<p>I'm taking this class next year (9th grade) and I'm really afraid that I'll do badly--math is not my strongest subject. Can anyone tell me what this class concentrates on? Is it mostly geometry or what? I'd like to know so that I can study these topics over the summer.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance :)</p>
<p>Studies is unbelievably easy, though 9th grade is very early to be taking an IB class.</p>
<p>It concentrates mainly on statistics and data analysis (not very rigorous though) and precalculus as far as I know.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response, but could you give me some specific names of topics? .. i.e. special triangles, quadratic formula</p>
<p>Um... how can you take an IB class freshman year. I'm in IB Math Studies SL right now (at least the equivalent class) and I thought it was only for 11th and up? Anyways, it focuses pretty much on Algebra II, some statistics, and trigonometry. If you want the exact syllabus, I'd suggest checking it out on Wikibooks or something.</p>
<p>depends on your school. okay, thanks, i'll do that.</p>
<p>Are you sure? Dont you have to take math methods before you take math studies, methods being very similar to math studies.</p>
<p>no, i've never heard of math methods, as it is not offered at my middle school or my future high school. i really believe it varies from school to school. at the high school i will be attending, there are many exceptions to the grade/age limit rules enforced on advanced classes, especially when it comes to math. i actually have a friend that is taking 11th grade math now, during his 8th grade year.</p>
<p>No. Math in the IB goes like this:</p>
<p>Math Studies is the easiest course, focusing on the stuff that was mentioned before.</p>
<p>Math Methods is precalculus and some elementary calculus, as well as some linear algebra.</p>
<p>Math HL is methods, but with less precalculus (it's assumed knowledge), more and much harder calculus, more linear algebra, and another unit chosen from one of 6 options - at my school we do discrete math (number theory, graph theory, etc.).</p>
<p>Then there is Further Math SL, which is a course composed of the all 6 of the options from Math HL.</p>
<p>As for taking the course early, you can do that but I'm not sure you can take the test, and I'm also not sure you can use it for the Diploma (the Diploma must be completed in 2 years, over the last 2 years of high school).</p>
<p>as i read over over that last paragraph, it seems a little unclear, so i'll summarize: where i come from, if you have the right teacher rec, you can basically take whatever math class you want no matter what grade you're in.</p>
<p>ok math studies is probably one of the easiest IB classes there are.</p>
<p>Math studies is super easy.</p>
<p>And technically now it's (along with Math Studies and Further Math) called Mathematics SL and HL, for the two normal ones...I think there was a name change a few years back or something.</p>
<p>And I completely understand the idea of going ahead in math, but I believe what people are concerned about is that if you're planning to eventually be an IB diploma candidate (which you really should if your school offers it and there's not a compelling reason not to), any classes/IB tests you take before junior year cannot count. And only so many in the junior year can count.
If you are taking Math Studies as an earlier class (as opposed to standard precalc or whatever), and plan to eventually do Math SL or HL, I could see how that could work.
IB just has some silly rules regarding what you can take when for the diploma, and people in this thread are only trying to look out for you to make sure you don't mess yourself up. I know people who have.</p>
<p>well, if that's the case, then thanks :)</p>
<p>interesting, i didn't know IB classes before junior year didn't count. oh well, i figure the hardest coarseload possible is always the best way to go.</p>
<p>math studies is pretty easy.</p>
<p>i don't see the point of taking it if you're going to be doing math methods later on. from what i know, math methods is just a more advanced version of math studies.</p>
<p>Math studies is the easiest of the IB math courses. It can still be tough if you're not that good at math though, like me. The fun part of it is that you get to do a project, which is way more interesting than just sitting and doing problems in a book.</p>