Melissa B Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Is it worthwhile to take AP Physics 1 and/or AP Physics 2 before AP Physics C? I know that the 1 and 2 are algebra based and C is calculus based. Couldn't a student take a solid physics class (not AP) and then follow it up with AP Physics C, assuming the student has had calculus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 That's what I would do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 (edited) There is no reason to take the algebra based AP Physics classes if the student will take calc based physics anyway. A solid algebra based one year course suffices (and is not even strictly necessary) In particular, with the redesign each of those AP classes is supposed to take a year. I do not consider it sensible to spend three high school years on physics. (And I am a physics prof) Edited June 16, 2016 by regentrude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Sure! One of my kids did a year of algebra based physics (Giancoli text with SAT 2 test; no AP exam), followed later by AP Physics C. The other kid just jumped right into the AP C level with no previous physics class. Both did just fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thank you! I thought it seemed strange to take 2-3 years of algebra based physics. I wasn't sure whether I was missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanM Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 My ds took AP physics C without having had previous high school physics, but we did spread it out over two years. There was a recent thread about this: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/613393-would-you-do-algebra-based-physics-before-calculus-based/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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