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Math again-question regarding pre-calc and how much is needed to move on.


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My ds wants to finish pre-calculus and trig and move on to calculus next year. We are using the Lial's books for both, and it's clear that the Lial's Trigonometry book is simply incorporated, verbatim, into the precalculus text. What he and I are trying to figure out is how much actual new material is in the Precalculus text. He completed all the chapters and sections of Lial's Intermediate Algebra and will do the same for Trigonometry.

 

Scanning the topics in the front of Precalc, it looks like only chapters 9, Systems and Matrices, and 11, Further Topics in Algebra, are new material. Is anyone familiar enough with these books (besides poor Jann who has patiently fielded all of my questions about Lial's so far!)to comment? He wants to start calculus in the fall at CC.

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Pre-Calc is a DIRECT combination of College Algebra and Trig--so yes, the Trig text will be completely repeated in the Pre-Calc text...The publisher even offers the SAME Pre-Calc text under the name "College Algebra with Trig". The solutions manuals are identical...

 

You are needing the College Alegbra chapters of the Pre-Calc text to 'complete' the course. If you look online at a Lial's College Algebra table of contents you can see the chapters you need to complete.

 

Intermediate Algebra is Algebra 2. College Algebra is Algebra 3--it takes the Intermediate concepts a step further--so even if the chapter's name is the same--it will cover new material.

 

The reason there is a separate Trig course is that MANY college majors only require College Alegebra as the only Math credit... so only students who will need to go on to Calculus will need to take Trig.

 

Pre-Calc is more of a high school term as it combines the 2 one-semester courses (College Algebra and Trig) into one text book.

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We used a different text, but had the same question initially. Then I looked at those Algebra topics in the text and realized that it was a case of "further up and further in" as it were. I'm so glad we didn't skip over the Algebra 3 material. I think it has really helped ds this year with his calculus course. It gave a much great depth to his understanding....a solid foundation is never a waste.

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