Is college algebra necessary?

Asked by: Tanya Metz  |  Last update: July 11, 2022
Score: 4.1/5 (43 votes)

Algebra is a prerequisite for virtually all college-level mathematics courses, such as precalculus, calculus, linear algebra, statistics and probability, and more advanced mathematics courses. An understanding of algebra is also assumed in geometry and trigonometry courses.

Can I skip college algebra?

It may depend on the school. At my university, you take an ALEKS placement test and if you score high enough, you can skip College Algebra and get into Trigonometry or Calculus I.

Why does college algebra exist?

This historical reason: because at some point universities on the west coast realized the the quality of instruction students were getting in their high school math classes was not good enough, so they created college algebra to address grade inflation.

What is college algebra equivalent to?

It is important to note that College Algebra has not been approved (nor any other college mathematics course) as an equivalent to meet the high school graduation requirement of Advanced Algebra or Algebra II.

Is college algebra difficult?

College Algebra, like any lower division math course is extremely easy… when you understand it. At this level there is no “easy” and there is no “hard”. There is math that you know (easy) and math that you have yet to learn (hard).

College Algebra Introduction Review - Basic Overview, Study Guide, Examples & Practice Problems

16 related questions found

Is algebra 3 the same as college algebra?

Algebra III is basically advanced, college level algebra, so that would be using matrices, but larger ones, more complex trigonometry, precalc, etc.

Is college algebra or calculus harder?

If you're referring to which math class would be harder if you didn't do anything about either of them, then calculus is obviously harder. It is Algebra-based and adds on new concepts in addition to Algebra concepts.

Is college algebra remedial math?

Students who start at the lowest level of remedial math may otherwise face a long slog through three or even four remedial courses in arithmetic, beginning algebra and intermediate algebra. And that's before they can even get to the first college-level math course, generally “college algebra” or pre-calculus.

Do we need algebra in real life?

Algebra is an important life skill worth understanding well. It moves us beyond basic math and prepares us for statistics and calculus. It is useful for many jobs some of which a student may enter as a second career.

Can you test out of math for college?

Remedial courses can be a major annoyance for incoming freshmen, and you should test out of remedial math for multiple reasons: It takes time away from other classes that you could be taking towards your major. You don't receive credit for remedial math – it only serves to prepare you for a college-level math class.

Is college algebra the same as algebra 2?

Are college algebra and algebra 2 the same? - Quora. If by algebra 2 you mean the second year of high school algebra, the answer is basically yes. In college, algebra courses are traditional beginning algebra, intermediate algebra and college algebra.

How do I get through college math?

College math is easily manageable and might even turn out to be fun if you follow our 10 tips for acing the math requirement:
  1. Get in—and stay in—the right level. ...
  2. Take the credit. ...
  3. Do every single homework problem. ...
  4. Always have a strategy. ...
  5. Be ultra neat. ...
  6. Get down the intermediate steps. ...
  7. Pinpoint your sticking points.

What jobs do you use algebra in?

20 jobs that use algebra
  • Jeweler.
  • Air traffic controller.
  • Dietitian.
  • High school teacher.
  • Nutritionist.
  • Broadcast technician.
  • Carpenter.
  • Market research analyst.

Do engineers use algebra?

A civil engineer uses nearly every form of math at one point in time to do her job. Algebra is used on a daily basis, and many engineers will have to deal with differential equations, statistics, and calculus occasionally.

Why do we learn useless math?

So when you learn “useless math”, you are actually learning basic skills of problem solving that you will most definitely need at least once in your life time. School is not to entertain you, but to prepare you for life.

Should I take college algebra or precalculus?

College Algebra is not equivalent to Precalculus. Precalculus is a more advanced course than College Algebra. The prerequisite for Precalculus is a grade of C or better in College Algebra or the equivalent. By the equivalent, we mean a grade of B or better in one of the high school courses listed in (1) above.

What is the lowest math you can take in college?

Short answer: Algebra II. Theses classes are the “lowest” math classes that you can receive credit for at most colleges, and these two classes are required for almost every major.

What is the easiest math class in college?

The easiest would be Contemporary Mathematics. This is usually a survey class taken by students not majoring in any science.
...
  • Statistics (at any level)
  • Calc I.
  • Calc II.
  • Differential equations.
  • Linear algebra.

What is the hardest math class?

Math 55 is a two-semester long first-year undergraduate mathematics course at Harvard University, founded by Lynn Loomis and Shlomo Sternberg. The official titles of the course are Honors Abstract Algebra (Math 55a) and Honors Real and Complex Analysis (Math 55b).

Which is easier statistics or college algebra?

Is statistics harder than algebra? ... Statistics requires a lot more memorization and a deeper level of analysis/inference skills while algebra requires little memorization and very little analysis outside of algebraic applications.

Is algebra more useful than calculus?

The pure mechanics of Linear algebra are very basic, being far easier than anything of substance in Calculus. ... Linear algebra is easier than elementary calculus. Once the theorems in linear algebra are well understood most difficult questions can be answered.

When should you take algebra 3?

The assumption has been for many years that in the US, students take Algebra in 9th grade, Geometry in 10th, Algebra II/Trigonometry in 11th, and Pre-calculus or Calculus in 12th grade but only if students want to, since many colleges and high schools only require three years of math.

What math do you take after Algebra 2?

Advanced Algebra / Trig Immediately follows Algebra II. Covers all of Trigonometry and some of the Math Analysis SOLS.

Do doctors use algebra?

Algebra helps physicians to understand the relationship of medical devices, such as pacemakers. Also, It helps doctors to understand how various molecules composed of chemicals with numerical bases interact with each other in the body.