Anonymous wrote:I send all my A kids from algebra 2 regular to AP Precalc AB. As long as he can factor a polynomial sufficiently without needing a multiplication table, he'll be fine in a solid precalc class.

At my school stats is only an option for seniors.

When I read this initially, I thought it was setting the kid up to fail, because DD is in AP Precalc BC (after having a high A in honors Algebra II and pretty much all math her entire life) and it has been a ton of work. She only found out last week that their class will essentially be done with the entirety of the AP Precalc AB curriculum (plus some extensions) by the end of this month, which explains why it has been so hard. I would assume that a normally paced course with decent teachers would be fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS math teacher here. I think he should take AP Precalc AB. If he is easily getting As in regular Algebra 2, then this is the way to go. I am assuming he is college-bound?

It is showing up as an online class, at least for Marshall students. Do you still recommend it?

I’m the other math teacher and no, not if it’s online. I am looking at Marshall’s courses and they offer regular precalc with trig. Take that. Probability and Statistics could also be a good option if they want an easier option.

Marshall doesn’t seem to have Data Science. But please, ask the teacher!

I’m revising my post. I should not say easier. Stats is completely different and harder for some students. It’s not the AP class but still different math than they have had before. It’s a lot of writing and analyzing.

DP but this is important. I am a math person, but I am NOT a stats person. I did horribly in stats in college even though I did great in all my other math classes.

I send all my A kids from algebra 2 regular to AP Precalc AB. As long as he can factor a polynomial sufficiently without needing a multiplication table, he'll be fine in a solid precalc class.

At my school stats is only an option for seniors.

Anonymous wrote:I've taught AP Stat and don't recommend it straight out of Algebra 2 for any student, even though it's technically the prerequisite. High grades in Algebra 2 Honors are okay.

Interesting. The prerequisite for AP stats is now only algebra 1. I recommend it as an elective math to high achieving underclassmen or as a stand alone class to hard working seniors, whether they took algebra 2 or algebra 2 honors. They don't all pass the AP exam but they all learn a ton. I find the course success is based far more on work ethic than mathematical ability. (AP stats teacher)

This was my kid last year. She is doing fine this year in AP Pre Calc AB.

If you want to see an example data science course go to https://www.coursekata.org/

Not what FCPS uses prob, but used in a # of states

I've taught AP Stat and don't recommend it straight out of Algebra 2 for any student, even though it's technically the prerequisite. High grades in Algebra 2 Honors are okay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS math teacher here. I think he should take AP Precalc AB. If he is easily getting As in regular Algebra 2, then this is the way to go. I am assuming he is college-bound?

It is showing up as an online class, at least for Marshall students. Do you still recommend it?

I’m the other math teacher and no, not if it’s online. I am looking at Marshall’s courses and they offer regular precalc with trig. Take that. Probability and Statistics could also be a good option if they want an easier option.

Marshall doesn’t seem to have Data Science. But please, ask the teacher!

I’m revising my post. I should not say easier. Stats is completely different and harder for some students. It’s not the AP class but still different math than they have had before. It’s a lot of writing and analyzing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS math teacher here. I think he should take AP Precalc AB. If he is easily getting As in regular Algebra 2, then this is the way to go. I am assuming he is college-bound?

It is showing up as an online class, at least for Marshall students. Do you still recommend it?

I’m the other math teacher and no, not if it’s online. I am looking at Marshall’s courses and they offer regular precalc with trig. Take that. Probability and Statistics could also be a good option if they want an easier option.

Marshall doesn’t seem to have Data Science. But please, ask the teacher!

do not take ap precalc.

go with data science.

Anonymous wrote:FCPS math teacher here. I think he should take AP Precalc AB. If he is easily getting As in regular Algebra 2, then this is the way to go. I am assuming he is college-bound?

It is showing up as an online class, at least for Marshall students. Do you still recommend it?

Every single one of DS's core plus foreign language teachers in both 9th and 10th have talked to the kids about what to take the following year. He should ask his current math teacher.

Op, you mentioning the past grades ~ grades/strength vs weakness in Geometry does not correlate to Algebra. Not unusual for a student to be good at one and not another

Where my kid goes to school, they'd probably take Prob/Stat. She's taking Algebra now in 8th but I'm basically teaching her everything at home because she's not learning it in class. She'll take Geometry in 9th, AFDA, Algebra 2 (as a junior), and then Prob/Stat as a senior. She likes math but, like your son, struggles to understand all the "why" behind it so basically just memorizes processes to make it through. Any problem with a twist or with an overly complicated way of asking the question throws her for a loop.

Anonymous wrote:I think I have a similar kid OP. Do you mind me asking what his grades were in Alg 1 and Geo, and were they honors courses? This is helpful for my daughter also.

B+ in Algebra 1 honors, C+ in Geometry honors. (Why did he take Alg 2 honors when he struggled in Geometry? I advised against it but he had many reasons why he could handle it. Unfortunately it did not turn out well!)