armom Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I am trying to let my kids do precalculus next year. We will use Derek Owen. We are not going to finish Foerster Algebra and Trig before the beginning of school. We started it in January, and are through chapter 6. We are going to work all summer. The reason this is such a problem is because my son wants to take Calculus year after next (his senior year) to make sure he has some exposure before college. He is wanting to go into mechanical engineering. My question is do most of you recommend skipping chapters 13-15 or doing them. I have search forums and seen suggestions for both, but wondering what to do if using Derek Owen's Precalculus. Thanks for any insight you can give me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Good question!! I am waiting for the answers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) Why not email Derek Owens and ask him. His algebra 2 course does have some trig at the end of it, it looks like, so it would be good to ask. Personally, we are using the Foerster book and covering the trig, but only because we have time to. If we did not, I would not worry too much as long as I knew the precalculus I was going to use had a thorough trig component. It really varies as to what algebra 2 courses cover. Having looked at different syllabi and online courses, I don't think there is a real standard. It looks like core (meant to say "common core") algebra 2 includes very little trig. Edited May 1, 2017 by Penelope 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 DO does have a placement test, though in our experience it was not super helpful (daughter did fine, excelled even, in a class that the placement test indicated might be a struggle. She had done the full Teaching Textbooks Alg 2 class though.) I suspect you would be okay even without finishing the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) You don't have to cover the trig stuff if you don't have time. DO will intro it as if you've never seen it. It might help to have seen it before, but you don't have to finish the Alg 2 book (trig sections) since you'll be covering it with DO's course. DO's course outline for PreCalc: Course OutlineThese topics comprise the material normally taught in a high school precalculus course.Chapter 1: PreliminariesReview of topics from Algebra and Geometry; Equations; Setting Up Equations; Inequalities; Complex Numbers; Rectangular Coordinates and Graphs; Straight LinesChapter 2: Functions and Their GraphsFunctions; Graphing Techniques; Operations of Functions; Composite Functions; One-to-One Functions; Inverse Functions; Mathematical ModelsChapter 3: Polynomial and Rational FunctionsQuadratic Functions; Polynomial Functions; Rational Functions; Synthetic Division; Zeros of Polynomial Functions; Approximating Real Zeros; Complex Polynomials; The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra;Chapter 4: Exponential and Logarithmic FunctionsExponential Functions and Graphs; Logarithmic Functions and Graphs; Properties of Logarithms; Exponential and Logarithmic Equations; Compound Interest; Growth and Decay; Logarithmic ScalesChapter 5: Trigonometric FunctionsRadian and Degree Measure; The Unit Circle; Properties of Trigonometric Functions; Right Triangle Trigonometry; ApplicationsChapter 6: Graphs of Trigonometric FunctionsGraphs of the Sine and Cosine Functions; Sinusoidal Graphs; Applications; Graphs of Tangent, Cosecant, Secant, and Cotangent Functions; Inverse Trigonometric FunctionsChapter 7: Analytic TrigonometryTrigonometric Identities; Sum and Difference Formulas; Double-angle and Half-angle Formulas; Product-to-Sum and Sum-to-Product Formulas; Trigonometric EquationsChapter 8: Additional Applications of TrigonometryThe Law of Sines; The Law of Cosines; The Area of a Triangle; Polar Coordinates; Polar Equations and Graphs; The Complex Plane: DeMoivre’s TheoremChapter 9: Analytic GeometryThe Parabola; The Ellipse; The Hyperbola; Rotation of Axes: General Form of a Conic; Polar Equations of Conics; Plane Curves and Parametric EquationsChapter 10: Systems of Equations and InequalitiesSolving Systems of Equations by Substitution and Elimination; Matrices; Determinants; Systems of Nonlinear Equations; Systems of Inequalities; Linear ProgrammingChapter 11: Sequences, Induction, Counting, and ProbabilitySequences; Arithmetic Sequences; Geometric Sequences and Series; Mathematical Induction; The Binomial Theorem; In Alg 2, DO covers some of this in his Alg 2 class, but he won't assume you already saw it. Some kids will have forgotten all of it anyway. Chapter 1: Equations and InequalitiesReal Numbers and Operations; Algebraic Models and Expressions; Linear Equations; Rewriting Equations and Formulas; Problem Solving with Algebraic Models; Linear Inequalities; Absolute ValueChapter 2: Linear Functions and EquationsFunctions and Graphs; Slope and Rate of Change; Graphs of Linear Equations; Writing Linear Equations; Best Fit Lines; Linear Inequalities in Two Variables; Piecewise Functions; Absolute ValueChapter 3: