and helps me out with things that my current professors can't be available to answer.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Nov 1999
All I have to say is that Dr. Patton kicks ass! I had her for 4 quarters, so I know :) She is NOT one of those teachers that tries to trick you on tests. She's very straightforward about what she wants you to know. If you can take her, DO IT!


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jul 2001
Linda is very cool. She is pretty absent-minded at times, but she goes slow and doesn't usually assume you know everything. She answers questions well and doesn't act condescending at all. She is very easy to talk to and she's very supportive. Great teacher!


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Aug 2001
What to say about Dr. Patton? Linda is awesome! She was helpful in class, presenting the material from notes that she made up before class, which some people complained about, BUT THEY MADE SENSE!! She was able to teach calculus in a straightforward manner (as opposed to my calc teacher for 141). I really thought her projects were helpful - if you did them and showed each step and really thought about it, it helped you understand the material rather well. She holds "office hours" the day before tests in a classroom, there are usually a ton of people there - GO TO THEM... they are helpful, and go armed with questions. It is your fault if you don't do well in her class. She gives you every opportunity to pass her class and even get a B or A. She even will answer email... heck, I wrote to her during the summer and she emailed me right back! She is an awesome teacher who cares - you just have to put in the effort and do YOUR part! My favorite teacher yet at Cal Poly - I am taking her again next quarter!


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Sep 2001
Dr. Patton gives an easy exam every Friday and drops the lowest two. She gives three or four projects and drops the lowest. She gives two midterms and a final, and if you do better on the final, she drops one midterm. If you do better on the midterms, the final's worth half. Take notes, keep up with the reasonable amount of homework (due Fridays, worth 5% of total grade), and maybe even get into a math workshop and you'll do fine.


Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Nov 2005
im not done with her yet, but she is an awsome teacher and she really strives to help you if you are having trouble, the homework is very easy, and gets graded for completeness, not correctness, by students. take her


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2005
Linda is a GREAT teacher! Her lectures are always well organized and easy to follow. If not, go to her office hours and she will definitely help you more. I'd say the homework takes about an hour on average. I dont think i ever read the sections because the lectures were so good. She does the harder problems from the homework the next day BEFORE you turn it in so you can do them then. And yes, the hw is graded for completeness by students, so do it (or make it look like you did) and you are guarenteed 100% in HW. I have heard that this is not the case with other professors so do not take this for granted!!! There is a quiz almost every fri, but it is always very easy and basic. just so she knows you get the concept. She even lets you have a couple off days and uses (i think)the best 6 out of the 8 quizzes for your grade. The tests are not bad. Like easy to medium homework problems. On the material: I took calc AB AP my senior year in high school and everything on the first midterm was review. Most of the rest of the material was also review, but a little more in depth. Just a few more simple formulas. This is probably the best teacher for this class esp because of her grading so TAKE HER!!!


Freshman
D
Required (Support)
Mar 2006
She's a really nice and good teacher. I just got a D because I was lazy (and also I had a B before the final.. I bombed that shit good.) I'm currently retaking Math 142 and getting an A without even trying now.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2006
Really nice, fun teacher. Take her if you can. Everything up to the first midterm of this class is actually AP Calc AB material. Don't really have much else to say except she's really nice and is decent at explaining the concepts.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Feb 2008
she is VERY unclear and confusing when teaching at 8am. tests are easy if you can do the hw (even if you didnt do it). ASK HOMEWORK QUESTIONS! she always lets the class ask several questions on the hw before turning it in, this was a lifesaver when i did hw. dont underestimate her final though.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2008
She's really helpful in helping a student understand the material when they're confused and will always do her best to clarify anything a student asks as she knows that sometimes calculus isn't that easy.


Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2008
Her lectures sometimes seem to be a bit fast and hard to follow, but that was more than likely due to my being half asleep at 8AM. Overall she's a good teacher who is incredibly helpful if you go to her office hours.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2008
Patton is the nicest teacher I have ever met. She's really sweet and gentle-hearted. But as far as her teaching goes, I don't 100% recommend her. She knows her stuff but she isn't skilled at explaining. She gives examples in class but they're the simplest examples you can find so when it's time to do homework, you find yourself screwed. The only reason I got an A was because I already knew most of the stuff from taking Calc AB in high school.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2008
Linda is such a nice lady!! she doesnt always present the information super clearly but if you go to her office hours shes really really helpful. i got a D on the first midterm but she really helped me get my shit together and i ended up with a C in the class


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2009
She is a great teacher. She goes fast, but if you need help, she is more than willing to slow down and help. Take her classes.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jan 2010
Patton is AMAZING! She goes fast because there\'s a lot of material to cover in Calc 2, so you might get intimidated during the first week of class (at leas I did). But you\'ll grow to love her because she is just so kind and patient and helpful. She is one of the nicest professors you\'ll have, in and outside of class.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2010
Definitely my favorite teacher at Cal Poly so far. I took her last quarter for Calc 2 and am taking her for Calc 4 again next quarter because I like her so much. She really does make things easy to understand and answers questions really well. Take her if you have the chance!


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2010
She certainly gets a lot of praise here on Polyratings and deserves most of it. She is definitely very knowledgeable and a nice and caring person. I did find her to be a bit impersonal in class, she had a fast lecture and it was done, lecture, couple examples, and maybe a question or two answered. But overall she was good, take advantage of her office hours, I should have more, she is willing to help, at any level, and is able to do it well. Decent amount of homework, quizzes some Fridays, 2 midterms that weren\'t terrible and a moderate to hard final. Recommended for a class like this with harder material.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Apr 2010
Let me put it this way... Out of my professor choices, she was the only one I wanted to write my transfer recommendation. She was an amazing and approachable teacher whose teaching method is not only very effective, but very warm. She makes herself very available to help you learn and pass the class. Take her, she is a great math teacher, the best I have had, hands down.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
May 2010
Patton was simply amazing!!! Her way of teaching and presenting the material was very clear and she seemed to really care for the students. She clarified the concepts that I pretty much forgot the previous year in AB Calculus, and because of this, I was able to get an A; despite failing the first midterm, I got a 100% on the second midterm, which gave my grade a solid boost. I would recommend anyone sighing up for Math 142 to take Patton.


