<p>Rate these IB/AP math classes by content covered/difficulty, I need a better view of what each class offers. Do IB classes cover calculus like Calc BC/ AB do? This is my rating in these terms. I have a few other classes thrown in as reference points</p>
<p>notes:
When I say Precalculus, I refer to a course after Algebra II/Trig offering in depth content in Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Differential Calculus, and Limits. You should be able to find a derivative, and anti derivative, and find Limits after this course.</p>
<p>When I say Calculus BC, it is a more rigorous Calculus AB class not taken in succession with AB, and It offers all of the AB curriculum with added BC curriculum</p>
<p>This is how I interpret it.</p>
<p>Calculus BC AP
Math HL IB
Calculus AB AP
Precalculus
Math SL IB
Statistics AP
Algebra II with Trig
Math Studies IB
Geometry
Algebra I
Pre-Algebra</p>
<p>Okay so if I’m getting this right, that’s a list of how difficult the class is in order, right? Anyway IB math is really difficult if you do HL, if you could look at someone who is in the class now, check out their syllabus. SL math covers, Algebra(Completely different!!!), functions, trig, vectors, and stats, the first year of IB. I’m sure calculus isn’t as in depth as the class it self, the sheer amount of work you get along side with all your other work plus CAS and EE if you do the full dipolma makes IB difficult. The work is doable individually, but time consuming and put in more applicable terms. For ex:</p>
<p>I learned last week about arithmetic and geometric sequences. Sounds fun right! Well an arithmetic sequence is
Un=U1+(n-1)^d
And a geometric sequence is
Un=U1r^n-1</p>
<p>Not very hard if you know what each term means. But my hw over the subject was</p>
<p>What will an investment of $3000 at 10%p.a. Compound interest amount to after 3 years?
-now how does this apply to what we learned? I had no idea, the year before I took AP Stats(btw pretty easy, a writing math so it throws you off and you can’t just write numbers)</p>
<p>Well I could show you how it is solved but I’ve written a lot. IB Math is pretty difficult , but it covers more then just Calculus and statistics does. HL is really difficult and is for ppl who plan on persueing something that involves math. Last year, a senior said, “You know, I liked math and I was good at it, so I decided to do HL, but I wish I hadn’t! It’s so hard.” it follows along those lines. Ask around to people in your school about the difficulty and the teacher if that’s what you’re looking for. Hope I could help.</p>
<p>Math HL IB
Calculus BC AP
Calculus AB AP
Precalculus
Math SL IB
Statistics AP
Algebra II with Trig
Math Studies IB
Geometry
Algebra I
Pre-Algebra</p>
<p>Kaeroze, this may vary from school to school, but we learned those sequences and Applications in Algebra II/Trig, Which is taken before SL while accelerated, even surveying kids in SL, it seems like it is just a rehash of Alg 2/Trig in our school. Also, I asked for just individual classes, not CAS etc. I think perceptions may be skewed because math HL is a 2 year course, and of course they can cover more content, but does it prepare you well enough?. My guidance counselor told me and I quote " IB Math HL is not a calc course and thus not recommended to our students pursuing engineering and math driven careers.", and a further look through the math HL syllabus can help prove this.</p>
<p>Precalculus Honors courses in my school cover up until 7.4 in Calculus, and there is no mention of anything past what AB does in there syllabus. I realize there is other stuff added into Math HL, but really Calculus is the core of most higher level physics and engineering, as well as the gateway to high level math(analysis, number theory, Topology, etc.). By the way, Matrices are covered in Precalculus.</p>
<p>IB Math SL is definitely harder than just pre-calculus. IB Math SL is pre-calculus with a bit of calculus in it, plus you have two lengthy projects to do during the year. </p>
<p>Math HL IB
Calculus BC AP
Calculus AB AP
Math SL IB
Precalculus
Statistics AP
Math Studies IB
Algebra II with Trig
Geometry
Algebra I
Pre-Algebra</p>
<p>Most Pre-Calculus courses have a fair amount of Calculus in them, it is not uncommon, today on our sixth day of class we learned limits, and by the end of the year we will take derivatives and anti-derivatives, granted this Pre-Calculus course in our school is designed to be a feeder course for AP Calculus, and it covers a third of the BC test content, but still if you look on most syllabuses for Pre-Calculus courses, you will know how to at least take a derivative by the end. I don’t think that SL holds up to most Pre-Calculus courses, right now the math SL people in my school are learning about the “golden ratio”(w t f?) I would rather learn about limits, the golden ratio is arbitrary anyway…</p>
<p>I’m in Math SL, so reading to you from the book that’s open on my lap right now, we’ll be covering Differential Calc, Applications of Differential Calc, Derivatives of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions, Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions, Integration, Applications of Integration and I think that’s it for the Calc unit (but Math SL is way more comprehensive). I don’t know much about the content covered in other math classes, but Math SL is weighted equally to Calc AB at my school. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Math SL is usually 2 year course, so if an honors Pre-Calculus course covers up to indefinite integrals, and then you have a year of Calculus after that, it is going to go past math SL, and even in math HL, it is essentially the same content, just more in depth, you won’t have that much of a cutting edge over students who took Calculus BC.
I think that the College credit you receive for each can really tell the tale of which is more advanced. excerpt from PSU website on college credit, by the way no credit for SL.</p>
<p>AP Calculus BC
credit is awarded for Mathematics 140 (4 credits) and Mathematics 141 (4 credits).</p>
<p>Math HL
Credit is awarded for MATH 140 and 4 credits of Math (precalculus)</p>
<p>As you can see, they give BC credit for Calculus 1 & 2, with a direct route into Calculus 3, whereas in HL, you get Calculus 1 and Precalculus. The numbers can’t lie.</p>
<p>Math SL isn’t always. SL courses are actually a lot of times one year courses. </p>
<p>IB is generally a harder class than AP because of the internal assessments that are required. For AP, you can theoretically just self-study and still do well; for IB you need those projects in order to sit for the exam. Also, many colleges are still just assessing IB, and I feel that a lot of colleges shortchange giving students credit for their exam scores. It’s a lot harder to get a 7 on an IB exam than it is to get a 5 on an AP exam.</p>