12th grade math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my view the ideal sequence after Algebra 2 is:

- precalculus & AP Statistics, double up if possible
- AP Calculus BC
- multivariable (for science and engineering) or discrete (for computer science)
- linear Algebra (for computer science)
- differential equations (for science/engineering)

For example a student doing Algebra 2 as a freshmen, who is interested in CS could do AP Stat and Precalc in sophomore year, AP calculus BC as a junior, and discrete math and linear algebra one semester each for senior year.

If the interest is more into science or engineering they can change the senior year to multivariable first semester and linear algebra or differential equation for the second.

Are those even offered, except at the Blair and Poolesville magnets?

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/234/#Mathematics_Courses

They are through dual enrollment.

[Anonymous]

I just don't understand how a third of the senior class is in multivariable or otherwise in their second year of calc (having taken two years Calc AB and being in BC).

What is an ordinary bright non-STEM student supposed to do? I guess from the posts above AP Stats i the only option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don't understand how a third of the senior class is in multivariable or otherwise in their second year of calc (having taken two years Calc AB and being in BC).

What is an ordinary bright non-STEM student supposed to do? I guess from the posts above AP Stats i the only option?

Stats is a soft option for non math kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't understand how a third of the senior class is in multivariable or otherwise in their second year of calc (having taken two years Calc AB and being in BC).

What is an ordinary bright non-STEM student supposed to do? I guess from the posts above AP Stats i the only option?

Stats is a great option for most kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone talk to me about this like I'm stupid. In our child's school more than half of the kids did compacted math in elementary which put them on a track to take Alg 2 in 9th, and then Pre-cal in 10th.

Are the majority of kids in high achieving schools like this doing Calc AB and then BC or are the majority taking Multivariable senior year?

When did compacted math start? I don't understand how only some schools can offer Multivariable if this track is so popular? I mean track #2 from the math pathways in the link.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan

Originally compact math was offered to a small percentage of the kids. Sometime after class of 2023, the bar lowered and now it's close to the entire grade at some schools. No adjustments were even made when class of 2026 kids missed a large percentage of the Algebra curriculum due to Covid closures.

I am not sure what most kids are doing. To me its silly to push kids ahead do only take Calc AB in 11th and then stats. Why not slow down and take Calc BC in 12th grade instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised that on the college forum many recommend taking AP Calc and BC, but on the MCPS one people say not to.

There are two AP calc options, AB and BC. BC is therefore AP calc.

AB covers one semester of college calc. BC covers all of AB plus the second semester of college calc.

It would make more sense if they had named the two classes AP Calculus A and AP Calculus AB.

A=Precalc
B=Calc 1
C=Calc 2

They don't teach A in calc anymore - that's done before in a precalc course -- so if you are taking BC you are repeating all of AB and adding on. They really should make an AP Calc C option for those who have already done AB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone talk to me about this like I'm stupid. In our child's school more than half of the kids did compacted math in elementary which put them on a track to take Alg 2 in 9th, and then Pre-cal in 10th.

Are the majority of kids in high achieving schools like this doing Calc AB and then BC or are the majority taking Multivariable senior year?

When did compacted math start? I don't understand how only some schools can offer Multivariable if this track is so popular? I mean track #2 from the math pathways in the link.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan

Originally compact math was offered to a small percentage of the kids. Sometime after class of 2023, the bar lowered and now it's close to the entire grade at some schools. No adjustments were even made when class of 2026 kids missed a large percentage of the Algebra curriculum due to Covid closures.

I am not sure what most kids are doing. To me its silly to push kids ahead do only take Calc AB in 11th and then stats. Why not slow down and take Calc BC in 12th grade instead?

Thank you PP. This is exactly why my head hurts! It does not make a lot of sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone talk to me about this like I'm stupid. In our child's school more than half of the kids did compacted math in elementary which put them on a track to take Alg 2 in 9th, and then Pre-cal in 10th.

Are the majority of kids in high achieving schools like this doing Calc AB and then BC or are the majority taking Multivariable senior year?

When did compacted math start? I don't understand how only some schools can offer Multivariable if this track is so popular? I mean track #2 from the math pathways in the link.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan

Originally compact math was offered to a small percentage of the kids. Sometime after class of 2023, the bar lowered and now it's close to the entire grade at some schools. No adjustments were even made when class of 2026 kids missed a large percentage of the Algebra curriculum due to Covid closures.

I am not sure what most kids are doing. To me its silly to push kids ahead do only take Calc AB in 11th and then stats. Why not slow down and take Calc BC in 12th grade instead?

