<p>Does taking Algebra II and Pre-Calc at the same time sound like a good idea? I'm an upcoming junior in high school and I want to advance myself so that I'll be able to take AP Calc in my senior year. I'm just a bit reluctant because I'm not too sure if Pre-Calc requires a major understanding of Algebra II. Would this be TOO stressful or not? Taking into consideration the honors and AP classes I will be taking this school year as well. Thanks in advance! :-)</p>
<p>That sounds like a horrible idea. The first half of Pre-Calc is basically Algebra II review, maybe slightly more in-depth.</p>
<p>It’s not a horrible idea. But you’re smart to not jump into it lightly either.</p>
<p>It probably depends on how your particular school teaches each class and how quickly you pick up math concepts. It’s more common to double up on Geometry and Algebra to get ahead, but my son did exactly what you’re proposing - he took Algebra II and Pre Calc his junior year, and then took AP Calc AB his senior year (his school didn’t offer BC). He got an A+ in both classes (Alg II and Pre Calc). </p>
<p>Talk to your teachers if possible - ask if other students have done it successfully. You may have to work extra hard, but as the other poster said, there’s a lot of repeat information in Pre Calc - it’s not like it picks up exactly where ALg II ended and takes off at a frantic pace. </p>
<p>If you’re good at math and you are ready to work a little harder, go for it!</p>
<p>Thanks PinotNoir! I believe I’m up for the challenge and hopefully I’ll pass with flying colors. I know it’ll be hard at first but nothing’s impossible, right? Thanks for the advice again. :-)</p>
<p>I would hope your school would prevent this if it is unwise, and encourage it otherwise. I agree - talk to the teacher beforehand.</p>
<p>How would you do this. Precalc is mostly an expansion on Alg2 stuff.</p>
<p>“Precalc” at different schools means different things. My D is taking precalc and the first semester of Calc AB at the same time this semester. The math faculty encourages this and has designed the courses so that by the time the students needs a specific concept from precalc, it will have been covered.</p>
<p>I used to be a math department chair.</p>
<p>Where I worked, I wouldn’t have recommended it or allowed it. It would have been like taking French II and French III at the same time.</p>
<p>Every Precalc class I’ve taught has been, as others have said, an extension of material taught in Algebra II, plus a bunch of trig. If you’re really ready for Precalc now, then you don’t need Algebra II. It would be a frustrating waste of your time. And if you need Algebra II, then you’re not ready to take Precalc.</p>
<p>Of course, that’s in places where I’ve taught, using the books that I’ve taught from. Your school could be different. Because, as annasdad said, when you come right down to it, there’s such a thing as algebra or calculus or geometry, but there’s really no such thing as “precalculus.” It’s just a label that we in America have applied to a high-school-level course that usually teaches some more advanced algebra, plus trig beyond triangle trig.</p>
<p>Yeah that’s not a good idea. What I’m doing this year is taking trigonometry honors with AP calculus. I didn’t take algebra 1 in middle school, which I should of, so it did set me back on math. The math department chair had to approve it and she teaches trig and she was my decathlon coach so in order to have it approved, you need to know what your doing in math. The only reason why this worked out well was because the trig I will be learning first semester, will be enough for second semester calculus. I actually tried to do what you did junior year, but the department chair wouldnt let me and reccomended what I’m doing now. You need certain algebra ii skills so no it is a horrible idea, and algebra2 can be kind of difficult depending on your teacher.</p>