What level algebra required to succeed in statistics?

[Liz CA]

I will take a statistics course at the medium 200 level at the university. While I have basic statistics knowledge, I don't know if a higher level requires advanced algebra?

If so, I will have to review algebra (I still have the books from homeschooling) since I don't use many algebraic concepts in my work / daily life.

[kiana]

If there is a prerequisite, look at what it is -- usually it's intermediate or college algebra, sometimes business calculus.

 

If there is no prerequisite, ask the department that teaches the stats class what they would recommend.

 

Stats classes vary too widely for anyone here to give you a really useful answer. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

I'd say at least algebra I, maybe II. Although I sucked at Algebra II and did fine, not only in basic stats, but in 2-3 upper level stats classes as well.

[zoobie]

If there is a prerequisite, look at what it is -- usually it's intermediate or college algebra, sometimes business calculus.

 

If there is no prerequisite, ask the department that teaches the stats class what they would recommend.

 

Stats classes vary too widely for anyone here to give you a really useful answer.

I agree. I don't really remember algebra being used in statistics much and I took 8000-9000 level grad classes. Statistics was a horse of a different color. It was kind of fun then, pre-kids, when I had useable brain cells. ;)

[The Girls' Mom]

My daughter had through Algebra II, and is currently taking Elementary Statistics at college. She is doing very well.

[Liz CA]

I agree. I don't really remember algebra being used in statistics much and I took 8000-9000 level grad classes. Statistics was a horse of a different color. It was kind of fun then, pre-kids, when I had useable brain cells. ;)

 

Very encouraging. If algebra / calculus was required I would have to work through some stuff again that I would rather not do, but the statistics I had so far have not been a problem.

[J-rap]

I took just Geometry and Algebra I back in the day, and did just fine in college statistics. (It was necessarily a breeze, but I did okay.) One of my daughters is taking it now, and she had math through Algebra II.  She is finding statistics to be quite easy.

 

 

[wapiti]

Just check the prerequisites - they should be listed in the description. Basic stats courses may not have prerequisites at all, but higher-level stats courses are typically calc-based.

[Mandylubug]

Well, I was enrolled in Statistics, but looking back mine was a 300 level course? Not sure if that makes a difference. I was taking a heavy work load and homeschooling and did not have enough time to devote to that course. I withdrew I believe in that first week. I probably could have done just fine with a 3/4 class load or even a full load if I hadn't had Literature same semester. It was a very bad semester. I think it depends on overall amount of time a student has to devote to courses. I found it to be proof heavy and time consuming. However, I didn't try too hard, said I didn't have time for it at the time and just withdrew. HA.. such a motivational answer ;)

 

eta: It wasn't that I COULDN'T do it.. just ugh. Didn't have the motivation to do it with my other course load. I understood all I was doing. I had through Algebra II in high school and had completed College Algebra before hand.

[5of5]

Very encouraging. If algebra / calculus was required I would have to work through some stuff again that I would rather not do, but the statistics I had so far have not been a problem.

 

Wait!  As PP's have said, check the prerequisites!  Something titled, for example, "Introduction to Mathematical Statistics" likely needs calculus.  Applied stats courses, though, typically don't require a lot of deep math.