<p>Hey everyone. I am a high school freshman taking College Algebra 1314 at my local community college and I am not quite sure which math subject to take at my school next year. I am currently getting all A's in my class (my lowest grade so far is a 97) and my parents suggested that I study Trigonomety on my own this summer and than take Calculus AP AB next year. However, when I discussed this with my College Algebra professor, she said that it would be difficult to self-study Trigonometry in such a short time and that I should rather take Precalculus this fall. So my question is: should I take Precalculus or AP Calculus AB for my sophomore year?</p>
<p>Uh... as a freshman, shouldn't you be taking classes at your high school?</p>
<p>Oh I forgot to mention that I'm homeschooled and am taking community college clasess to show that I do well in my academic studies outside of my house. when i said "im not sure which math subject to take at my school next year", i meant the online high school im attending next year.</p>
<p>Learn trigonometry on your own. The summer is plenty of time to learn trigonometry [how long is your summer?]. If you are very strong with your algebra and trig, then you should be set for AB. </p>
<p>Save yourself the agony of Precalculus. :D</p>
<p>Trig is kinda confusing. If you have a real teacher teaching it to you, then I say go for AP Calc. I'm gonna be a sophomore next year and I'm taking AP Calc AB. Precalculus is full of hard algebra 2, trig, and very very very little actual precalculus. I don't get that at all.....</p>
<p>thanks alot, ChaosTheory and swim2daend. ChaosTheory: my last day of class is May 15th and my first day next year starts on August 27th. However, I am attending a summer program that will last from July 16th to August 18th and dont think I will be able to study trigonometry during that time. So I have about 70 days to learn trig.</p>
<p>any other suggestions?</p>
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Trig is kinda confusing. If you have a real teacher teaching it to you, then I say go for AP Calc. I'm gonna be a sophomore next year and I'm taking AP Calc AB. Precalculus is full of hard algebra 2, trig, and very very very little actual precalculus. I don't get that at all.....
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<p>That's b/c all of that trig and algebra is needed when you are in Calculus (hence the "pre"). You'll understand it next year.</p>
<p>If you are motivated enough, learn precal on your own. When I took it it seemed like much of it was review, but you need to know Trig functions well for Calculus.</p>
<p>it'd probably be best to take precal over the summer with a local public school or maybe at the community college. but failing that (since your schedule seems dicey), it can't hurt to try studying it by yourself, since you obviously have strong math aptitude.</p>
<p>If you do self-study, though, find someone who has taken the course before in case you have any questions.</p>
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So I have about 70 days to learn trig.
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<p>That's plenty of time. You'll be fine.</p>
<p>Yes, but some people don't have calculators for brains. Not everyone can be like me.</p>
<p>Take Precalc for your sophomore year (since trig is extremely important and you'll never get a chance to learn it again in college), and if you're really set on getting ahead a year in the math track, go from Precalc to Calc BC. I'd argue that trig is full of harder (and more necessary) concepts than calculus.</p>
<p>What summer program are you going to?</p>
<p>thanks to everyone for their recommendations. Jonathan1: I am going to the summer sessions of the EPGY online high school at Stanford University, which only accepts students from the epgy online high school.</p>
<p>any more suggestions?</p>
<p>you're getting ahead of yourself. eventually you;ll run into a dead end because of insufficient math background. </p>
<p>take precalculus, and then AP Calc BC the year after</p>