Question about Math?

[JDD]

Hello, 

I am a new user and I'm in 8th grade. I am currently taking Geometry and I love math. My question is what kind of math I should take next year in 9th grade? I have heard many answers from math teachers. Here are a few like next year I can do Algebra II in a few months and then start Pre-Calculus both with Lial's textbooks. Any review on these books would be great! Also, some say to take Algebra II and College Algebra, which seems to be the same as Algebra II. Also others believe I should take just Algebra II, but this seems to easy since it is mostly review of Algebra I, just a little more in depth. Another question I have is if I take Algebra II(high school), Pre-Calculus(HS), and then Calculus(Dual Enrollment) will colleges force me to take College Algebra in Undergraduate if I don't take it in High School? Also, I am going to take Physics next year and I am wondering, what math I should take, which will give me enough background to the math in Physics. I will be using Apologia. Any information would be great!

Jesse

[kiana]

Wow! You have a lot of questions.

 

1) You should take as long as it takes to do Algebra II with understanding and then do precalculus in my opinion, if you like math.

2) College algebra is usually the first half of precalculus.

3) Algebra II adds a significant amount more depth -- if it is easy, yes, you should go through it rapidly. But again, take as long as you need -- you don't have to have decided in advance whether you're going to do Alg II or precalc. You can also do part of precalc one year and part the next.

4) If your calculus transfers you usually won't have to do a placement test. If your calculus doesn't transfer, they will probably make you take a placement test, and this will determine whether or not you need to take college algebra or not. This is one reason that it's really important to take as long as necessary to make sure you understand algebra II, because it really sucks to take calculus in high school and then get booted back to college algebra or lower. You do not have to take college algebra in high school to place out of it.

5) I haven't done apologia, but according to this blog - https://blog.apologia.com/blog/2012/04/18/the-five-most-common-difficulties-in-teaching-science-2/ - you need algebra 1, geometry, and basic trigonometry (i.e. right triangle trigonometry) to do physics and precalculus to do advanced physics. Your geometry course may have included right triangle trig, but even if it did not, you can learn it in an afternoon if you understood geometry.

[JDD]

Thanks for your response!

Jesse

[Julie of KY]

Since you love math, I'd take a look at the Art of Problem Solving curriculum. It is geared to mathy kids. If you do ths, you'd need to start with the Intro to Algebra book as algebra 2 is the last half of the book. You can can try Alcumus for free on the Art of Problem Solving website - this is their free online learning system. It will give you an idea of their style of teaching. Take whatever time you need to learn each subject and know there is lots more math out there such as counting and probability and number theory if you want to do more.