Freshman
C
Elective
Oct 2011
She's great


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2011
Patton was a really great teacher. I took calculus AB/BC in high school, and only took the calc AB AP test junior year of high school. I got a 3, and took math 142 with Patton a year and a half after having any type of math course. I got a D on both midterms (the class average was a D for the first midterm, and a B on the second). I went in to her office hours, and she told me that whatever grade I got on the final would be my grade in the course, and she was confident I could get a C. I got a 76% on the final and got that grade in the class as well. She's a great teacher, and will go through extra effort to make sure her students succeed. Take this class! It was far more challenging than my friends' math 142 classes, but she's a great teacher.


Freshman
D
Required (Support)
Dec 2011
Dr. Patton is a good teacher who is always willing to help her students. She is clear in lecture and she makes sure the homework load is fair. That said, I did not do well in the class. Part of that was because I had a busy quarter. I was unable to go to most of her office hours but she was willing to have me come in at other times to get help. The tests were what really messed me up. They are more difficult than the quizzes and she does not curve.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Jan 2012
She is an amazing teacher!!! Take her classes! DO IT!


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2012
She taught me calculus haha i wonder if she reads these its very likely great teacher you can tell she enjoys math and she always starts explaining things from square one, so all you gotta do is sit back and listen and then you know calculus


Freshman
C
Required (Major)
Jun 2013
Patton is a very intelligent woman, she teaches pretty fast but maintains a nice pace. Make sure to do the homework and you'll be fine.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Aug 2015
I really enjoyed Prof. Patton's class. She is super approachable in office hours and very flexible if you need to miss class and make up a quiz or test. Quizzes were twice a week, which makes you actually do the homework. The midterms are based off of the quizzes, which is very nice. Plus, grading is pretty nice, if you did better on the final than one of your midterms she drops that midterm. Overall i had a great experience in her class and i would HIGHLY recommend her as a professor.


Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Oct 2015
This was the first class I ever attended at college and it was honestly really great. She is really kind, understanding, and relaxed. You are allowed to turn in up to three papers late without penalty. She has a doctorate in math, but prefers to be called by her first name. I hope you get the chance to have her during your time at Cal Poly.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2016
Taking Math 142 with Professor Patton convinced me how strong the math department is at Cal Poly. Her lectures go right to the point and she is willing to help anyone who is struggling. I wish I had studied and reviewed Calc I before entering her class, because all the fundamentals are needed to ace the course. I aced all the quizzes, but did average on the exams. Had I turned in the homework when I completed it, I would have passed with a much higher grade. Would definitely take her again!


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
May 2016
Dr. Patton is a sweet old lady who is very wise and great at communicating math. She's good at explaining why things work and how to do them. Her tests are very fair and her weekly quizzes are cake. Imagine if the neighborhood cat lady had a doctorate in math and thats Dr. Patton. She's amazing.-KramerTheAssMan


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2017
Quizzes are fine, however, tests are somewhat challenge. It seems sometimes Professor Patton is a little bit unorganized, yet this might not be a major problem. She is a really nice old lady and willing to help students at anytime. Class was being very quiet sometimes, I think it's because people were just not very engaged in the class. I can still remember that she left a comment on my first midterm (I got a B-) says something like, "I know you can do better than this. See me if you have any concerns. I trust you don't you trust yourself?" And this definitely encouraged me to study harder and I resulted with a B+ on the 2nd midterm. I strongly recommend Professor Patton. Take her if you can!


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Apr 2017
Patton is great. She manages and teaches a math course exactly as it should be. The course itself has a fair amount of homework associated with it, but that is just MATH 142 in general. Definitely take her if given the chance.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
May 2017
Patton is a very solid calculus professor. She presents the material very clearly and effectively every day and always leaves time for questions if you don't fully understand something. She gives many, many examples for every section she covers which really helps you learn the material.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2018
Linda was a very good teacher and did a good job of explaining the material in a manner that was easy for students to understand. While generally the material was pretty difficult, Linda helped guide the class through the challenges.

MATH 143


Sophomore
A
Elective
Jan 2002
I took her for 142 and gave the evaluation below. I'm evaluating her gaain because nobody else has done one for 143. She did a few things differently in this class. She collected homework twice a week, but it was still worth 5% of the total grade. She assigned only two projects, and dropped neither this time around. Try to arrange a group to study with and this class should be reasonable.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2002
Patton is not the wonderful teacher that everyone makes her out to be. She doesn't have that much personality during lectures, which can make a boring quarter even more boring. I don't think I ever heard a joke come out of the Patton's mouth. I wish I'd recorded one of her lectures and then played it back for her. Her boring lecture style reminded me of a teacher I had is HS whom the students dubbed MATHBOT 3000. Most of the board is usally filled with formal definitions and proofs that are difficult to follow. For example, she tried to prove how the formula for finding the sum of a geometric series works. She does; however, present the material clearly and really does care about her studetns. Her tests were pretty difficult becasue all problems are worth the same amount. Yet, some problems have 4 parts while other have one. I wish she would put the point breakdowns on the tests. Make sure you attempt all problems on one of her exams even if you can't get to the right answer. She does dish out a lot of partial credit. I'd take her again, but she is a fairly average math teacher.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jan 2002
Linda Patton is a pretty good teacher. I went to class, payed attention to the lectures and managed to figure out the material. She goes over everything pretty well, but go to office hours or the tutoring sessions if math isn't your thing. I would recommend her over a lot of other math teachers, so don't hesitate to take her.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2002
Patton is a great teacher. She collects the homework daily, and goes over it thoroughly. Her tests are very straight forward, but she does grade a little hard. She is very friendly and very helpful in office hours.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jun 2002
she is definitely a nice and caring professor. however, she is very hard to understand. she doesn't look her students in the eye as though she is intimidated by them. she drops your lowest midterm of the 2 and counts your final 50% and the one midterm 25%. otherwise, she keeps all your midterms and counts your final as 25%. homework is easy points and she give math projects as well. if you want to understand math, you need to refer to your book.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jun 2002
Linda Patton is a good teacher no doubt...BUT she grades somewhat on the strict side. She does drop your lowest midterm or half of your final, whichever is worse. You turn in homework everyday which is worth 12.5% of your grade and then there are 2 projects which add up to another 12.5%. If you don't do well on the midterms...DO THE HOMEWORK!! Overall she a good teacher but she doesn't give much if any partial credit and she grades pretty hard.


