Anonymous
Post 10/22/2024 00:29     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does compact math path kids, like always on the fast track algebra 1 in 7th, geometry in 8th, can take cal bc after precal? Or cal ab then bc. Back in my days, we had to take ab then bc, now I dunno if AP got easier or what, it seems everyone is skipping ab


The fast track is Algebra in 6th, then the next track is Algebra in 7th but not all MS allow Algebra in 6th.

So, assuming a child starts Algebra in 7th it would be:

7th - Honors Algebra
8th - Honors Geometry
9th - Honors Algebra 2
10th - Honors Precaculus
11th - AP BC

They just start an AP Calculus so some schools offer it, others don't.


Do you mean AP Pre Calculus?
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 23:41     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does compact math path kids, like always on the fast track algebra 1 in 7th, geometry in 8th, can take cal bc after precal? Or cal ab then bc. Back in my days, we had to take ab then bc, now I dunno if AP got easier or what, it seems everyone is skipping ab


The fast track is Algebra in 6th, then the next track is Algebra in 7th but not all MS allow Algebra in 6th.

So, assuming a child starts Algebra in 7th it would be:

7th - Honors Algebra
8th - Honors Geometry
9th - Honors Algebra 2
10th - Honors Precaculus
11th - AP BC

They just start an AP Calculus so some schools offer it, others don't.


In 7th it's just Algebra 1. No such thing as Honors Algebra.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 23:29     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:Does compact math path kids, like always on the fast track algebra 1 in 7th, geometry in 8th, can take cal bc after precal? Or cal ab then bc. Back in my days, we had to take ab then bc, now I dunno if AP got easier or what, it seems everyone is skipping ab


The fast track is Algebra in 6th, then the next track is Algebra in 7th but not all MS allow Algebra in 6th.

So, assuming a child starts Algebra in 7th it would be:

7th - Honors Algebra
8th - Honors Geometry
9th - Honors Algebra 2
10th - Honors Precaculus
11th - AP BC

They just start an AP Calculus so some schools offer it, others don't.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 23:17     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:Does compact math path kids, like always on the fast track algebra 1 in 7th, geometry in 8th, can take cal bc after precal? Or cal ab then bc. Back in my days, we had to take ab then bc, now I dunno if AP got easier or what, it seems everyone is skipping ab


I'm not sure what you are asking. Can you clarify?
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 23:09     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Does compact math path kids, like always on the fast track algebra 1 in 7th, geometry in 8th, can take cal bc after precal? Or cal ab then bc. Back in my days, we had to take ab then bc, now I dunno if AP got easier or what, it seems everyone is skipping ab
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 15:02     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Someone keeps giving wrong info on this thread and I still think it’s a misunderstanding. You cannot go (absent extenuating circumstances) from on level/regular (non-honors) Pre Calc straight to Calc BC. You get to BC by taking either Honors Pre Calc and/or AP Calc AB first.

The course bulletin doesn’t list AB to BC as an option in the pre req chart but it’s a common path. You can go regular pre calc to AB to BC over three years.


If the school only teaches on level Pre-Calc without the option of Honors, in theory the student can progress to AP Calc BC, but would more likely take AP Calc AB first.


What high school on AP system doesn’t offer Honors Pre Calc?
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 13:27     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:Someone keeps giving wrong info on this thread and I still think it’s a misunderstanding. You cannot go (absent extenuating circumstances) from on level/regular (non-honors) Pre Calc straight to Calc BC. You get to BC by taking either Honors Pre Calc and/or AP Calc AB first.

The course bulletin doesn’t list AB to BC as an option in the pre req chart but it’s a common path. You can go regular pre calc to AB to BC over three years.


If the school only teaches on level Pre-Calc without the option of Honors, in theory the student can progress to AP Calc BC, but would more likely take AP Calc AB first.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2024 11:26     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do AB and then BC. Would get him a tutor over the summer to get him ready for AB.

People who say to do this - doesn't it mean the whole first half of BC ends up being review?


Most years of math review much of the previous. But AB and BC overlap much more.
Still, it's good for the many, many kids who raced to calculus without getting a strong foundation.


Everyone gets the same foundation so starting earlier doesn't mean less of a foundation, it just gives you more opportunities for higher level classes.



^ example of someone lacking mathematical foundation.


You have no idea what you are talking about. Every student takes the same classes. It just varies which grade they take it. A 7th grader taking Algebra is going to take the same algebra as a 9/10th grader.


