<p>I know that this is a bit off topic but I couldn't find a more appropriate section. So I am taking College Algebra this fall semester, I am wondering how difficult it is compared to Intermediate Algebra, which I thought was (for the most part) very easy. Should I be expecting a large difference between the two?</p>
<p>What topics did you cover in intermediate algebra and what topics are going to be covered in college algebra?</p>
<p>Lol I don’t know what’s going to be in College Algebra I’m going to be using the book; “College Algebra: An early functions approach, Blitzer 2nd edition”. And my Intermediate Algebra I went over Rational Expressions, Functions, Completing the Square (and the other basic ways to solve a quadratic equation), Quadratic and Rational Inequalities, Substitution and elimination, Parabolas, Absolute Value Inequalities and equations, and some other stuff (it’s too much to type) you get the picture I’m sure. Pretty much the “toughest” thing we did (besides word problems) was Completing the Square, in which I found factoring and the quadratic formula much easier. A few examples of what we didn’t do; Matrices, Logarithms, Linear equations in 3 variables, Quadratic Functions, and Sequences</p>
<p>I took a “hybrid” course of college algebra and trigonometry last fall, which is just labeled as pre-calculus. I hadn’t taken Algebra II since junior year of high school, so I was just barely 16 when I last saw it and was sitting in a college pre-calculus course at 19. College Algebra you probably have a lot more room to work with since I don’t think they throw in some trigonometry in there. I had seen everything in a college algebra part of the class that I had seen in Algebra II in high school except for conics. You should be very well-off.</p>
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<p>You’ll need all these, though. I hated matrices and I’m taking Linear Algebra THIS fall. ■■■.</p>
<p>Hey thanks for the info. Yeah I already got my sylabus the only trigonometry there are are the parabolas which I’ve already learned, there’s only one matrix lesson and no sequences. I shouldn’t be worried it all doesn’t sound that much different</p>
<p>If you found intermediate algebra easy, then college algebra will not be difficult.</p>
<p>You should touch on Logs with College Algebra. Graphs, functions, lots of word based problems. I also remember some inverse functions. Lots of Quadratics setting the groundwork for Calculus. I used the Blitzer book a year ago.</p>
<p>There’s no trig in the Blitzer College Algebra book that I remember.</p>
<p>FWIW, parabolas are not trig. Trig is sine, cosine, tangent, pythagorean theorem, polar coordinates, etc.</p>
<p>I am finding College Algebra very hard… to many equations and formulas to remember. I actually had very difficulty last year with square root and Pythagorean theorem. I found this website which has bunch of calculators along with Pythagorean theorem. They keep adding more stuff, last year they didn’t have depreciation. this year they do. Check it out and share to your friends maybe they will also find it helpful…</p>
<p>[Pythagorean</a> Theorem Calculation | TheXorb - Problems Solved](<a href=“http://www.thexorb.com/Algebra/Pythagorean/Pythagorean-Theorem-Calculation.aspx]Pythagorean”>http://www.thexorb.com/Algebra/Pythagorean/Pythagorean-Theorem-Calculation.aspx)</p>
<p>A proper algebra course in college should cover rings, fields, tensor productions and some lie group algebra homology.</p>
<p>Review proof writing.</p>
<p>@ snoparabola, I think the OP is talking about taking elementary Algebra courses for people you did not enter college with a good background in high school Algebra and need to learn or review it before they can take Precalculus. The OP is still years away from taking the upper division course for Math majors that I believe you are talking about.</p>