Pre-calc does not prepare kids for calculus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how you can be surprised by this.

I'm normally pretty on top of things- but definitely not a pushy parent. But why does a class that is called pre-calculus not lead to calculus? How was I to know that?

I graduated high school in 2011, so not recently but not ages ago.

It went like this:

Regular Pre calculus > calculus with applications

Honors Pre Calculus (Great students)> AP Calculus BC

Honors Pre Calculus (Good students) > AP Calculus AB

Your child will absolutely not be ready to take AP level math taking regular pre calculus.

And if that’s the case then it is a problem because AB level Calculus is the general Calculus 1 class, which every student taking Pre-Cal should be prepared to take. That’s the entire point of taking Pre-Cal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how you can be surprised by this.

I'm normally pretty on top of things- but definitely not a pushy parent. But why does a class that is called pre-calculus not lead to calculus? How was I to know that?

I graduated high school in 2011, so not recently but not ages ago.

It went like this:

Regular Pre calculus > calculus with applications

Honors Pre Calculus (Great students)> AP Calculus BC

Honors Pre Calculus (Good students) > AP Calculus AB

Your child will absolutely not be ready to take AP level math taking regular pre calculus.

And if that’s the case then it is a problem because AB level Calculus is the general Calculus 1 class, which every student taking Pre-Cal should be prepared to take. That’s the entire point of taking Pre-Cal.

There is no law that a class labeled pre-calculus must lead to calculus 1 after. It can, but it can also lead to a more basic class called calculus with applications. Both include calculus, but they do not have the same rigor..

OP - some kids who take on-level precalc do go onto AB, but some definitely move onto calc with applications. I would follow up with the teacher pointing out that the course catalog says the course can lead to AB and ask for clarification. If the teacher digs in I would follow up with the departmental lead. If truly it does not (which seems unlikely if the teachers is following the syllabus), then you may want to explore having your child move up to honors.


Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how you can be surprised by this.

I'm normally pretty on top of things- but definitely not a pushy parent. But why does a class that is called pre-calculus not lead to calculus? How was I to know that?

I graduated high school in 2011, so not recently but not ages ago.

It went like this:

Regular Pre calculus > calculus with applications

Honors Pre Calculus (Great students)> AP Calculus BC

Honors Pre Calculus (Good students) > AP Calculus AB

Your child will absolutely not be ready to take AP level math taking regular pre calculus.

And if that’s the case then it is a problem because AB level Calculus is the general Calculus 1 class, which every student taking Pre-Cal should be prepared to take. That’s the entire point of taking Pre-Cal.

There is no law that a class labeled pre-calculus must lead to calculus 1 after. It can, but it can also lead to a more basic class called calculus with applications. Both include calculus, but they do not have the same rigor..

OP - some kids who take on-level precalc do go onto AB, but some definitely move onto calc with applications. I would follow up with the teacher pointing out that the course catalog says the course can lead to AB and ask for clarification. If the teacher digs in I would follow up with the departmental lead. If truly it does not (which seems unlikely if the teachers is following the syllabus), then you may want to explore having your child move up to honors.

Good luck!

There’s no law that states learning addition should prepare you to learn multiplication but that’s the understood sequence. The point is that the prior class should prepare you for the next level. The understood next level after Pre-Calculus is Calculus 1 (aka AP Calc AB). The student can choose to take Calculus with Applications.

[Anonymous]

The AP Calculus prerequisites are the same for AB and BC, found here:

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-calculus-bc

Recommended Prerequisites
You should have successfully completed courses in which you studied algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. In particular, you should understand the properties of linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, and piecewise-defined functions, as well as sequences, series, and polar equations. You should know how to graph these functions and solve equations involving them. You should also be familiar with algebraic transformations, combinations, compositions, and inverses for general functions.

I can’t really see how any precalculus class would not be an adequate preparation for AB. Instead of focusing on the title of the class, I’d try to find out what specifically is not covered in regular precalculus that makes it a poor preparation for AB. To me it just seems an arbitrary and needless tracking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The AP Calculus prerequisites are the same for AB and BC, found here:

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-calculus-bc

Recommended Prerequisites
You should have successfully completed courses in which you studied algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. In particular, you should understand the properties of linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, and piecewise-defined functions, as well as sequences, series, and polar equations. You should know how to graph these functions and solve equations involving them. You should also be familiar with algebraic transformations, combinations, compositions, and inverses for general functions.

I can’t really see how any precalculus class would not be an adequate preparation for AB. Instead of focusing on the title of the class, I’d try to find out what specifically is not covered in regular precalculus that makes it a poor preparation for AB. To me it just seems an arbitrary and needless tracking.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how you can be surprised by this.

I'm normally pretty on top of things- but definitely not a pushy parent. But why does a class that is called pre-calculus not lead to calculus? How was I to know that?

I graduated high school in 2011, so not recently but not ages ago.

It went like this:

Regular Pre calculus > calculus with applications

Honors Pre Calculus (Great students)> AP Calculus BC

Honors Pre Calculus (Good students) > AP Calculus AB

Your child will absolutely not be ready to take AP level math taking regular pre calculus.

Maybe it depends on the school and teacher but my kids were ready for Calc AB after regular pre-calculus. I wouldn't call either of them math whiz's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The AP Calculus prerequisites are the same for AB and BC, found here:

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-calculus-bc

Recommended Prerequisites
You should have successfully completed courses in which you studied algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. In particular, you should understand the properties of linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, and piecewise-defined functions, as well as sequences, series, and polar equations. You should know how to graph these functions and solve equations involving them. You should also be familiar with algebraic transformations, combinations, compositions, and inverses for general functions.

I can’t really see how any precalculus class would not be an adequate preparation for AB. Instead of focusing on the title of the class, I’d try to find out what specifically is not covered in regular precalculus that makes it a poor preparation for AB. To me it just seems an arbitrary and needless tracking.

Description of regular and honors precalculus:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/MAT2031A
https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/MAT2048A


Precalculus
PreCalculus courses combine the study of Trigonometry Elementary Functions Analytic Geometry and Math Analysis topics as preparation for calculus Topics typically include the study of complex numbers polynomial logarithmic exponential rational right trigonometric and circular functions and their relations inverses and graphs trigonometric identities and equations solutions of right and oblique triangles vectors the polar coordinate system conic sections Boolean algebra and symbolic logic mathematical induction matrix algebra sequences and series and limits and continuity

Honors Precalculus
Precalculus completes the formal study of the elementary functions begun in Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. Students focus on the use of technology, modeling, and problem solving. Functions studied include polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, rational, radical, piece-wise, and trigonometric and circular functions and their inverses. Parametric equations, vectors, and infinite sequences and series are also studied.


The only additional topic is parametric equations, which is not a prerequisite according to College Board, and is only relevant to BC anyways. It’s worth noting that according to the description regular precalculus (but not honors) covers also limits and continuity, generally considered part of differential calculus.

Regular pre-Calc is a good enough preparation for AP Calculus AB.