Hello everyone,
I’ve been wondering whether or not I should skip pre-calc. I’m currently in an Algebra 2/ Trigonometry Honors class, which I have no trouble in, and have heard about the possibility of skipping pre-calc, which is basically a beeefy review of the class I’m in currently. You’re opinions?
Thank you,
Schoolboy
If you plan to major in math/science/engineering/computer science, the more math you take, the better foundation you’ll have for higher math. Try taking the pre-calc class at your local community college this summer.
Try these college placement exams to see if you are ready for calculus:
http://math.tntech.edu/e-math/placement/index.html
https://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam
Or these precalculus final exams for students who were not able to place into calculus on entry to college:
I skipped Precalc coming from an Algebra 2/Trig class and went straight to Calculus AB in my Junior year. The vast majority of the knowledge required for Calculus AB is already taught before Precalc (unit circle, logarithms, quadratics,…), so the amount of catch-up required is quite limited if you’re relatively quick at understanding math in general. If you’re considering going on to Calculus BC I would recommend taking Precalc, because you will need a solid foundation in topics like polar graphs and parametric equations, as well as sequences/series.
Thanks a ton guys! The summer option seems fitting, since I know I’d eventually like to major in a field concerning science or engineering, and those tests were a great resource.
Thank you,
Schoolboy