Junior
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2004
Patton is a good teacher. She is young enough that she can listen and respond to the class, present material, and help if asked. She gives daily homework, but it is only worth 5%. There is one project, which is just one hard problem, but that is only 5% as well. The rest is two midterms and a final. These tests are hard - or were for me, anyway. She chooses problems that she lectures on or are in the homework - and they aren't easy, but if you have done your work, you ought to be okay. She does curve, slightly. She is extremely available in office hours. Honestly, I think she is one of the best math teachers I have had at Poly.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2004
Doctor Patton is very approachable and teaches the material well if not completely (we'd run out of time in some rare occasions of our 1 hour class). She was nice to us and answered any homework question we had on the day it was due. She's the kind of teacher that laughs with you and not at you (and sometimes laughs at herself). There was one team project (team is optional) that consisted of one difficult question. The homework and project only count as 5% of your grade. Basically, the two midterms and final determine your grade. You cover infinite series, series representations of functions, conic sections, and 2d & 3d vectors. The final is inclusive and was relatively easy compared to the midterms. The first midterm was the hardest, and it gets easier with each successive exam. There's also a quiz every week (one question) based on the material you cover that week, but the quizes are really easy.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2004
Patton can teach very well. She has trouble dealing with problems she can't think through to the end. When she gets stuck, it takes a long time for her to figure out the problem (which probably stems from the drugs she did in the 70's). The midterms are some of the easiest I've taken, but the final had average difficulty. She wastes about half a lecture going over problems in class, making her office hours, for the most part, worthless. Homework is collected and checked off and the weekly quizzes let you know how well you think you're doing. She's a good teacher, but she has problems.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Apr 2004
Most people consider this to be the hardest class out of the 14* series. Linda does a fairly good job presenting the material. She seems very genuine and recognizes exactly what concepts are hard for people. Her test difficulty level is just about right, not exactly easy, but not incredibly hard either. Overall I'd really recommend her.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2004
*Note: the following is my personal opinion and the events happened during my time in the class. As always, class material and assignments may be changed* Professor Patton was an excellent teacher for Calculus III. She definitely knows the material and does a pretty good job at letting the students know what is usually hard and should be focused on more. Her lectures just a tad fast, and I really do mean just a tad, for it doesn't seem too fast, but I guess it could be slower. She writes basically everything that she says on the board, which is great because you can look back and be able to figure out what she taught from your notes. Patton assigns homework everyday that is due the next day, but she also answers some homework questions in class the next day. There are quizzes every friday (with the exception of some fridays) and 2 midterms and a final. The quizzes are not difficult and are great at making you stay on track. The midterms are not extremely easy nor are they extremely hard. They seem to just be right. The final did have two or three questions that needed some thought, but it wasn't impossible to do. Patton is also awesome in office hours. She is very nice and explains everything. Overall, Patton is a good teacher for Math 143.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jul 2004
I had a 97% throughout this entire damned class, how did I end up with a B+? The final is weighted very heavily, about 40% of your grade, and I didn't have enough time to study since it was on a Friday. Let this be a warning to you all. In any case, I really liked this class. Patton is a fine teacher, serious but able to laugh every once and a while. Great at getting the material out, to be sure, and also helpful during office hours. This was hyped up as the hardest in the Calculus series, but honestly I didn't spend more than the time it took for homework on this class and I had an A up until the end. Some will find it hard, if you aren't used to classes with a diverse array of concepts and procedures and ideas, all of which you have to know. As for me, I'm a CSC major, so it's second nature to me by now. For Math 143, Patton is your gal.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jul 2004
She's a very good lecturer, and her tests are of medium difficulty. Overall a good class to take. Show up for all the lectures on infinite sequences and series (Chap 12, first thing you do), but the later sections are easier and you can skip it.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jul 2004
This is the easiest proffesor I have ever had. Her 143 class was a joke. I probably missed at least a forth of the classes and I never studied except for a coulple hours before the tests and I still got an A. If you want to have an easy quarter of math, take her.


Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Nov 2004
Dr. Patton is a superb professor. I was lucky enough to have a lot of good math teachers throuhgout high school math and Dr. Patton is just as good if not better than most. She presents the material in a very step by step method and shows the derivations for all of the equations used. If you have any questions at all she will not hesitate to clarify. Everyday we'll start by going over the problems that people had with the night before's homework so that no questions are left unanswered. Calc 3 is a tough one and having a good professor will definitely help you. I would strongly recommend Dr. Patton to anyone planning on taking Calc 3.


Sophomore
C
Elective
Feb 2005
i didnt go almost the whole quarter and i pulled off a c+. i think she is a great teacher and she explained things better that my other math 143 teacher(van lingen, dont take him he gave me my first f EVER). I think she really cares about her students. the best thing is the quizzes are announced, the hw isnt hard or time consuming and her test are very fair. there is a minumum amount of studying to do and my grade reflects my effort(i missed alot of quizzes and half of the hw due dates). take her, shes a good teacher.


