<p>Was studying Algebra II and/or trig vital to your success in calc? Or was precalc tons more important? Please specify if you're studying AB or BC as well.</p>
<p>I'm currently doing BC.</p>
<p>I would say Algebra II/Trig is basically a given for survival in Calc (or at my school at least). Similar to how you should be comfortable with geometry for trig, you should be fairly comfortable with Alg. II and Trig for Calculus. </p>
<p>Pre-Calc is not, "tons more important," but I would say it'd be wise to take Calc AB or Pre-Calc before heading into BC.</p>
<p>I didn't even find much precalc stuff to be related to calc... except some trig stuff. But algebra is most helpful. And I'm in AB.</p>
<p>Yeah, make sure you take alegbra first! We did this integrated math thing instead of learning alegbra and I stuggled for a little while with Calc just because I didn't really have a strong foundation. I have an A+ now though :):):)</p>
<p>Trig has been pretty irrelevant for my Calc class. Most of it is doing Algebra.</p>
<p>You might want to ask this question again at the end of the school year. I think that trig might become more important to calculus students than they realize at this time.</p>
<p>Alg II and Trig were both irrelevant. Either that or I have a terrible teacher because I'm not doing too well. Either that or the grading system is set up for people to fail. (80% tests, 5% quizzes, 15% homework-any class that is 85% based on assessment is a class that sets you up for failure)</p>
<p>^^ you should really not go to college then</p>
<p>Basically, precalc was useless.</p>
<p>ALGEBRA 2/TRIG is ESSENTIAL for calculus. I took Alg2/Trig in 8th grade and am taking AP Calc in 11th. I wish I had taken some sort of summer Alg2/Trig class just to repeat the course and strengthen my skills. It's that important.</p>
<p>Oh you'll often need trig for calculus... For instance, sometimes you do integration using a technique called trig substitution (this requires knowledge of trig identities and inverse trig functions). Polar coordinates become very important in physics-related higher calc (but that's beyond the AP BC exam).</p>
<p>Algebra and Precal? Well, you'd better know all about functions...</p>
<p>If probability and stat were/are/are going to be part of your precal, rest assured that you'll do very little with them in calculus.</p>
<p>I took pre-cal last year (aka Trig) but really we just spent first semester reviewing alg. II, and then we picked up the trig second semester...the kindest thing you can do for yourself is pay attention!! I'm glad I had that class wi/out my friends bc I actually remember everything from last year, and we use it alllll the time</p>
<p>PS...how do you know whether you are taking AB or BC? I'd ask my teacher, but he probably doesn't know :D</p>
<p>If you do well in pre-cal, I always took it to mean that you were good at AII and trig, at least in preparation for calc. But I actually tested out of Algebra II (and most of trig, I suppose), and did well in pre-calc. Result? I did really well in BC Calculus.</p>
<p>Side note: Pre-calc is essential for your success in Calc, mostly when you start doing limits and stuff. However, I don't think any of that really matters much when you learn about differentials and integrations.</p>
<p>oh, thanks a lot, kyzan. You make me feel really good.</p>
<p>lol, didnt mean to insult you, just letting you know a lot of college classes (especially math) will be like 90-100 percent exams. And some profs will only give like 3 exams with like 4 questions each. In basic sciences classes, you have huge @ss lecture halls with like 400+ people and the profs will rarely grade/assign hw. its all lectures, meet with TA, then exam.</p>
<p>My calc ab class is 10% hw, 30% quizzes, and 60% tests. Yes, trig and alg 2 are essential!</p>
<p>Mine was almost just like yours. Only 60% tests, 25% quizzes, 10% homework, 5% participation (he called this part "gimme" points because it was an automatic 100)</p>
<p>I'm not sure about the breakdown, but my calc class is all tests and quizzes... we don't get homework.</p>
<p>same here w/ goldshadow</p>
<p>man, my calc class... hw is collected and he looks to see if we got the right ans... otherwise we lose points...at least we can make it up but its a huge waste of time...</p>
<p>ppls grades drops by a letter cuz the teacher dont like the way we take notes... and i m not just bitter cuz i dont take any notes... ppl who take notes everyday lose points cuz they didnt copy every example</p>
<p>pre calc is is useless, i agree</p>