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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Science & MathematicsMathematics · 1 decade ago

What algebra topics should i review to prepare for pre-calc and calculus?

I'm in geometry right now, and i want to get ready for pre-calc and calculus early by reviewing all the algebra topics i forgot how to do over the last year. I found a site with all the lessons, but there's a lot to learn, so i need to narrow the topics down to the most important. What algebra topics are used a lot in calculus and pre-calculus?

Update:

@ Rilla - i'm taking a class that offers algebra 2 and precalc in 1 year at the expense of not taking trigonometry, will dropping trig cause problems?

3 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    As someone who took a college pre-cal class, and now in AP Calc, here's what you should know:

    1) Logarithms! Logs logs logs! A lot of logs you will learn in precal, but learn the basics- what they are, how to rewrite them in different forms, how to use them in equations, etc. You'll learn that in Algebra II.

    2) Radicals. Especially for the trig part of precal, you'll wanna know how to write and solve equations with radicals. (Like, you can't have radicals in the denominator, so, how do you fix it?)

    3) Be familiar with the BASICS of sine, cosine, tangent, and all o that trig you learn in Geometry.

    4) Graphs. Remember all those different kind of parabola graphs, cubed graphs, exponential graphs, and square roots? Yeah. LEARN THOSE!!!! Those are so crucial to precal. Learn how to put them in vertex form, learn how to shift them horizontally and vertically, make them wider or more narrow. You'll thank yourself a lot in precal.

    5) Standard variable solving. Know how to solve systems of equations by substitution, elimination, and how to do it if you have three equations with x,y, AND z. That will help you a lot also.

    You're in Geometry? I hope you didn't skip Algebra II!!!!! You need to take that class, or you WILL NOT SUCCEED in precal.

    Take it.

    That is the class you need the most- to sum it up, if you pay attention in Algebra 2, you will know what you will need for precal!

    Source(s): Student that took advanced courses in both.
  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    The calculus e book I had replaced into used for the two trig and calc. the 1st few chapters have been trig and something have been calculus. i chanced on trig to be very troublesome and precalc to be a walk interior the park. It replaced into greater like the mathematics that your have already discovered so far. in case you ever take trig you will comprehend what I mean, it fairly is math in an entire new gentle.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    i wouldn't worry too much the teacher will review but topics which should be forever engraved in your head are

    -unit circle

    -45 45 90 triangle

    -30 60 90 triangle

    -basic trig such as sin^2x+cos^2x=1

    Source(s): calculus 3
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