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<p>[MIT</a> Mathematics | Classes](<a href=“http://math.mit.edu/academics/classes.php]MIT”>Course List)</p>
<p>As you can see, they offer Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.</p>
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<p>Remember what I said earlier? That’s not high-school algebra I, that’s abstract algebra I and II. Look at the course description, and you will see for yourself.</p>
<p>Abstract algebra is a highly theoretical branch of mathematics that involves groups, rings, etc.</p>
<p>The first problem set for MIT’s algebra I:
As a rule, you are expected to prove your assertions in the problem sets.
- Chapter 1, Exercise 6.2. (invertible integer matrices)
- Chapter 1, Exercise M.8. (an exercise in logic)
- Chapter 1, Exercise M.11. (the discrete dirichlet problem)
- Chapter 1, Exercise 4.8b. (generating SLn(R))
- Chapter 2, Exercise 4.11. (generating Sn and An)
- (optional) Chapter 2, Exercise M.16. (the homophonic group)</p>
<p>^That isn’t 8th grade algebra I, for sure.</p>
<p>The average is still probably up to Algebra II. At my school, at least half of the students don’t go onto Pre-calculus, probably (they either drop math altogether or take Prob and Stat, which is known to be easier than Pre-calc). There’s probably 100 kids or so that take calculus in my class at either AB or BC, so that’s 17%, more or less. Definitely not average.</p>
<p>^ That’s how it was for my school as well</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>There is one AP Calc Class at my school…</p>
<p>It has three people in it…</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Then there are ten of us taking a DE-ish form of Calc at our magnet…</p>
<p>But, I can easily explain this. Most students who are in the strain of kids that could get to AP Calc are skilled at yet despise math. They decided to take other classes as they’d already filled their math requirement. Many decided that art or tech classes mean more to them. Others decided they’d rather be a guidance, office, or teacher aide than have a class first period (which is apparently when the class is taught).</p>
<p>So DS is in Honors Geometry as a 7th grader and DS is “only” in Honors Alg 2 in 9th grade. I am confused about all the diff upper level maths. How does trig compare to pre calc compare to Calc compare to Calc AB compare to Calc BC compare to AP Calc AB etc compare to MVC etc? Are some of these courses the same but with diff names?</p>
<p>While MIT highly recommends that you’ve taken Calculus in HS, as for many other courses, it’s certainly not required. I know people at MIT that have only taken Precalc, as I know a few of my fellow freshmen at CMU have only take precalc. It’s not a formal requirement. Does it help? Absolutely.</p>
<p>Furthermore, your concept of “ahead” will entirely change in college. There are kids here who’ve taken analysis, amongst other things. They are no further “ahead” than I am. It’s not a race to see who can take Calculus the earliest or who has the most math background entering their first year of college. That’s a losing mentality. There are people at these colleges that can still graduate in 4 years or in a reasonable amount of time without having taken Calculus in HS. I’d suggest you actually enroll in a 4 year college before asserting that you know everything about it.</p>
<p>Wow, some of your schools are really advanced!</p>
<p>My school has been getting better, but only to the point where they just started bc calc two years ago. Where I go math isn’t even required senior year so the worst kids start at alg I as freshmen, take geometry and alg II soph. and jr. years and just quit. Regular calc makes you pretty smart, but ab or bc is for the really smart kids. I think around 40 are in ab and 6 are in bc in a class of 300.</p>
<p>My school has removed a math class, forcing regular math kids who’ve never taken an Honors/AP math class to either choose AP Calc or AP Stats their senior year (because taking a math class your senior year is required here). Seems like my school is just doing this to increase the % of kids who take AP’s…</p>
<p>@Sophia7X- That’s a pathetic move- some kids are just not ready for AP math classes and all your school cares about is it’s reputation? Not cool.</p>
<p>Anyways, yeah, I’m taking Calculus next year and it’s considered totally normal- in fact, I get looks from other students because I’m not taking the AP Calculus class -_-</p>
<p>At my school, we only go up to AP Calculus AB (only the smartest kids in the school will take it as a senior … there are only four or five people every year in our AB class). Our school does not offer any honors classes - advanced 9th graders are grouped with average 10th and 11th graders in Geometry, for example.</p>
<p>Most people at our school will go to Algebra 1 (9th or 10th), Geometry (10th or 11th), and Algebra II (11th or 12th) and then they’re done with math. Some people won’t even take Algebra II - they will take a math elective instead because a lot of people fail Algebra 2, despite the fact that it is really watered down. We don’t cover rational functions, logarithms, exponential functions, conics, or any of that fun stuff until precalculus). In fact, the first three quarters are pretty much an Algebra 1 review. Then, only about thirty kids in the entire school will go on to Precalculus. =/</p>
<p>(They are planning on changing it, though. Soon all kids will be required to take Alg2 to graduate.)</p>
<p>omg you guys’ schools are really advanced…
i go to a private school where we don’t have as many math courses, we have: algebra 1, geometry, alg 2/trig, pre-calc (which you cannot test out of :/), ap calc AB and consumer math</p>
<p>most of the school is behind in math, with sophomores still taking geometry and juniors in alg 2 or geometry. most seniors don’t bother with ap and take consumer math or no math at all. </p>
<p>as a junior myself, i’m currently in pre-calc and i’m taking calculus at a cc over the summer and consumer math senior year.</p>
<p>“sophomores still taking geometry”
“juniors in alg 2”
“most seniors don’t bother with ap”</p>
<p>This is average, not really behind.</p>
<p>We have to remember also that America have a failing grade in Education. It is very unlikely that a vast majority of student will be in Pre-cal let along Cal. I would say however more students at my school tend to take Pre-cal their senior year versus Alg. 2. </p>
<p>Another thing. Alg. 2 feel like half review for Alg. 1 and half new stuffs. Now Pre-cal for 3 chapters so far seem like Alg. 2/Trigonometry review. The only thing really different is using a graphic calculator.</p>
<p>^ This. Most of the people on this site are wealthy and attend good school systems, and have really skewed ideas on what’s “advanced” academically and what’s not.</p>
<p>Go visit a school in inner-city Detroit or out in rural Mississippi. You’ll quickly see that taking Geometry in 10th grade is actually pretty decent by national standards.</p>
<p>Okay in countries outside of the US not everybody gets a chance to go to school (only the wealthy, or, like in China and Germany I believe, the kids who do badly don’t continue in school and aren’t tested… Therefore the national average is higher in both cases). I’ve found most school systems to have a fine education, and if I wasn’t on an accelerated program I would be in geometry as a sophomore instead of Calc. Also calculus is considered a college course at my highschool–if you are completing college level courses accepted to world renowned colleges then I’m pretty sure that means you’re ahead of the game. The only reason it’s normal and recommended now for many top tier colleges is because how many schools have the ability to teach it… And if you didn’t take it it may show negatively dice you didn’t get all you could put of your highschool. </p>
<p>Calc as a senior is fine if your middle school didn’t allow highschool courses, or if you couldn’t double up in maths… In a year or two geometry will be offered in the middle school I went to and there will be plenty of juniors and sophomores in calculus.</p>
<p>A big problem with math for some is curriculum.some math curriculum sucks and hurts types of students.</p>