Systems of EquationsSolving Systems by Graphing; Solving Systems Algebraically; Systems of Linear Inequalities; Linear Programming; Linear Equations in Three Variables; Systems of Equations in Three VariablesChapter 4: Quadratic FunctionsGraphing Quadratic Functions; Solving Quadratic Equations with Square Roots; Complex Numbers; Completing the Square; The Quadratic Formula; Graphing and Solving Quadratic InequalitiesChapter 5: Polynomials and Polynomial FunctionsProperties of Exponents; Graphing Polynomial Functions; Adding, Subtracting, and Multiplying Polynomials; Factoring and Solving Polynomial Equations; The Remainder and Factor Theorems; Finding Rational Zeros; The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra; Graphs of Polynomial FunctionsChapter 6: Powers, Roots, and RadicalsRoots and Rational Exponents; Power Functions; Inverse Functions; Square Root and Cube Root Functions; Solving Radical EquationsChapter 7: Exponential and Logarithmic FunctionsExponential Growth; Exponential Decay; The Number e; Logarithmic Functions; Properties of Logarithms; Solving Exponential and Logarithmic FunctionsChapter 8: Rational Equations and FunctionsInverse and Joint Variation; Graphing Simple Rational Functions; Graphing General Rational Functions; Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions; Addition and Subtraction of Rational Expressions, Complex Fractions; Solving Rational EquationsChapter 9: Conic SectionsThe Distance and Midpoint Formulas; Parabolas; Circles; Ellipses; Hyperbolas; Graphing and Classifying Conic SectionsChapter 10: Sequences and SeriesArithmetic Sequences and Series; Geometric Sequences and Series; Infinite Geometric Series; Recursive Rules for SequencesChapter 11: Trigonometric Ratios and FunctionsRight Triangle Trigonometry; Angles and Radians; Trigonometric Functions; Inverse Trig Functions; The Law of Sines; The Law of Cosines; Parametric EquationsChapter 12: Trigonometric Graphs, Identities, and EquationsGraphing Trigonometric Functions; Translations and Reflections of Trigonometric Graphs; Trigonometric Identities; Solving Trigonometric Equations; Sum and Difference Formulas; Double Angle and Half Angle Formulas Edited May 1, 2017 by RootAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armom Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 Why not email Derek Owens and ask him. His algebra 2 course does have some trig at the end of it, it looks like, so it would be good to ask. Personally, we are using the Foerster book and covering the trig, but only because we have time to. If we did not, I would not worry too much as long as I knew the precalculus I was going to use had a thorough trig component. It really varies as to what algebra 2 courses cover. Having looked at different syllabi and online courses, I don't think there is a real standard. It looks like core (meant to say "common core") algebra 2 includes very little trig. Thank you. I hadn't thought of emailing DO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armom Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 You don't have to cover the trig stuff if you don't have time. DO will intro it as if you've never seen it. It might help to have seen it before, but you don't have to finish the Alg 2 book (trig sections) since you'll be covering it with DO's course. In Alg 2, DO covers some of this in his Alg 2 class, but he won't assume you already saw it. Some kids will have forgotten all of it anyway. This is what I was needing to hear. At least if I decide to skip chapters, the material will covered as if they might not had gone over material before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 DO covers the trig from the beginning, though it's helpful if it's not the first time you've seen trig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I would keep working so that all the math is fresh but not worry about the missed parts. For most students the spaced repetition is helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Why all or none? Sample the beginning parts of chapters 13-15 and do a few problems - having some Trig exposure before PreCalc is a good way to go. You could do this in a week maybe two. (my textbook is out on loan to a friend so I can't give you specific sections). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armom Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 Well, I went ahead an emailed Derek Owens. He recommended finishing Foerster book trig chapters included. He said he had another student recently that did what I was wanting do, skip end chapters, and the student really struggled. We will just work through as long as it takes, and may just have to start Precalculus later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 It really depends on your student. My son had only done the trig chapter of AoPS geometry before DO Precalc--and had done it two years prior. He did fine with DO precalc. Math does come fairly easily to him however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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