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Jan 2006
Patton is an all-around excelent professor. She makes the understanding of the lecture material her number one priority. The lectures are carefully laid out so that you could understand easily, or with a trip to her office where she has tons of office hours. She is extremely friendly and willing to help you out in any way shape or form. Tests are a bit challenging, but there are no curveballs; just HW-like problems if appropriate difficulty. So in all, take her if you can.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2006
Dr. Patton is an excellent professor all around. Calculus 3 is not an easy subject (especially the first half of the quarter), but she presented the material very clearly. She takes about the first half-hour or so to go over homework problems that anyone had trouble with. Plus, since the first midterm was hard, she gave everyone an extra 3 points, and that if anyone did better on the final, she would drop that midterm and weigh the final more heavily to compensate for the grade. The second midterm was a lot easier, and the final was medium difficulty. Overall, highly recommended and would definitely take again!


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2006
Easily the best math teachedr I have ever had. She obviosly has lots of experience teaching calc, becaue she knows exactly where students have problems and how to explain it to alleviate those problems. Homework is assigned almost every day, and you take turns taking it home and checking it (if you did it you get full credit). Quizes are pretty much weekly, and not too difficult. Exams are not ridiculously hard or extremely easy. There are no suprizes, so if you do your homework and study, you will do well. If you are taking Calc III, take Patton


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2006
Patton is pretty awesome. I had her at 7 AM and I only fell asleep like once a week. She has a good sense of humor and grades very fairly. Her lectures are very good, she deals with basic information and then usually does some hard examples. I thought calc 3 was going to be so hard, but it ended up being not that bad. She also is very helpful during office hours and loves it when you come in, take advantage. she's also unnaturally good at remembering names, except when you change your hairstyle. haha.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Feb 2007
Professor Patton actually cares about the material AND you learning it. She presents the material very clearly, gives plenty of good examples, and is very happy to answer all the homework questions people give her. I never went into office hours but she still somehow learned my name and most of the other students' too.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2007
Linda Patton is definitely one of the top-notch professors in the math department at Poly. Everyone warned me how difficult 143 was gonna be, especially with the series part, but she explained things in a clear concise manner. As for the overview of her class, she puts everything on a fair grading scale with homework 10%, weekly quizzes 10%, each midterm as 20%, her project 10%, and final 30%. People thought her first midterm was hard, but in all honesty I thought it was the easiest test she gave...only because I really understood series. Her 2nd midterm was harder for me because I didn't take sketching polar coordinates very seriously and that really hurt me. She's kind of big on sketching polar curves and had two of them on the midterm and final. As for the final...I didn't think it was that bad...probably medium difficulty, but I studied pretty hard for it. Just make sure you brush up on the earlier material, and study the latter half of chapter 13 and all of 14. Her weekly quizzes are a breeze if you do her online practice tests and the homework. And yes, you probably heard she has a project each quarter. But don't let it deter you from taking her...it really isn't that bad because you work in groups and you're given about a week to work on it. For us it consisted for a 5-part problem with parametric curves. My friend and I DEVASTATED it because in addition to doing it and the extra credit problem, we had the LEGENDARY ANTON KAUL help us with one part that turned into a 10 page math proof. Patton won't help you with the project but I'd recommmend seeing another math professor for help or at least to check over your work since it is 10% of your grade. All in all I really enjoyed having her, and I'm taking her again for Math 241 because she is that good.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Apr 2007
Patton is an awesome teacher. See is very clear and presents the material a very organized fashion. Just do the homework and see her in office hours whenever you need help and you have an A, great teacher.


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Apr 2007
Great teacher, best math teacher ever. She makes her tests bearable, you can actually do the problems-she doesn't try and trick you. Gives you a study guide, know that and do the homework, and ask questions on it and you will be fine. The weekly quizzes were good, gave you an idea of what the tests would be like, and quizzes were fair. Would love to take another class with her! She really wants her students to do well and understand Calc.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2008
Amazing.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
May 2009
Dr. Patton has been my favorite teacher so far at Cal Poly. She explains the material very thoroughly. This is good because this class was very challenging for me. She gives a lot of required homework. The midterms and finals are hard, but you should be fine if you actually put effort into the homework. Constantly ask questions and utilize office hours. She is sweet and has a fun sense of humor.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2011
One of the best Profs ever. She can be a bit spacey sometimes but her class is straightforward and if you pay attention and ask questions it's super-easy to get an A or a B.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2011
Linda Patton was a really great teacher for Calc III. She was always kind and funny. In class she was always happy to answer homework questions, and would do a thorough job explaining. If something was ever unclear, she'd do her very best to try to present it in a different way. For midterms, she'd have nice review sessions; she really tries hard to help you do well. Her grading is fair, and I found I got the grades I deserved. She'll challenge you, but she's not out to trip you up. If I were to have one complaint, it'd be that sometimes we spent too much time going over homework from the night before, and then the lecture for the new material would feel rushed, and we might miss a small section for the coming night's work. It was never too bad, and definitely not a big deal. I would've loved to have taken Patton again for Calc IV, but it just didn't work out for my schedule. Take her if you can!


