Currently taking Geometry and Algebra 2 at the same time as a sophomore, but I want to take Calculus before I graduate. I want to take Precal before Calculus just to reaffirm myself, but next year I’m planned to take “Alg. 2 & Trigonometry” (name of the course). Can I just skip over it and go straight to Precal, or would that make everything more difficult?
Usually Precalculus has trigonometry.
Check with your guidance counselor first.
I second @Muufeen. Our school’s pre calc class has trig imbedded in it. First semester is trig and second semester is calculus.
At my school, we have some trig in algebra 2, some in precalc. No individual trigonometry class.
I took trigonometry DE instead of precalculus. Trigonometry, usually, is encompassed within precalc.
@kassh4 's example sounds like an anomaly, to me; usually, precalc employs a review of algebra II before moving onto trig in its second semester.
As @Muufeen said, check with your guidance counselor, or the teacher that teaches Precal. Only they can give you reliable advice.
I don’t see the purpose of taking algebra2 and then algebra2 with trigonometry. Is that the usual sequence at your school or are these alternative courses? It sounds to me like you are in the wrong algebra2 course.
That’s the usual sequence; freshmen take Algebra 1, sophomores take Geometry, juniors take Alg. 2, seniors take Alg. 2 & Trig. Those are the only courses offered with real teachers at my school, if I took Precalc or Calc it would be online.
As a sophmore taking AP Calc AB right now, I would highly suggest precalculus. I also would suggest a change in your whole mindset approaching high school math. If you don’t actively enjoy applying several years of math and applying math to all sorts of various situations and are more interested in showing it off to a college, I can almost guarantee that you will struggle.
Best of luck
I think you should talk to the algebra2 and algebra2/trig teachers. Hard to know what the sequence is.
I do have an obvious interest in math, that’s why I’m doubling up this year…? If I didn’t care about my education or math experience I wouldn’t take twice the amount. I literally had to fight with my guidance counselor and get my Geometry and Algebra 1 teacher to convince her that I should be put in the class; advanced students such as myself are a rare occurrence here. You obviously are in a better school system, my school district doesn’t allow anyone below 9th grade to take Algebra 1. If I was in an efficient/good environment, I would be at your pace, probably even higher. I’m not the average “omg it’s so hard to get straight As” student; I never have anything below a 99. I never feel challenged. So, yes, my mindset approaching high school math is excellent. I don’t have any opportunities, I live in southwest Virginia, where most kids never even make it to Geometry…
Mathyone, I just told you what the sequence is lol. I’ve been going to this high school for 3 years now, (high school starts in 8th grade), trust me, I know what I’m talking about. One teacher teaches Alg. 1 part 1/part 2, Geometry, and Data Analysis, and the other teaches the more advanced, such as Algebra 1, Alg. 2, and Trig. Those are the only ones available, and most kids do the course I mentioned above unless they’re slackers or just don’t care; freshmen, Alg. 1, sophomore, Geometry, junior, Alg. 2, senior, Alg. 2/Trig. Thanks, though, I will talk to my Alg. 2 teacher about it.
That seems unlikely since you have to pass geometry to graduate from high school.
If you are that good and that motivated, talk to both the algebra2 and algebra2/trig teachers and come up with a plan for taking just one of those courses and covering all the material in one year. Then take precalc next year. In most schools algebra2 is taught with some trig in a single year, and some remaining trig is covered in precalc. The trig component of algebra2 is usually about 3 chapters in a textbook, something that you could probably learn on your own or with help from the teacher or web.
It might also be helpful if you can get copies of both textbooks and a list of chapters covered from the teachers to see what they are really teaching in those two courses.
No, not here, you don’t. You have to have 3 math credits to graduate from high school with a standard diploma, I live in VA by the way, and they can be Alg. 1 Part 1 and Part 2 counting for two credits and then a student could choose from Algebra Functions/Data Analysis or Probability & Statistics (sorry, forgot that one).
Thank you for your recommendations, though. My Algebra 2 teacher teaches both Alg. 2 and Alg. 2 & Trig so I will get some guidelines from her tomorrow.