SparklyUnicorn Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Is there such a thing out there? A good one you feel confident about? (with answers so it can be scored by me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Why don't you use a precalculus final exam? A student who mastered precalculus and algebra 2 is, by definition, ready for calculus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Why don't you use a precalculus final exam? A student who mastered precalculus and algebra 2 is, by definition, ready for calculus. Ok so do you know of a good pre calculous final exam? LOL This is for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 (edited) I found a calculus readiness test: https://data.artofproblemsolving.com//products/diagnostics/calculus-pretest.pdf I don't have a precalc final - but just google; there must be tons out there. But if it's for you: wouldn't you know whether you completed precalc with mastery or not? Edited October 17, 2016 by regentrude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 I found a calculus readiness test: https://data.artofproblemsolving.com//products/diagnostics/calculus-pretest.pdf I don't have a precalc final - but just google; there must be tons out there. But if it's for you: wouldn't you know whether you completed precalc with mastery or not? I'm taking college algebra with trig (because I was not sure where I should start). Turned out to be too easy. Which is ok because better too easy than completely lost (plus money wise it worked out because I already had the book). So I decided to study the pre-calc stuff on my own. I'm using an ALEKS course for that (and a few other odds and ends). I'm about 70% through the material. It quizzes you periodically, but it basically just tells you at what percentage you have progressed through the material. I am not 100% sure if it covers all the necessary topics and I'd rather just be sure if I can handle it. If I were taking pre-calc at the same school then yeah I'd assume I would be ready. I'd like to skip it in part to save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 I found a calculus readiness test: https://data.artofproblemsolving.com//products/diagnostics/calculus-pretest.pdf Hm. I find their placement tests to be particularly easy. I don't think I'm THAT good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I found pre & post-tests online for the Larson Pre-Calc book. Perhaps you want to take the post-tests for each chapter? It should give you an idea what you still need to work on at least. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 I found pre & post-tests online for the Larson Pre-Calc book. Perhaps you want to take the post-tests for each chapter? It should give you an idea what you still need to work on at least. awesome, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) Hm. I find their placement tests to be particularly easy. I don't think I'm THAT good though. There really is not THAT much needed to be calculus ready. Calculus has only two basic ideas (the rest is tricks and techniques), and a solid mastery of algebra 1 and some geometry is sufficient for much of it. Some "business calculus" courses don't even cover calculus of trig functions. Much of the benefit in having taken algebra 2 and precalc lies in developing stronger math fluency - the student who has just passed algebra 1 won't have the math maturity. But a lot of the actual material is not a prerequisite for calculus 1. Edited October 18, 2016 by regentrude 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 There really is not THAT much needed to be calculus ready. Calculus has only two basic ideas (the rest is tricks and techniques), and a solid mastery of algebra 1 and some geometry is sufficient for much of it. Some "business calculus" courses don't even cover calculus of trig functions. Much of the benefit in having taken algebra 2 and precalc lies in developing stronger math fluency - the student who has just passed algebra 1 won't have the math maturity. But a lot of the actual material is not a prerequisite for calculus 1. Thanks. This is helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) Agree with regentrude. Furthermore, being willing to say "Oh my goodness, I forgot xyz" and go find a reference book and learn it will carry you a long way as long as you can use basic algebra/pre-algebra and reason mathematically. It's the reasoning mathematically that's challenging. Edit: This book is cheap and might be useful -- https://www.amazon.com/Just-Time-Algebra-Trigonometry-Calculus/dp/032167104X It parallels a fairly standard calculus class with "here's the algebra you probably forgot and now need" Edited October 18, 2016 by kiana 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Ok so do you know of a good pre calculous final exam? University of Washington precalculus test archive (and PDF textbook if you need to review something) http://www.math.washington.edu/~m120/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 Agree with regentrude. Furthermore, being willing to say "Oh my goodness, I forgot xyz" and go find a reference book and learn it will carry you a long way as long as you can use basic algebra/pre-algebra and reason mathematically. It's the reasoning mathematically that's challenging. Edit: This book is cheap and might be useful -- https://www.amazon.com/Just-Time-Algebra-Trigonometry-Calculus/dp/032167104X It parallels a fairly standard calculus class with "here's the algebra you probably forgot and now need" Oh I definitely do that. With everything. I think I'd do fine. I just lack confidence I guess. Plus I don't mind a challenge, but it's not my main commitment so I need to consider how much time I can put into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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