Advice regarding Highschool Mahematics...

[Phantasm]

I was wondering what math courses to take during my time in High School. Lots of ppl I know take AP Calculus. I don't want to do so because...well math really isn't my thing. But then again, I don't want to jeapordise any future career due to not taking an advanced math class in High School.What effect if any will the descion have in the future? Is it really that important to take AP math as ppl say so?

[krazymed]

It's not important in the slightest. You can take calculus your first year of college and you wouldn't be behind at all. Only reason someone would take calculus in high school was if he/she was really good at algebra and geometry. Remembering those two subjects is the hard part of basic calculus. The subject itself is relatively easy.

[Romanesque]

Depends on what you want to do in college. If you have any interests in engineering or hard sciences, that AP Calc may give you a little boost toward getting accepted, and the added experience early on will help you out in the long run. Other than that, it's probably not necessary. Then again, unless your math grades are abysmal, it can't hurt. ;-)

--Romey

[Beguiled]

Hmmm...if you feel comfortable with your algebra and geometry skills why not? It's good to challenge yourself a bit harder. :) But it's really your choice. And it more depends on what you want to do in life. I want to be a doctor so I'm hoping to be done with Calculus by Junior year and on to Trigenometry(sp?). College classes cuz they don't teach that at highschools here! :) That's what my cousin Erica is doing! She's so smart! It's really cool! :anime:

[Romanesque]

I want to be a doctor so I'm hoping to be done with Calculus by Junior year and on to Trigenometry(sp?).

Calc before trig...? Odd, that.

--Romey

[Beguiled]

Oh wait..is it the other way around?! :o :sweat: Well however it works! Just gotta be REALLY far along in math and whatnot.

[EinBebop]

Calculus is pretty easy compared to trig, in my opinion. Don't be intimidated. :)

And I agree with DarkWarner... if you're going into a discipline that will require you to take advanced math, you should build a firm foundation in college.

Even if you're not, you'll have to take at least one math class in college, so this is one class guaranteed to help your grade point average in college. Can't say that about too many other classes. By the time you've learned calculus, you should be able to do college algebra in your sleep if that's the only math class you ever have to take. :D

[Kuja's Light]

i've heard calculas is the most difficult math, on a normal human scale...Well, oh well. Math is something I'm just plain awful at overall. even if I did study, it'd be something I'd have trouble with, unless it's something basic.

[Mynd Hed]

Depends on what you want to do in college. If you have any interests in engineering or hard sciences, that AP Calc may give you a little boost toward getting accepted, and the added experience early on will help you out in the long run. Other than that, it's probably not necessary. Then again, unless your math grades are abysmal, it can't hurt. ;-)

--Romey

Well, I suppose it could hurt if AP Calc was seriously beyond your skill level and you wind up doing poorly and bringing down your GPA because of it. But you could always try finding a tutor to help you if you're having trouble, or if your high school is understanding you can often just transfer to a lower class if it's way beyond you.
Other than that, though, I'm with DarkWarner-- it's very nice to have for science and engineering majors, especially if you can get a good grade on the AP exam and get some college credit out of it or if you're going for a prestigious, competitive university.
For humanities majors or if you're going to a four-year in-state school or community college (as opposed to something private or out-of-state) though, it's not as big an issue. Won't hurt, but it won't hold you back if you opt to take something a little easier either.

[cross blues]

It's not important in the slightest. You can take calculus your first year of college and you wouldn't be behind at all. Only reason someone would take calculus in high school was if he/she was really good at algebra and geometry. Remembering those two subjects is the hard part of basic calculus. The subject itself is relatively easy.
first off, it is difficult to jeopardize your future through any actions in high school besides having a horrible GPA, bombing junior year, or messing up SATS. as long as you've got those covered, you don't really have to worry about class selection. the truth is, high school classes don't count for anything unless they're for college credit. the only thing colleges look at is grades and SAT scores, unless you're considering some elite colleges. the only reason to take calc (especially AP) is if you're considering a career involving a lot of math OR you WANT to learn calc for yourself.

when you say math isn't your thing, does that mean you have trouble with algebra and trig? if you do, I'd suggest that you avoid calc altogether... or at least stay away from the AP class. it sounds to me like it would cause more trouble for you than it's worth.

[Romanesque]

Oh wait..is it the other way around?! :o :sweat: Well however it works! Just gotta be REALLY far along in math and whatnot.

It's just that certain levels of Calculus involve some knowledge of Trigonometry... though, your own mileage may vary. A lot of places don't have seperate trig classes, anyway.

i've heard calculas is the most difficult math, on a normal human scale...

Naaah, calc's easy compared to other stuff that's out there.

--Romey

[Kuja's Light]

I see....I'm sure I'd still have alot of problems, as the only math skills I know I do really well are adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Oh, and of coruse fractions and a few others things. And to htink, I'm aa HS graduate...A little sad I guess, but my mind just wasn't amde for math.

