<p>Hey everyone. I just got done taking Algebra I, and I'm trying to basically teach myself geometry and intermediate algebra over winter break so I can retake the placement test, place out of them, and begin college algebra next semester. It's going to be a lot of work, but if I can do it, it will mean transferring out of my community college a whole year sooner than I would be otherwise. So, I'm going to be spending basically my entire winter break studying math...but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.</p>
<p>My question is, what are the major differences between Elementary and Intermediate Algebra? I know that Intermediate is basically an expansion on a lot of the topics covered in Elementary Algebra, with some new topics introduced. </p>
<p>By what I'm reading on my CC's website, intermediate expands real numbers and expressions; equations and inequalities; graphing methods; polynomials and factoring; rational expressions, radicals quadratic equations and systems of equations to an intermediate level. It also introduces functions and their graphs; radicals and complex numbers; quadratic and rational inequalities; graphs of second degree equations, and variation. </p>
<p>As far as the topics that are being expanded on, in what ways are they expanded exactly? What areas should I focus on? What areas should I focus on for the new topics?</p>
<p>I did very well in Algebra I...I haven't taken my final yet, but I've got about 98% in the class right now, and I'm very confident that I'll do well on my final. As I said above, if I can place into College Algebra next semester, I'll be able to transfer a year sooner, and I'm all about that...any advice would be much appreciated. :)</p>
<p>I forgot to mention, I’ve purchased “Bob Millers Math for the Accuplacer,” which is a guide for increasing placement test scores…as well as “Cliffsnotes: Algebra II” which seems to be a very helpful book. My counselor also recommended [Khan</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.khanacademy.org/]Khan”>http://www.khanacademy.org/) which has hundreds of tutorial videos and exercises. I’ve already been using this site a lot the last couple of days.</p>
<p>Khan academy is very good and I recommend speaking to the professor who teaches intermediate algebra at your school in order to find out what books you should get. I’m a senior in high school and am in AP Calculus right now and took regular algebra and geometry as well as college algebra a couple of years ago so I think I can help. If you have a strong foundation in elementary algebra then intermediate won’t be too difficult however you need to make sure that you learn all of the topics thoroughly because extensive in geometry and</p>
<p>***Learn all of the topics thoroughly because algebra is the basis for all math classes you will take(although it as not as heavily involved in geometry, and statistics.) I think that learning geometry is such a short period of time will not be possible- unless you know that the exam only covers one or two topics in geometry, I highly doubt that you could cram that much information in in such a short period of time especially because geometry is considered to be the odd one out when it comes to math classes and does not really appear in other courses. I am guessing if they test you on geometry they may include a proof or two and it takes most people a while to fully grasp proofs and memorize all the theorems that may apply to any given proof. Does your school combine geometry and intermediate algebra? Do you have to take geometry before college algebra? If you must take geometry first and it is a separate course I would recommend trying to place out of only intermediate algebra and go into geometry next semester so you could do college algebra in the fall and graduate a semester early, or if geometry and intermediate algebra are combined, just take the course. Best of luck :-)</p>
<p>I’d already been planning on taking both geometry and intermediate algebra this coming semester, they’re separate courses though. They’re both prerequisites for college algebra. If I don’t place out of them though, it’s going to take another year for me to transfer. I’m a physics major, and because of the way the course prerequisites run between the University Physics and the Calculus courses, it would take a lot longer. It’s a smaller school, so they don’t run every physics class every semester…and because of the way the courses would fall, I wouldn’t be able to even start university physics until after next year, if I can’t place into college algebra.</p>
<p>I got the textbooks for both intermediate algebra and geometry. The algebra hasn’t been difficult…I’ve actually already worked through almost the entire book. I’ve also been working diligently at the geometry…I haven’t worked through as much of that book yet, but I have worked through basically every geometry tutorial on Khan Academy. Honestly, I was expecting geometry to be a lot harder than it is. Not to say that it’s easy, but it just makes sense to me for the most part. All I really have left to work on for Algebra II is conic sections…and a few other odds and ends.</p>
<p>As far as proofs go, I don’t think I’ll be required to write any proofs. It’s a computer based Compass test…it’s mainly based on perimeter, area and Pythagorean Theorem with triangles…perimeter area and arcs of circles…supplementary, complementary angles etc…perimeter and area of rectangles and quadrilaterals…as well as some three dimensional objects and hybrid shapes. From what I’ve been told, proofs aren’t really necessary.</p>
<p>Another idea is to practice other CBT like aleks or mymathlab for prep/to get used to taking the questions. It is great that you are doing the workbooks & Khan Academy. Practicing math makes you get better and feel more comfortable. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thanks! My deadline is coming up…I’m taking the compass on Wednesday, so I’ve got about 4 days left. I’m feeling pretty confident though. CalDud sent me a bunch of helpful links, and I’ve been working away at it diligently. Boy am I going to be glad when I’m done with this test though. The last month has been almost nothing but studying math. I’m ready for this semester to start, so I can start studying other stuff aside from math too!..lol </p>
<p>Realistically, I have spent probably an average of 6 hours a day or so studying math over the whole winter break. I’ve worked through practically the entire Intermediate Algebra book…a good chunk of the geometry book, and gained “proficiency” in around a hundred categories on Khan Academy. I’ve narrowed it down to a few specific areas that I need to work on over the next few days, but I’m feeling pretty good about it.</p>
<p>I need to work on arcs of circles a little more…a little bit on complex numbers, touch up on series and sequences of numbers…and a bit on exponential functions.</p>
<p>Well, I was successful in my endeavor!! I ended up placing into Trig, which is higher than I was even aiming for!! The compass actually ended up being easier than I was anticipating. The geometry covered on it was almost non-existent. After I got through the algebra/college algebra section, it basically went straight to trig. All of the geometry problems I was presented with involved sines, cosines or tangents…there wasn’t a single “basic” geometry question. This was great, because if I hadn’t placed into trig, I would have had to take a separate, written geometry test to place into college algebra. I didn’t even know this until I got to the testing center today. From what I’d been told previously, I only had to pass the compass.</p>
<p>Despite placing into trig though, it wouldn’t really benefit me to skip college algebra. It wouldn’t save me any time, and it will still be very beneficial to better learn the material in college algebra. So, I’m still taking college algebra this semester. I also got all my books today, and they ended up being cheaper than I was anticipating, so today was a good day!</p>