High School Math vs. College Math

I am planning on getting into aerospace engineering. The question I have is this: If I take standard algebra and geometry, will I be good enough to take calc and trig in college? I am not much of a math person but I am reading that you need those two math classes on your way to engineering.

Most engineering programs expect you to start with calc 1 in your first semester. You should take algebra, geometry, and precalculus/trig in high school.

If you’re not a math person, Engineering may not be for you. It’s hardcore stem.

Why engineering btw?

If you’re in middle school:
Try to take algebra 1+2 honors, geometry honors, pre-calculus /trig. See if you can get B+ or more in each.

If you’re in high school : what year are you in and what math classes have you taken /are you taking? What grade are you getting?

I know a few people who have been engineers or still are, they told me that engineering doesn’t consist of much difficult math.

I am interested in engineering because of the rise of CAD programs combined with plans for Mars missions in the near future.

Currently I’m a sophomore in high school and I am taking standard algebra with Geometry Concepts in junior year. My average test and quiz grade is a B.

Something that would help me is knowing: If I pay full attention and take good notes, would the math be about the same difficulty as anything else? Or does it need a skilled way of thinking and memorizing things?

Maybe engineering doesn’t, but engineering programs do – Calc 1-3 + Differential Equations at a minimum, and you use that math in the major classes long after you’ve finished with the math classes proper.

What is the difference between engineering and engineering programs? Are you talking about things like CAD?

I mean that maybe you don’t use much math in your career – I wouldn’t know, I haven’t graduated yet – but in engineering school, you do. I’m a junior in ChemE. There’s a lot of math.

CAD doesn’t really, as far as I know from my one class that used it.

Yeah im taking a CAD class in junior year. Knowing that aerospace engineering is mostly CAD it is kind of a relief.

https://rap.psu.edu/aerospace-engineering-university-park

Again, you have to make it through four years of hard math and science before you get to the job part. The education is not just CAD. Check out the course plan above, for aerospace majors at my school.

Math: Calc 1-3, DiffEq, Matrices
Science: Chem 1, Physics 1 and 2
Engineering: Statics, Dynamics, programming, all of your major classes

One example major class:
http://bulletins.psu.edu/undergrad/courses/A/AERSP/309/

“This course, required for aerospace engineering majors, focuses primarily on the dynamics of spaceflight, including both orbital and attitude (orientation) motion of spacecraft. Topics include: three-dimensional rotational kinematics (direction cosine matrices, vector components in different coordinate systems, Euler angles, the angular velocity vector, and velocity and acceleration in different reference frames), three-dimensional particle dynamics (Newton’s laws of particle motion, energy, angular momentum, and systems of particles), two-body orbital mechanics (Newton’s law of universal gravitation, the orbit equation, conic sections and orbit terminology, Kepler’s equation, classical orbital elements, and representations of satellite position and velocity), orbital maneuvers and transfers (impulsive maneuvers, Hohmann transfers, simple inclination changes, and relative motion between spacecraft), rigid-body dynamics (angular momentum and energy, the inertia matrix, principal-axis system, Euler’s equations of rigid-body motion, torque-free motion, and effects of external torques), rocket performance (the rocket equation, specific impulse, estimating propellant requirements for a mission, and a survey of propulsion technology), and the space environment (standard atmosphere, simple radiative heat-transfer analysis, the Van Allen radiation belts, meteors and debris hazards).”

After reading through all this it makes me want to do some research on what role I would want to take part in. Most of these seem like they require advanced knowledge in physics, which is a bit scary.

Right. Whatever school you attend will definitely teach you the math and physics, so it is absolutely doable if you work hard. But I just wanted you to be aware that working hard is not optional, it’s a requirement if you want to make it through the degree to get to the career part.

More research is never a bad thing!

So do you think it is a realistic goal to go through the Calc, Trig, and possibly a physics class with not much prior knowledge in math other than algebra and basic geometry?

Would you recommend other subjects to help with either getting the job or understanding the other classes? For example my community college has a robotics class

What math classes have you taken so far in high school, and what others do you have planned? And the same with sciences?

Like I mentioned earlier, most engineering programs want you to start with Calc 1. Physics 1 will include calculus. So you will need to have taken at least through trig to not be “behind” at a lot of schools. It would also be good to expose yourself to chem and physics in high school before you grapple with the harder versions at the college level.

sure, take it to get an idea whether you like it

No. You need to have physics and math through precalculus IN HIGH SCHOOL to even have a shot in your engineering classes. Most engineering freshmen have had calculus in high school and many will have had AP Physics1, some will have had more math and physics than that. Among those, many give up because it’s really hard. So, in order to succeed, you need to have the best possible foundation.
And as Bodangles said, working hard is not optional. Many students work really hard and end up with a C or even a D. Of course some end up with a B or higher! But compared to high school it’s very hard to get a B in college classes for an Engineering major.
In order to be admitted to Engineering, honors classes in algebra1+2, geometry, and precalculus, plus bio, chem, physics, would be expected.
If you only have Algebra1+2 and Geometry regular you may have a shot at Engineering Technology. That involves less math and does involve CAD.
Here’s an example of a college that specializes in engineering technology:
https://www.pct.edu/

This is what you’d take:
algebra1, algebra 2, geometry - precalculus/trigonometry - calculus 1 - calculus 2 - Calculus 3 - Differential Equations - one more advanced math.
Each level is harder than the previous one and it’s taken in a sequence.

Working as an engineer requires some math day-to-day, but studying for a BS in Engineering requires a LOT of math.

Ok, so what kind of jobs would I land if I went for engineering technology?