Much more for science, history, psychology, and philosophy. Of course, going into those subjects on this thread would be majorly offtopic, so I should stop now.

[Phantasm]

See here's the thing.If I had any chances of taking AP Calc, I would have gladly jumped at it.But I can't even though I pretty much want to.Don't have time. I can graduate with theTrignometry.:( Sad I know...I find Algebra and Geometry embarrasingly easy,which is funny because up until this point, I hated math. I don't hate it now...just not too into it.
But I want to pursue a career in computer programming.And common knowledge is , youi NEED LOTS OF MATH. And I'm worried if not takinga n advanced math class hurt my long term intentions.:(

[EinBebop]

But I want to pursue a career in computer programming.And common knowledge is , youi NEED LOTS OF MATH. Indeed. I was (briefly) a computer science major in college; you might as well take the extra class or two and minor in math.

In my department, a lot of the computer science classes required calculus and /or physics as prerequisites; you MIGHT find yourself bottlenecked and not able to take classes in your major for a term or two. But not to worry, as you should have plenty of general ed to take up your time.

[Romanesque]

But I want to pursue a career in computer programming.And common knowledge is , youi NEED LOTS OF MATH. And I'm worried if not takinga n advanced math class hurt my long term intentions.:(

Oofah. So, basically, you're going into engineering. Where they do like to see a nice chunk of math on your transcript... especially Calc. However, you don't really have to have it to be accepted anywhere, it just boosts your chances a bit. Indeed, if you can get into your college of choice and take Calc I the first semester, you'll be fine.

Funny thing is, with as much Calculus as I've been forced to take... it's so rarely used in day to day programming that one almost has to wonder why there's so much emphasis on it. In practice, it's usually stuff like Trig that you can't live without, even if the college doesn't actually have a Trig course...

I'll warn you now, though... computer related academics are screwy as all heck.

--Romey

[Phantasm]

I take Programming class though...would that help in ANY way!?:ack:

[Mynd Hed]

But I want to pursue a career in computer programming.And common knowledge is , youi NEED LOTS OF MATH. And I'm worried if not takinga n advanced math class hurt my long term intentions.:(

Yeah, if you want to get into computer programming, taking advanced math courses in high school isn't usually a requirement, but it is a good idea. Besides looking good for admissions purposes, you're going to have so much math thrown at you at the college level that it doesn't hurt in the slightest to have some experience under your belt by the time you get to that point so that it doesn't all come at once.

If you want to be involved in computers but aren't particularly interested in math, you might look into business majors. Many business schools in four-year universities have some sort of computer certification program or computer information system major which carries lighter math requirements than a computer science major in an engineering college. Of course, business majors nearly always come with a middling to heavy amount of economics and accounting courses as well, which some people find as distasteful as math.

Or you could always do what I did, sign up for a Computer Information Systems degree with the business school, switch to an English major after the first year, and never take anything even remotely resembling math or hard science again. (-:

[Romanesque]

I take Programming class though...would that help in ANY way!?:ack:

Maybe... maybe not. "Programming class" is pretty vague. Depends what exactly it was. So, what was it, exactly?

Besides looking good for admissions purposes, you're going to have so much math thrown at you at the college level that it doesn't hurt in the slightest to have some experience under your belt by the time you get to that point so that it doesn't all come at once.

Also depends where you go. Different colleges seem to have different opinions on what computer related majors involve and what the distinctions between them are. Heck, the minimal math requirements at one college could qualify you for a complete math minor at another college...

If you want to be involved in computers but aren't particularly interested in math, you might look into business majors.

And be laughed at by the folks at the Computer Science department, too. ;-)

Or you could always do what I did, sign up for a Computer Information Systems degree with the business school, switch to an English major after the first year, and never take anything even remotely resembling math or hard science again. (-:

Reminds me of one company that supposedly discovered it was easier (and cheaper) to take English majors and teach them how to program than it was to take Computer Science majors and teach them how to write...

--Romey

[True Noir]

I have a question that really doesn't relate to math but does relate to school. Does anybody know a good place to look for scholarships?

[Lord Dalek]

In my high school we didn't have any choice in which math we took, it was all a progressive chain.

[Mynd Hed]

Also depends where you go. Different colleges seem to have different opinions on what computer related majors involve and what the distinctions between them are. Heck, the minimal math requirements at one college could qualify you for a complete math minor at another college...

Good point. My advice was based on four-year state schools, which in my area at least tend to be pretty comparable to one another. Results may vary.

And be laughed at by the folks at the Computer Science department, too. ;-)

But hey, you won't be taking any classes with those guys anyway, right? You'll be surrounded by plenty of lack-of-math-enabling business students just like you. (-:
(At NAU, the Business school is informally known as the "post-Engineering program." Heh heh. Wonder if that makes English the post-Business.)