Senior
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2011
Took her 3 years ago when I was a sophomore, but running into her on campus recently prompted me to give her the review she deserves. The scope of my experience with her is for the calculus series. I had her for 143 and 241 and is definitely one of my favorite teachers I've had in my time here at Cal Poly. A very sweet and caring lady who I really enjoyed taking my calculus courses from. Presented the lecture material clearly for the most part, and always went over the material I didn't understand in office hours until I got it. Never came off as pretentious and would do her best to accomodate students' difficulties. Her exams were slightly on the difficult side and a bit long, but if you put in a solid effort to do the assigned homework and prepare for the exams you should at least be guaranteed a B. Her and Anton Kaul were the primary reason I didn't hate my math support courses and would highly recommend either one for a math class. The math department and university are lucky to have her.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jul 2011
Dr. Patton is not a difficult professor. If you like challenging yourself in math, avoid her class. However, most of us just want to get math out of the way. In that case, taking Dr. Patton is a good way to learn the basics and get an easy, good grade. You still have to do the homework. There are also quizzes but they are very straightforward.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Nov 2011
Moderated Comment
I took this class as a freshman and struggled quite a bit in the beginning. If you tend to have difficulties in math, I would definitely recommend this class for you.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2013
Linda is an amazing teacher! She really does genuinely care about her students' understanding of the material. You'll never feel shy to ask a question in her class. She is so helpful and is always thoroughly answer any questions you might have whether its during class or office hours. Over all she is probably one of the most dedicated professors ever and if you get a chance to take her do it.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2013
The honors section of Calc 3 was a lot of work, but Linda explained everything really clearly and was easy to follow in lecture. The quizzes and tests are fair, but you need to know the material very well to get a good grade on the tests. The homework averages about 30 mins a day for me, collected every two lectures.


Freshman
N/A
Required (Major)
Mar 2016
Dr. Patton was an absolute joy to have this quarter. She is a rare breed of professor that will acknowledge her mistakes and student mistakes with a slight bit of humor and makes them into learning moments. She presents material very clearly and goes a little bit more in depth on topics she finds interesting, such as 3D space. She is also super approachable in office hours and during class. I would highly recommend Dr. Patton.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2016
Dr. Patton is the best math teacher I've ever taken. I scraped by with C-s in Calc I & II in high school, and was dreading Calc III. I ended up decided to take the course but had a meeting with Dr. Patton to ask for her advice on how to best prepare for the class. She recommended brushing up on integrals and derivatives, and told me it was going to be a pain in the ass but that she thought I could do it. I worked my ass off for the course, and it did suck, but it was because Dr. Patton was such a great lecturer and professor in office hours that I succeeded. You will need to work hard in her class, but she gives you all the tools you need and is a wonderful person. Her lectures are clear and enjoyable, and her tests are fair. I highly recommend you take Patton for every math class you can! I ended up getting a 75% average but pulled a 90% on the midterm (I was ecstatic) to get a B in the class.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2016
Linda is really down to earth and a good teacher. If you have any questions during lecture she'll happily answer them to clarify things. The class was a little boring, but she sometimes makes some pretty funny remarks and jokes. If you pay attention well you'll get at least a B. She doesn't curve anything, the tests or the class, but drops your lowest midterm. There is a lot of homework, and it's collected about 95% of the time. There are quizzes every other week or so, and they're graded pretty harshly.

MATH 206


Junior
N/A
Required (Support)
Dec 2002
Patton was a great teacher. I wish my computer science teachers were as good as her. She teaches the material really well and she really wants the students to learn the material. She has a million office hours and she's really flexible when you're disputing partial credit on your test questions. She teaches the material like she knows how we feel, in that she doesn't teach it like most teachers at Cal Poly do. Which is to teach it like we already know the material. She actually somehow teaches it so that we could learn it and not have too much trouble. Also, one of her close friends who was also a professor passed away in the middle of the quarter, and she had to take over his classes. But, she was still just as organized and available for help. I took linear algebra before with Luna and had to withdraw from it. Comparing the two teachers, Patton did a much better job. If you need to take any math classes for support or GE, i reccommend taking her if at all possible.


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Dec 2002
Patton is a great professor who has a real passion for teaching, especially Linear Algebra. Lectures at times become confusing, but really good at answering your questions. There are lots of proofs in this class, so be ready to memorize a ton of theorems. Test questions are basically a hit or miss kind of ordeal with these problems. Straightforward they are, but you have to be prepared for questions that take a lot of thinking. She has lots of office hours and she wants you to learn the material, so she is very helpful in answering your questions. You have 2 midterms at 25% each and a final at 50% where your lowest midterm is dropped or the final is halved. Do your homework as it is collected and graded for 10%. She also has projects and labs that you have to do for 10%. There are 7 quizes, lowest 2 dropped, for 5%. Overall, Patton is a great teacher for those who want to learn math. If you have any trouble, office hours are really helpful.

HNRS 241


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2011
Having Linda for two quarters in a row, I've become very comfortable with her style of teaching: witty and precise. Dr. Patton has a way of really making the subject easy to tackle and moving the students step-by-step toward a common goal: Destroying the Calculus beast. Her love of proofs really helps to clarify any lingering doubts on why a certain theorem makes sense or how to figure a Jacobian. My only contention lies in that, while the concepts are easy to understand and the homework all makes sense, her tests are killer. Study hard and you might do better than make a C on each of her two midterms, but, in any case, beware the tests. Yet, despite my inability to take her tests, I'm enrolled in her Linear Analysis class for Spring quarter and I'm very much looking forward to having her for another 10 weeks. If you have a chance to, take Linda Patton.


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Aug 2011
Dr. Patton is my favorite teacher at Cal Poly thus far. Not only is she an EXCELLENT teacher, but she's hilarious when she's not even trying to be. She wears purple as many days as she can get away with it and will ALWAYS be covered in chalk. She's a softy at heart and she genuinely wants everyone to do well. She is so incredibly helpful in office hours it's ridiculous. The fact that she's so dedicated is something you shouldn't take for granted since this subject is anything but easy. Even though her tests make you want to throw yourself out the nearest window, I still recommend Patton because she'll challenge you and it IS possible to do well in this class. You just have to do the study guide (this is THE best way to prepare), review until your eyes bleed, and go to her with any questions because she WILL clarify things for you.

