Jump to content

Menu

Recommended Posts

Posted

Son has math through algebra 2 (algebra 2 was the watered down public school version, literally, he did it at public school). He has done a basic statistics class, not AP. So he already has 4 credits. There was no trig in the high school algebra 2 class so I figured he might need it. He really wants to either be a ballet dancer or a pilot. He would prefer to be a pilot I think, but not sure. He can stop doing math now, as he has what he needs to graduate and get in to college if he chooses to go. I was trying to figure out if I should have him jump in to consumer math this fall, or leave it alone for a while and let him focus on test prep for PSAT and SAT and ACT? If I leave it alone for now, I might look to him picking up college algebra senior year or college statistics. If we do something this fall, it needs to be something that applies what he already knows. He seems convinced he cannot do math and will not even try anymore.

  • Like 1
Posted

I find the last sentence in the OP very hard to understand. What was his grade in Algebra 2? I would not suggest for a minute that he wastes his time on "Consumer Math".  I believe that he should take "Pre Calculus".  Also, if he is going to take the PSAT, that's critical and I suggest that he study on Khan Academy and link his Khan Academy account to his College Board account. After he takes the PSAT he can continue on Khan Academy, studying for the SAT. Khan Academy and the College Board have an official tie in and Khan Academy is free.  Good luck to him!

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Lanny said:

I find the last sentence in the OP very hard to understand. What was his grade in Algebra 2? I would not suggest for a minute that he wastes his time on "Consumer Math".  I believe that he should take "Pre Calculus".  Also, if he is going to take the PSAT, that's critical and I suggest that he study on Khan Academy and link his Khan Academy account to his College Board account. After he takes the PSAT he can continue on Khan Academy, studying for the SAT. Khan Academy and the College Board have an official tie in and Khan Academy is free.  Good luck to him!

He did algebra 2 through the public school, but it was online. However, when he took the tests, he did it in person. Then the teacher would go over the tests with him. He repeatedly earned 100% on homework for participation but then maybe 50% on tests. Then as she would go over it, she would show him how to do each problem he missed and say stuff like "but you know this, right?" She was super sweet and then by the end, his grade for the final was a 70. If he earned under a 70, he was allowed to come back and retake, but that never happened as she allowed him to raise his grade for the final to 70 each time. When you add in the homework/participation grades, that gave him a 75 as a final grade, both semesters. That is for algebra 2.

  • Like 1
Posted

Thank you for that information.  Not ideal, but hopefully he understands the Algebra 2 material. If not, then he should consider studying  Algebra 2 on Khan Academy to improve his knowledge. I continue to believe that he should take Pre Calc.

  • Like 1
Posted
29 minutes ago, Lanny said:

Thank you for that information.  Not ideal, but hopefully he understands the Algebra 2 material. If not, then he should consider studying  Algebra 2 on Khan Academy to improve his knowledge. I continue to believe that he should take Pre Calc.

Also, the public school algebra two did not have a lot of things that I would have taught at home with my Dolciani or Foerster's books. And it definitely had no trig.

  • Like 1
Posted

It sounds like he doesn't know Algebra 2.  I'd try to find a gentle precalculus book and go with that.  The suggestion upthread to use MUS may be a good one.

If you wait to do college algebra/trig/precalculus, any skill that he did develop in his ps Algebra 2 class will have long since evaporated.  In other words, I don't think that this is a good time to go sideways with math.

  • Like 3

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...