Hi, I'm new to this. Why would taking Calc BC in 12th grade be a slow down? I have a sophomore daughter taking AP PreCalc but all this is new to us. She's not into STEM so a slower route is ideal. Her HS does have IB so IB Stats is an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't understand how a third of the senior class is in multivariable or otherwise in their second year of calc (having taken two years Calc AB and being in BC).

What is an ordinary bright non-STEM student supposed to do? I guess from the posts above AP Stats i the only option?

Stats is a great option for most kids

unless they want to attend anything other than community college

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain the differences between the two IB math classes, IB Applications vs IB Analysis? And would someone ever take both, or just one or the other? This is for a student not in the IB diploma program, but the classes are open to all students.

[Anonymous]

I don't know but IB Analysis and Applications is the 9th grade course and IB Anslysis HL is what seniors take

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone talk to me about this like I'm stupid. In our child's school more than half of the kids did compacted math in elementary which put them on a track to take Alg 2 in 9th, and then Pre-cal in 10th.

Are the majority of kids in high achieving schools like this doing Calc AB and then BC or are the majority taking Multivariable senior year?

When did compacted math start? I don't understand how only some schools can offer Multivariable if this track is so popular? I mean track #2 from the math pathways in the link.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan

Originally compact math was offered to a small percentage of the kids. Sometime after class of 2023, the bar lowered and now it's close to the entire grade at some schools. No adjustments were even made when class of 2026 kids missed a large percentage of the Algebra curriculum due to Covid closures.

I am not sure what most kids are doing. To me its silly to push kids ahead do only take Calc AB in 11th and then stats. Why not slow down and take Calc BC in 12th grade instead?

Hi, I'm new to this. Why would taking Calc BC in 12th grade be a slow down? I have a sophomore daughter taking AP PreCalc but all this is new to us. She's not into STEM so a slower route is ideal. Her HS does have IB so IB Stats is an option.

Does not make sense to me that we are pushing non-STEM kids on a path that leads to Calculus in 11th grade. Especially when so few kids are meeting math benchmarks. A better path would be one that lead these kids to Calculus in 12th grade (either AB or BC).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't understand how a third of the senior class is in multivariable or otherwise in their second year of calc (having taken two years Calc AB and being in BC).

What is an ordinary bright non-STEM student supposed to do? I guess from the posts above AP Stats i the only option?

Stats is a great option for most kids

unless they want to attend anything other than community college

I’m not sure where the argument that AP stats is for kids weak in math is coming from, or that AP Calculus is the harder class. If you look through the contents of each course, AP stats is more about contextual application of concepts, arguably harder than the straightforward applications in calculus.

Another point, there are about half as many students getting a 5 in AP Stats than those getting a 5 in AP Calculus, so clearly it’s not a walk in the park.

I agree that if a student can take only one of them, it should be AP Calculus, particularly if interested in STEM, but I’m honestly puzzled on why AP Stats is considered easy, or that its meant for weaker kids in math. I think it’s a different way of thinking that can trip many “good” students, and it’s testing understanding deeper than any other math class in high school.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the choice is AP Stats versus AP Calc. I think the choice we are talking about is AP stats instead of Multivariable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone talk to me about this like I'm stupid. In our child's school more than half of the kids did compacted math in elementary which put them on a track to take Alg 2 in 9th, and then Pre-cal in 10th.

Are the majority of kids in high achieving schools like this doing Calc AB and then BC or are the majority taking Multivariable senior year?

When did compacted math start? I don't understand how only some schools can offer Multivariable if this track is so popular? I mean track #2 from the math pathways in the link.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan

Originally compact math was offered to a small percentage of the kids. Sometime after class of 2023, the bar lowered and now it's close to the entire grade at some schools. No adjustments were even made when class of 2026 kids missed a large percentage of the Algebra curriculum due to Covid closures.

I am not sure what most kids are doing. To me its silly to push kids ahead do only take Calc AB in 11th and then stats. Why not slow down and take Calc BC in 12th grade instead?

Hi, I'm new to this. Why would taking Calc BC in 12th grade be a slow down? I have a sophomore daughter taking AP PreCalc but all this is new to us. She's not into STEM so a slower route is ideal. Her HS does have IB so IB Stats is an option.

Does not make sense to me that we are pushing non-STEM kids on a path that leads to Calculus in 11th grade. Especially when so few kids are meeting math benchmarks. A better path would be one that lead these kids to Calculus in 12th grade (either AB or BC).

+1
I have three kids on this track and one is a great math student but unlikely to be going into a stem field and not sure why he'd need Multivariable or ever want to take it.