MATH 241


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Dec 1999
I wish I could explain the opportunity is was for me to have this professor. She is the professor you wish you could have for all of your classes. Her grading policy is fair, and she will do what she can to try to get you the highest grade possible. If you want a professor that teaches, take her.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2000
I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no clue what teacher the other students had. Mine was constantly referring to her notes. She would give busy work as homework that was harshly graded by a grader. Reminded me of high school, but please remember you're not. In addition, she chose to spend I'd say 1/4 of the class writing down formal definitions in english of things we didn't need to know. And then the stupid projects which seemed to have no relevance to the class. The reviews for her midterms were far too indepth after seeing what was actually on the test. All problems are graded equally as well. Unfortunately, NOT ALL problems are equal. Some require more time and effort. In my three quarters at Cal Poly, I can't recall having worked so hard for a class and getting nothing out of the class. Oh, and let's not forget those quizzes you couldn't miss on Fridays during SPRING QUARTER. My experience in Dr. Patton's class was a complete disappointment after reading about what a great professor she was. I wouldn't take her again and either should you.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jul 2000
Linda was GREAT!!! She tought the material thoroughly and accurately. Her tests were perfectly straight-forward. Only thing I didn't like is that she collects homework and it is graded by a really tough grader.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Oct 2000
This was a really great math class and Dr. Patton is one of those wonderful teachers that is willing to do all that she can to help students understand the material. Her class does however require lots of work to do well. There is lots of homework but she is always willing to answer any questions at the beginning of class. Each Friday there is a quiz but they only take about three minutes and are no problem if you took the time to understand the homework. Her midterms are fair but the projects she gives are graded really hard and are really difficult. The final she gave our class was extremely hard and really screwed my grade in this class. Overall I was really disappointed with the amount of effort I put into this class and the grade and useful information that I got out of it. I did think that Dr. Patton was a good teacher considering the shitty subject that she is teaching so I would probably try to take her again for another shitty math class.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Sep 2007
Patton is a sweetheart. By far one of the most friendly professors I've come across during my time at Cal Poly. Plus she's awesome at teaching the material and going out of her way to help students out. I had her for Math 143 & 241 and she turned those 2 quarters of Calculus from what seemed like was going to be hell into a bearable experience. I would highly recommend Patton.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2008
Linda Patton has got to be one of the best math professors at Cal Poly. She makes every concept understandable and she is very clear when it comes to answering questions. If you get the chance, take her class!


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Apr 2009
LP is a caring woman with a closet full of goofy pants. I took for Calc II through IV and received easy A's for the most part. She collects homework everyday which can provide a good grade cushion. She always has a "math project" and suggests you work in groups, but I always did it alone like a true mathematician. Lastly, know your high school trig because she loves throwing double angles everywhere.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
May 2009
Patton is really a great teacher. She is pretty amusing, and is very clear in her descriptions of the material. There is a lot of "mandatory" homework for this class, but it's only 5% of your grade, so there is some room for slack :) The quizzes are pretty straightforward, but the tests are very difficult! Just make sure you understand everything that's going on and you'll do just fine.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2009
Patton is one of the best math teachers I've ever had, hands down. She clearly presents all the material, though sometime she goes a bit fast. She'll explain everything if you ask her though, and she's really accessible during her office hours. Before tests she'll hold review sessions, she gives you practice tests and quizzes, and her test questions are a lot like the mid-level homework problems. Her homework load is pretty light. She seems to alternate between huge assignments and little ones, but they're all "required". They're not graded, just checked off if you did it or not, so just put in an honest effort to finish and you're fine. Aside from class, Linda Patton is one of the nicest professors out there. She's quirky and hilarious during class; proving examples about her cat that "clearly demonstrates the concept, but probably doesn't understand the material very well".


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Aug 2009
I had honors calc 2-4 with Dr. Patton. Simply put, Dr. Patton is amazing. If only she could teach all of my future math courses ._.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2011
shes pretty fair i guess. she cracks a joke every once in a while. does a good job of explaining things and telling u what u need to know. the HW got a little crazy but its do able. she also gives really helpful practice tests and quizzes as well as useful study guides.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2014
Patton is the best math professor I've had at Cal Poly so far. She is clear, concise, funny, helpful, and more than fair. Everything you'd want in a professor. She's even more helpful in office hours. The class has 2 midterms and a final. She'll weigh your higher midterm score as 25% and your lower one as 15%. And to be honest, I would go so far as saying her midterms are easy, especially the second one, as long as you study. She not the kind of professor that tries to trick you. And if it helps your grade, she'll make the final 50% knocking out your lowest midterm score all together. However, the final was MUCH harder than her midterms so be aware. It kind of threw me off, but I still got a good score. Almost every week, we have a quiz, which are not bad if you do the assigned HW. She collects the HW twice a week, but it's credit/no credit. So you could probably do just one assigned problem and still get full credit. But HW really prepares you for her midterms/final. Overall, HIGHLY recommend her for Calc IV!


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Jan 2015
Do not believe all the good ratings about her. I took her for Linear, and she was terrible. She NEVER presented the material in a way where I could easily understand it. When I got to the homework, I always found that I had to reteach it to my self to understand it. She is not a teacher I would ever take again.


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2016
Linda is definitely one of the best math professors at Cal Poly. I had her for Calc II and IV and managed to get a B- and B in them. Her grading goes like this: 5% of your grade is from homework (this is based on whether you do it or not and it is honestly for your benefit if you do it even if she assigns like 25 problems), 20% is from Friday quizzes which are pretty easy if you do the homework and study a bit Thursday night (problems are very straightforward and she doesn't try to trick you), then there are two midterms and a final. Each one is worth 25% or you can drop your lowest midterm and have the final worth 50% of your grade. From my experience with her, the tests can be pretty difficult and you need to do a ton of practice problems and truly grasp the concepts. All this being said, I think she really cares about her students. She is extremely helpful during office hours and usually has extra on the weeks of exams (sometimes on the weekends too). In class, the first 15 minutes are spent answering questions from the homework, then the rest of the time, she introduces a concept from the book and does examples. She very rarely wastes time giving proofs (because honestly who gives a shit) and tries to focus on examples. Overall, great teacher and lady!

