If you took macroeconomics...

[Kathryn]

What math topics would be helpful to review before beginning the course for someone who hasn't taken a math course in ten years?

[SparklyUnicorn]

It's been awhile, but I think it really depends on the level of the course.  The course I took was a basic level (non major) and I don't recall doing any math in the class or nothing beyond basic math.  If the class required a certain level of math it would most likely list the minimal math requirement as a prerequisite. 

[Guest]

College level macro is a cakewalk (the 200 or 300 level course, not the Econ grad student course). They need strong chart reading, algebra and statistics, and logic skills are a bonus. But macro is not heavy on math beyond very simple algebra. I'm no math whizz but I could have slept through that class and still gotten an A. It's more about remembering terms and theories, truthfully.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[purplejackmama]

I agree with Arctic, no difficult math skills required (which is why I loved the class! :) )

[ChocolateReignRemix]

An intro macro course should not involve anything other than graphs and understanding basic equations (not solving them - just being able to read them).

[gardenmom5]

good grasp of general math.

you can go onto khan academy . com (it's free) if you want to get your math skills up to snuff.  it will assess you and go from there.

[Kathryn]

Thanks. DH is about to start a macroeconomics course (ECO210) at the community college, so I didn't think it would be all that involved, but the instructor keeps saying how rigorous it's going to be and there was a prerequisite of MAT102 or 155. Those are pretty basic courses, but DH has been out of school for a while so he was nervous about the mathh aspect.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Kathryn

[EmseB]

Macro was intense for me, but not because of the math. It was difficult for me to keep the if->then charts and curves straight in my brain. So, I needed more logical thinking skills, I guess. :/

[ChocolateReignRemix]

Thanks. DH is about to start a macroeconomics course (ECO210) at the community college, so I didn't think it would be all that involved, but the instructor keeps saying how rigorous it's going to be and there was a prerequisite of MAT102 or 155. Those are pretty basic courses, but DH has been out of school for a while so he was nervous about the mathh aspect.

A macro course can be rigorous, but an intro course really shouldn't be.

[almondbutterandjelly]

College level macro is a cakewalk (the 200 or 300 level course, not the Econ grad student course). They need strong chart reading, algebra and statistics, and logic skills are a bonus. But macro is not heavy on math beyond very simple algebra. I'm no math whizz but I could have slept through that class and still gotten an A. It's more about remembering terms and theories, truthfully.

Ha ha.  Wasn't a cakewalk for me.  And I was math major.  I took both micro and macro economics, and it did not go well.  But my math skills weren't the reason.  I don't recall it using much math.

[The Girls' Mom]

I took it last semester, and took Micro this semester.  The math is very, very minimal.  If you can understand how to read graphs, and how a basic equation works, you are good.  The kicker for me has been the demand curves and shifts. They want to illustrate a curve for everything!  

[ashfern]

Khan Academy has both micro and macro economics courses now. 

[fdrinca]

Well, I don't want to be the lone voice of dissent, but I do think that calculus is a helpful prerequisite for economics.

 

I tend to think that students would understand subjects like economics better if they were comfortable with mathematical thinking.

[umsami]

I honestly don't remember much beyond algebra in macro both at the undergrad level and as an MBA student.  I had taken calculus and stat, though... but I want to say that for Freshman macro, the calculus was designed to be concurrent with macro. (Even though I also took calc as a h.s. senior.)  Stat came after.   Then in grad school, it was probably stat with macro... but I don't remember any overlap.

Edited April 26, 2016 by umsami

[fdrinca]

I honestly don't remember much beyond algebra in macro both at the undergrad level and as an MBA student.  I had taken calculus and stat, though... but I want to say that for Freshman macro, the calculus was designed to be concurrent with macro. (Even though I also took calc as a h.s. senior.)  Stat came after.   Then in grad school, it was probably stat with macro... but I don't remember any overlap.

 

It's not so much that you explicitly use calculus, but rather than you've developed an understanding of functions,  as well as derivatives as they relate to marginal changes. 

 

The moment I realized that the marginal cost curve was the derivative of the cost function blew my mind. Oh, to be 18 again :)

[ChocolateReignRemix]

It's not so much that you explicitly use calculus, but rather than you've developed an understanding of functions, as well as derivatives as they relate to marginal changes.

 

The moment I realized that the marginal cost curve was the derivative of the cost function blew my mind. Oh, to be 18 again :)

That is true for later Econ courser but shouldn't be an issue in an intro course.

[umsami]

It's not so much that you explicitly use calculus, but rather than you've developed an understanding of functions,  as well as derivatives as they relate to marginal changes. 

 

The moment I realized that the marginal cost curve was the derivative of the cost function blew my mind. Oh, to be 18 again :)

 

LOL, you're giving me more credit than you should.  I got straight As in calculus, stat, finance... etc... but it was only because I was good at plug and chug.  I had zero understanding of math.... even basic things like multiplication being repeat addition.  Nobody would know that based on my grades, the universities I attended, my SAT and ACT scores, etc... but it's true.  That's why I ran the other way when my calc prof suggested I switch majors and become a math major.  It is only because I've been relearning everything through Beast, Math Mammoth, and others that I now have a better understanding. 

 

I'll also add that I kind of hated the intro econ courses.  Where I went, they were huge lecture halls.... with a prof on the stage....and if you were lucky, a TA may answer a question.  The higher level econ courses were far more enjoyable, and I learned a lot more in them.  Don't assume if you do poorly in an intro course that you may hate the entire field. :)

[luuknam]

An intro macro course should not involve anything other than graphs and understanding basic equations (not solving them - just being able to read them).

 

My high school macro economics course did involve solving (basic) equations. The math wasn't that hard though. Depending on your community college the instructor might be used to having a lot of students who think any math is hard, so if that's his audience, then yeah, it does contain *some* math (in my college astronomy class I had to explain to one of my classmates what x^2 meant - she had no idea what squaring a number was, or other exponents).