Math classes ?

Question

is precalculus harder than algebra 2 ?

what topic is covered in algebra 2 ?

what's the difference between Ap Calc AB and Ap Calc bc, which one is harder?

do you need to take Calc ab before you take BC?

what skills do you need to know before taking Ap calc BC?

Answer 1

Precalculus is on the same level difficulty as algebra 2, BUT you need the stuff you learn in algebra 2 for some of the stuff in pre cal.

Ap Calc AB does derivative and integration, and BC does Integrals and derivatives plus extra stuff, so BC is harder simply because you do more.

I think you can choose either AB or BC not both. I suggest do BC. If you just read the book and do the problems you'll be fine. But you gotta be ready to put daily effort.

Skills...get a precalc book from a used book store on download one online and you can get a brief review of what you need to know. Know stuf like:

Sets

Real numbers

Complex numbers

Solving inequalities and equations

Properties of functions

Composite function

Polynomial functions

Rational functions

Trigonometry

Trigonometric functions and their inverses

Trigonometric identities

Conic sections

Exponential functions

Logarithmic functions

Sequences and series

Binomial theorem

Vectors

Parametric equations

Polar coordinates

Matrices

Mathematical induction

Limits

you may not need to know all this stuff, and most likely you've already seen most of this stuff even if you don't recognize it by name.

I suggest taking advanced course out of the way, when you get to college they'll seem pitifully tame and you don't that stuff to eat up time for more gnarly courses.

I've included a link for a good site that teaches the basics:

Answer 2

topics cover for algebra 2,

• Chapter 1: Equations and Inequalities

• Chapter 2: Linear Relationships and Functions

• Chapter 3: Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities

• Chapter 4: Matrices and Matrix Operations

• Chapter 5: Quadratic Equations

• Chapter 6: Polynomial Functions

• Chapter 7: Rational Expressions, Equations, and Exponents

• Chapter 8: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

• Chapter 9: Sequences and Series

Topics for precalculus,

11.  The formal rules of algebra

12.  Rational and irrational numbers

What is a rational number? Which numbers have rational square roots?  The decimal representation of irrationals. What is a real number?

13.  Functions

What is a function? Functional notation. A function of a function.

14.  Introduction to graphs

The graph of a function. Coördinate pairs of a function. The height of the curve at x.

15.  Basic graphs

The constant function. The identity function. The absolute value function. A parabola. The square root function. The cubic function.

16.  The vocabulary of polynomial functions

Definition of a polynomial in x. The degree of a term and of a polynomial. The leading coefficient. The general form of a polynomial.

17.  The roots, or zeros, of a polynomial

The polynomial equation. The roots of a polynomial. The x- and y-intercepts of a graph. The relationship between the roots and the x-intercepts.

18.  The slope of a straight line

Definition of the slope. Positive and negative slope. A straight line has only one slope.

"Same slope" and "parallel." Perpendicular lines.

The slope and one point specify a straight line.

19.  Linear functions: The equation of a straight line

The equation of the first degree. The graph of a first degree equation -- a straight line. The slope-intercept form, and its proof.

10.  Quadratics: Polynomials of the second degree

Solving a quadratic equation by factoring. A double root. Quadratic inequalities. The sum and product of the roots.

11.  Completing the square

Solving a quadratic equation by completing the square. The quadratic formula.

12.  Synthetic division by x − a

The remainder theorem.

13.  Roots of polynomials of degree greater than 2

The factor theorem. The fundamental theorem of algebra. The integer root theorem. Conjugate pairs.

14.  Multiple roots. Point of inflection.

Concave upward, concave downward.

15.  Reflections of a graph

Reflection about the x-axis. Reflection about the y-axis. Reflection through the origin.

16.  Symmetry of a graph

Symmetry with respect to the y-axis. Symmetry with respect to the origin. Test for symmetry. Odd and even functions.

17.  Translations of a graph

Definition of a translation. The equation of a circle.

The vertex of a parabola. Vertical stretches and shrinks.

18.  Rational functions

Singularities. The reciprocal function. Horizontal and vertical asymptotes.

19.  Inverse functions

Definition of inverses. Constructing the inverse.

The graph of an inverse function.

20.  Logarithms

The system of common logarithms. The system of natural logarithms. The three laws of logarithms. Change of base.

21.  Logarithmic and exponential functions

22.  Factorials

23.  Permutations and Combinations

The Fundamental Principle of Counting.  Factorial representations.

24.  The binomial theorem

Pascal's triangle.

25.  Multiplication of sums

A proof of the binomial theorem.

26.  Mathematical induction

• Chapter 10: Trigonometry

• Chapter 11: Trigonometric Identities, Graphs, and Functions

• Chapter 12: Quadratic Relations and Analytic Geometry

For calculua ab and bc.

AB is mainly for differentiations

BC is mainly for intergations

BC isnt necessary harder than AB, just more applications...AB has more funamentals on the calculus course overall and i m guessing ppl struggle more in AB than BC since its a intro course... but i dont have stats for that..

yes u need to get ab then bc...in college, we call ab as calculus 1 and bc as calculus 2 so u see the sequence? u have to get through ab then bc...

for skills preparing for bc, u need to be skilled in differentiations over linear equations, exponents functions and trig functions...

Answer 3

I have not taken Algebra 2, but I have taken the equivalent. And Pre Calculus is the easiest class I have ever taken. Algebra two, I think goes into very basic Trigonometry, and Pre Calc covers it in depth. But Trig is not hard at all. Algebra 2 is most likely harder. I took College Algebra, (I'm guessing it's similar to Algebra 2) and College Algebra was way harder than Pre Calc.

Calculus AB is Differential Calculus. You learn how to calculate instantaneous slope, and you learn how to calculate area under curves.

Calculus BC, Integral Calculus, goes more in depth with calculating area, and you learn convergence and stuff. Yes Calculus AB is a pre requisite of Calculus BC because BC builds off of AB.