MATH 242


Junior
A
Elective
Mar 2002
Linda was a good professor. She gave you the information you needed to know. Nothing more, nothing less. She does however, write extremely fast on the board and it is hard to soak up all the information. However, she would do homework problems for about 10-15 minutes at the beginning of each lecture. If you go to class and copy down the solutions to these problems, you shouldn't have any trouble in here class. She likes resonance in springs so remember that on the midterm and the final. She drops your lowest midterm, or half the final which is helpful if you screw up on a midterm. The labs are easy and take about 10 minutes total. Overall, I feel she was an excellent instructor, minus the fact she added 50 people for a room meant to hold 35 and you have to get there 15 minutes before class to get a seat... Oh well.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Feb 2018
Never did I think I would write a Poly Review, but I had to for Linda. She is the reason I took the honors section of 242 and continued with it. I am not your nerdy student either who is always on top of their shit. She is so good at explaining the material in a comprehensible way that does not make you feel left behind often. She always pauses to see if anyone has questions and is very fair on the homework and quizzes. For midterms and final exams, there is never new material, but expect a curveball on one problem (aka don't make my mistake and be like "oh that was a tricky problem that she even said was tricky so she wont put it on there"). Most problems are same difficulty as homework and quiz problems, a few are more difficult, and expect one curveball. Best professor I've had, hands down. Take her class or try to crash I'm sure she will try to help you make it work.

MATH 244


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2009
Linda Patton is an amazing, caring, gentle teacher who really knows her stuff. She's a bit spacey sometimes, formulating an explanation in her head while staring upwards before answering a question (just like me). She knows and teaches math like the back of her hand. Sometimes she spent too much time answering homework questions and so was rushed to get through the lecture material. Nonetheless, she got through all of Linear Analysis I (a combination of differential equations and linear algebra into one quarter) during the term. This class is very vocab-intensive. Her tests reflect what she teaches. Unfortunately, the Edwards/Hartig book is not a great help, so definitely pay attention in class. You'll learn a lot with Patton, and you won't have to work too hard to get an A.


Sophomore
F
Required (Support)
Sep 2011
She's weird... and kinda unfriendly. I don't know why I can do well in all the other math classes, but this one. I feel like she couldn't understand students difficulties and she goes through the materials in the speed of light. Her tests are pretty difficult and she makes her own weird and funky questions. I wish I didn't take her and screw myself over. She completely didn't even give me a chance to redeem myself and just gave me an F. If you feel like you are up for a challenge, take her.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2011
Math 244 may come across as unusual to some in that the linear algebra part is abstract and you may feel like you're on a hamster wheel, just doing problems for no obvious purpose other than to get 4 credits. I think Patton tried her best to show the practical side of this class, but I guess it was tough for her. I struggled on the Linear Algebra (I was ok on the diff equations part) segment of the course. For some reason she decided not to collect homework that quarter. I'm the kind of person who gets motivation from having homework due. Also, because the course is so abstract compared to other math courses, I kind of suffered. I kept thinking to myself "why are we doing this again?" during lectures and doing the ungraded-homework. Others can relate to that. She even admitted regret about not collecting and grading homework, because so many people didn't do it. I'm not sure if she changed her style, but if you're very good at motivating yourself and naturally good at math, then take her for 244. Otherwise, try someone else... Good luck!


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2012
Patton was the shit. I had her 3 quarters in a row freshman year because she's awesome. At first she seems awkward, but then you realize that she's really awkward but she's still awesome and teaches really well. Her midterms are fair (except midterm one in calc 4... holy shit). Take her if you can


Sophomore
N/A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
Linda's a hilarious and incredibly intelligent professor and I definitely recommend taking her for any class you can.


Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2015
Quizzes every friday based off the H/W. Midterms are based off the quizzes and she drops your lowest midterm. Final at the end of the quarter is not cumulative which means less material you need to know. She prepares you well and lectures well with some theory and then some examples. I would recommend Patton for Linear Analysis 1.

MATH 306


Senior
C
Required (Major)
Jan 2007
Professor Patton is excellent overall. She gives a lot of examples and very helpful during office hours. Her tests are what to expect because she tells you what to expect. One thing you need to keep in mind is that she goes extremely fast. Sometimes you would need to bring a video camera (kidding btw) and record her to watch her "reduced" speed. She does care about her students and she's extremely approachable.


Junior
B
Required (Major)
Jan 2007
Linda is competent in all manners. I am taking her again for 406. The material presented is a more theoretical approach to what you learned in 206. Sometimes the material seemed too easy for an upper division class, since it essentially repeats 206 (just using more theory than computation). I think this is a reflection on her teaching so clearly and my previous 206 professor teaching so thoroughly. I could have gotten an A had I shown up more regularly, been a bit more organized in doing homework and not mailed in the last week of the course. Your grade will be a reflection of yourself.


Junior
N/A
Required (Major)
Mar 2012
Patton is an AMAZING teacher. Besides being an extremely professional genius, she is great at conveying material to others and she cares about her students. So rare in a math teacher, in my opinion. I find that even if I don't get the grade that I hoped for, I am so glad I had the experience of being in her class. I learned a LOT and had a great time doing it. An added bonus of taking Patton's classes is that she is incredibly sexy in an effortless way so you have just one more reason to go to class and pay attention to her. All in all, great teacher...take her!


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2012
Dr. Patton is so amazing. She conveys material really well in class, and she's very helpful in office hours. She will go out of her way to make sure you understand the material as long as you put in effort as well. I would take her again, and fortunately I will be taking her again for 406!


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Apr 2012
Moderated Comment
I agree with the 306 comments preceding mine in every way .... I can definitely see why she got that comment from an objective standpoint, but I would like to give her credit for her teaching .... Her mastery of the subject is outstanding and she has a very rare talent for managing to understand and answer even the most poorly phrased questions. I'm a student that asks a lot of questions and some teachers hate me for it, but not Patton. She is very open to slowing down and reexplaining something. The structure of the class is great because it allows the most advanced students to be challenged while not completely devastating lower level students. Be warned that if you want an A you need to show up and work towards the A from day 1. DO THE CHALLENGE PROBLEMS EARLY and an A from Patton is not impossible. All in all, my best teacher in 14+ years of school :).


