<p>Not sure if this is the right board, mods please move this thread if necessary.</p>
<p>I came from an IGCSE/IB math program while studying abroad up until 9th grade but eventually moved back to american public schools where I took Algebra 2. For next year my teacher suggested that I take precal. However while abroad I cannot remember clearly if I did any proofs. I remember doing alot of algebraic based geometry like circles, solid geometry, coordinate geometry, A LOT of trigonometry, etc. but I do not recall doing proofs. Is knowing proofs essential for me to do well in precal and calculus or can I simply just rely on my strong algebra 2 and trigonometry skills?</p>
<p>I will be a junior next year btw. I took alg 2 as a sophomore.</p>
<p>no you don’t need proofs</p>
<p>thanks! i feel alot more relieved. could you please elaborate on why proofs aren’t necessary for precal and why exactly do US high schools force their students to study them in the first place?</p>
<p>I’m IB. We learned proofs to better understand the theorems and conjectures we use.</p>
<p>Also, proofs are a decent introduction to logic and different type of problem solving.</p>
<p>I only used proofs in geometry</p>
<p>You mean geo proofs not precalc proofs right? o.o</p>
<p>Proofs are good for you (intellectual rigor FTW), but you probably won’t need to do them in your precalc class unless you cover mathematical induction.</p>
<p>Haha i think proofs (not the geo ones) are fun. But sometimes they get really annoying when you can’t prove it. x(</p>
<p>Proofs are fun, but I sometimes don’t bother writing proofs down after I figure out how to prove something due to laziness (well, not in schoolwork). I actually think my proof-writing practice has helped me in English class by helping me logically structure arguments well. (I scored over 100% on three essays/essay tests and ended up with the second highest grade in my class, even though I’m not much of an English person…)</p>
<p>@esthetique</p>
<p>Yes geo proofs…Do I need to know geo proofs in order to learn precal proofs?</p>
<p>For induction and trig, yeah.</p>
<p>Um , def no. I hated geo proofs. Pre calc proofs are so much more fun.</p>