Keep working at it!
What was that 9/10th grader doing in 7th grade?
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 23:06     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Someone keeps giving wrong info on this thread and I still think it’s a misunderstanding. You cannot go (absent extenuating circumstances) from on level/regular (non-honors) Pre Calc straight to Calc BC. You get to BC by taking either Honors Pre Calc and/or AP Calc AB first.

The course bulletin doesn’t list AB to BC as an option in the pre req chart but it’s a common path. You can go regular pre calc to AB to BC over three years.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 22:39     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

I am confused by the bolded. There is no course called "honors pre-calc AB." There is AP Calculus AB. There is also honors precalculus and AP precalculus (the latter of which, confusingly, is less rigorous than honors precalculus). Which course did your son take prior to AP Calculus BC? Thanks for clarifying.


Sorry - maybe should have added a slash. It was Honors Pre-Calc A in semester 1 and B in semester 2, so I think the letters only refer to the two terms. It's MAT2048A/2048B in the MCPS catalog: https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/MAT2048A.


Got it - thank you for the clarification!
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 20:06     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do AB and then BC. Would get him a tutor over the summer to get him ready for AB.

People who say to do this - doesn't it mean the whole first half of BC ends up being review?


Most years of math review much of the previous. But AB and BC overlap much more.
Still, it's good for the many, many kids who raced to calculus without getting a strong foundation.


Everyone gets the same foundation so starting earlier doesn't mean less of a foundation, it just gives you more opportunities for higher level classes.



^ example of someone lacing mathematical foundation.


You have no idea what you are talking about. Every student takes the same classes. It just varies which grade they take it. A 7th grader taking Algebra is going to take the same algebra as a 9/10th grader.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 20:05     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either next year Cal AB, then BC or Pre-Cal to Cal BC. Most kids at our school do Cal AB, then BC, but mine went directly to BC.


I’ve never heard of anyone going from on level pre calc to BC.


Really? So, you’ve never heard of it. It’s pretty common. My kid is doing it.


I want to make sure everyone is saying the same thing. You're saying lots of kids do regular (not honors) pre calc and go straight into BC?

I don't think that happens at our school (I've not heard of it, at least). Perhaps this is one of those school-specific things. At our school, they say that the honors version of pre-calc covers the beginning of AB Calc, which is why many people skip to BC.

At our school, the typical path would be
regular (not honors) pre calc--> AB-->BC (never calc with applications).
honors pre-calc --> AB-->BC (our honors pre calc teacher said about half of honors precalc kids do this)
honors pre-calc-->BC (the other half of honors pre calc students).


Yes, a lot of kids go from honors pre-calc to BC. Mine did and others do too. It depends on their interests. If they are math kids, yes, if they aren't they opt for regular calc, or AP AB. The big problem is some schools don't offer anything after BC, like ours so kids slow it down as that's the only option they have.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 18:51     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do AB and then BC. Would get him a tutor over the summer to get him ready for AB.

People who say to do this - doesn't it mean the whole first half of BC ends up being review?


Most years of math review much of the previous. But AB and BC overlap much more.
Still, it's good for the many, many kids who raced to calculus without getting a strong foundation.


Everyone gets the same foundation so starting earlier doesn't mean less of a foundation, it just gives you more opportunities for higher level classes.



^ example of someone lacing mathematical foundation.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 18:45     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either next year Cal AB, then BC or Pre-Cal to Cal BC. Most kids at our school do Cal AB, then BC, but mine went directly to BC.


I’ve never heard of anyone going from on level pre calc to BC.


Really? So, you’ve never heard of it. It’s pretty common. My kid is doing it.


I want to make sure everyone is saying the same thing. You're saying lots of kids do regular (not honors) pre calc and go straight into BC?

I don't think that happens at our school (I've not heard of it, at least). Perhaps this is one of those school-specific things. At our school, they say that the honors version of pre-calc covers the beginning of AB Calc, which is why many people skip to BC.

At our school, the typical path would be
regular (not honors) pre calc--> AB-->BC (never calc with applications).
honors pre-calc --> AB-->BC (our honors pre calc teacher said about half of honors precalc kids do this)
honors pre-calc-->BC (the other half of honors pre calc students).
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2024 17:55     Subject: Help me understand HS math path to get to calc b/c

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do AB and then BC. Would get him a tutor over the summer to get him ready for AB.

People who say to do this - doesn't it mean the whole first half of BC ends up being review?


Most years of math review much of the previous. But AB and BC overlap much more.
Still, it's good for the many, many kids who raced to calculus without getting a strong foundation.


Everyone gets the same foundation so starting earlier doesn't mean less of a foundation, it just gives you more opportunities for higher level classes.