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Aug 2015
Linda is a great teacher. If you have the chance to take a class with her, definitely do it. She is probably one of the nicest teachers I've had at Cal Poly and she truly wants to see you succeed and is willing to help you get a good grade. Her lecturing is pretty straight-forward and is easy to follow along. Now a review of the class. The material is somewhat difficult just because it is a mix of linear algebra 1 and methods of proof. Homework is assigned and collected weekly along with a take home quiz. Every Friday there is an in-class quiz which is very similar if not the same as a homework problem from the week. There are two midterms and a final. Linda will either drop your lowest midterm grade if the final is higher, or not count the final if it is lower than your midterm scores. The only thing I didn't like about this course was that in order to get an A, you must do what she calls "challenge problems" which are the hardest problems from the book, and turn a certain amount in the last week of class. They are hard but some are definitely much more do-able. Overall, I enjoyed the class. It just took a lot of studying.


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Feb 2019
Dr. Patton's class was engaging, informative, and entertaining. I learned SO much about linear algebra, proof techniques, and math in general. I feel extremely prepared for other classes that have 306 as a prerequisite. I will be taking 406 in the spring (as an elective) because of how great Dr. Patton is. Yes, the material is difficult but Dr. Patton is understanding of that and so willing to help her students. She even moved her office hours to a classroom to encourage more people to attend. Dr. Patton truly cares about her students and remembers us by name outside of class!

MATH 344


Senior
B
Elective
Dec 2015
Dr. Patton's style did not work well with me. Do not sit in the back because she constantly writes too low on the board and goes very fast during lecture. It is hard to keep up with her. Her hand writing is sloppy and I constantly was confused as to what something said on the board. Her tests are fair, however, and she gave us a notecard for each exam in this class. I do not plan to take another class with her.


Junior
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2018
Dr. Patton is a lot of fun to have as a teacher. She comes into class almost exactly ten after the hour shortly followed by her roller bag stuffed with miscellaneous papers in the most unapologetic way. She is the epitome of a cat lady who spends her time reading math books while drinking a nice cup of tea of her couch and doesn't care who knows. Throughout the course she was very understanding of how messy the algebra can get on some problems covered in this course so she would provide handouts of the note, which was extremely helpful. But at time Dr. Patton can be a little unorganized and can get lost in her own problems which is awkward for the class, but honestly I liked her more for that because it made me realize even she can get stuck up on a problem.

MATH 406


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Jun 2003
Linda is easily one of the best teachers I've had at Cal Poly. I can't wait until I get to take her again next year. Her lectures are very easy to understand and informative. She answers any questions in class, both homework and conceptual. Her tests are challenging, but she is a very fair grader. Also, she makes herself very available in her office for students. Plus she's funny and easy to talk to. I would recomend her to anybody. Like I said, she's one of the best!


Senior
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2007
Professor Patton (or preferably Linda) is top notch, smart, and knows how to teach. Although I have to tease Professor Patton on her lightning speed on the board. She knows how to teach, she can answer all questions you have for her, she makes corny joke, her tests are straight-forward and expected, and she is very helpful during office hours. There's no doubt that there's a lot of homework with her but she is awesome when you ask her questions. Take her if you can because she is awesome teacher.


Junior
C
Required (Major)
Apr 2007
Linda is a great teacher. The material isn't easy, but she'll do everything she can to help you out with it. Definitely go to her office hours, they help a lot. I definitely recommend taking Linda for any class she's offering!


Senior
A
Elective
Jan 2020
She is a great professor, really knowledgeable and also understanding. Took her for 306 and 406, it was an awesome sequence.

MATH 408


Senior
A
Elective
Jan 2004
She's good, and complex analysis is fun!

MATH 412


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Feb 2000
Being one of the most difficult classes an undergraduate math major is required to take, I think Dr. Patton did the best possible in teaching Math 412. I will not go on about how competent and dedicated Dr. Patton is as a professor, the previous evaluations speak for themselves. It was a priviledge having her as an instructor - one of the best, if not the best Mathematics professors at Cal Poly.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2000
Linda Patton is my new role model. I want to be her when I grow up. She is the most approachable, helpful, sincerely caring professor I've had at Cal Poly. She makes teaching an art form, and goes beyond what's required to help her students succeed. She's also brilliant and funny, so what more could you ask for?


Senior
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2015
It was very refreshing to take an upper division math class where the professor actually put in extra work and cared about your grade. This is the highest grade I've ever gotten in a proof based class, and it is purely because she did a great time teaching.

MATH 419


Junior
A
Elective
Mar 2006
Dr. Patton was a wonderful professor. I rather got the impression that she could be kind of a pushover, but I think only lower-level students would take advantage of it. This was her first time teaching the course, so she wasn't quite as organized as one would expect, but she did an extraordinary job of covering a great deal of material without stressing us out. The homework was very reasonable, and she decreased the amount as she realized how much time it was taking along with the final paper. The tests were pretty easy and straight-forward, and she tells you the basics of what material will be on it. She's friendly, open to students, and has enough quirkiness to make her endearing. I definitely recommend Dr. Patton to anyone who wants a good math experience.

MATH 482


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Jun 2006
She is super helpful. Take her if you get the chance for any class. She knows her math and understand that things just happen in life. Her tests are straight forward no tricks. She gives you review topics beforehand that cover everything. She is able to answer all questions. She is easy to approach and loves teaching.

DANC 853


Graduate Student
B
General Ed
Nov 2016
During this entire quarter all I could think about was how this professor reminded me of that small little dog that runs through the back of scene 23 in The Incredibles by Pixar. Seriously, if you look it up you will only be able to see it...