<p>Ok, so this year they offered AP Physics B for the first time in about 3 years and I figured I'd take it next year so I could finish Physics honors first. But only 4 people signed up for Physics B and about 10 people signed up for Physics C. Now this really smart girl who took Physics B this year is trying to get everyone to sign up for Physics C so that she can take it next year and get enough people so they will make a class for it. I really don't think it's smart to try and attempt Physics C with only finishing the first semester of Physics honors and having no calculus experience at all. She claims I will do fine in it but I think she's just trying to make sure they have the Physics C class next year. </p>
<p>Do you all think I'd be alright attempting this or should I just find a different science class to take instead of trying it. The teacher is supposedly good, but I'm not sure if he can teach so well that I won't struggle in what is supposed to be one of the hardest APs out there.</p>
<p>don’t take C. that’s a bad idea…u’re gona have trouble with basic calculus concepts unless u’re a math pro who grasps concepts really quickily o.o
don’t!</p>
<p>At some schools (ours is an example) kids who are going to take calculus concurrently with Physics C do OK enough (we synchronize our schedules enough that the kids see the calculus concepts in AP Calculus before they use them in AP Physics C).</p>
<p>But unless you know that kind of thing is happening, I wouldn’t do it either. I had a student at my school who was entering precalculus next year who asked me the same question. He’s a smart kid, but calculus is just a step above where he’s at right now, and even smart kids sometimes struggle with calculus at the beginning.</p>
<p>Ok. I’ll tell the girl I changed my mind and to take me off the list. As much as I want to take AP Physics, I’m not going to jump in over my head. I’ll talk to the teacher about forming a Physics B class instead because the C class appeals to only about 5-7 people, whereas Physics B would be fine for others in my situation (with no calculus experience and just honors Physics experience). She’ll be very annoyed with me, but whatever.</p>
<p>I took physics B and calculus before even starting Physics C, and I still find it challenging. I wouldn’t even consider it an option in your situation.</p>
<p>Ok, if anyone else has any reasons why not to do it, please post because I’m going to print this out tomorrow before school to show her all the reasons why I don’t want to take the class.</p>
<p>Don’t do it. Unless you are a super math genius, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Take Physics B. Calculus is a whole different playing field, and trying to apply Calc concepts to Physics without actually learning Calc first? Horrible idea. </p>
<p>Don’t let anyone pressure you into taking a class. That’s incredibly stupid and will probably lead to disaster.</p>
<p>In my opinion the calculus in Physics C: Mechanics is really easy. There is really only a few things you need to learn, mostly the calculus relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration. Learn it graphically and take a ti-89 to the test and it shouldn’t be that hard.</p>
<p>Well, and you sort of need to know physics, too, athenos. I’m sure the exam is not 1.5 hours of plotting the first and second derivatives of position.</p>
<h2>dont let some girl push you around, unless you’re madly in love with her. </h2>
<p>-_- I am a girl so the madly in love with her part doesn’t really work very well. And yes, I admit I strongly dislike confrontation and don’t really stick up for myself as much as I should. </p>
<p>Thankfully, today I asked her to take me off the list and she did and only gave me a 20 minute lecture about how I should take Physics C anyways. But she wasn’t too mad because she found a bunch of other poor saps to agree to take it next year, including about 4 people I dislike anyways. I may just take Physics Fundamentals at the community college this summer and deal with the fact I won’t take any more Physics in high school. Whatever. </p>
<p>Thanks to those who actually gave me advice other than “grow a backbone unless you are in love with the girl”.</p>