Choosing College Classes: Deciding Between Calculus and Linear Algebra for CS

[Chromium]

Hey everyone,

I recently went to enroll for classes for my first quarter of college. However, I have a bit of a dilemma (or so I think). When I left high school I assumed the university would see on my final transcript that I took pre-calculus (I got a B+), and that I would be allowed to take calculus. As it turns out, the school requires that I take a pre-calculus placement test before I'm allowed to go directly into calculus. So for the moment, I am currently enrolled in a linear algebra class. I think I should just take the test so I can go into calculus, but then again I'm not 100% sure what I should do. My questions are:

Is it absolutely necessary that I start out in calculus, or can I just start in linear algebra?

Is linear algebra even that important in CS?

Thanks again

 

[SpitfireAce]

uhh, I don't know what you mean by CS... but if you are taking physics 1 I think you will need calculus, btw I recently took a calculus placement exam (for NYU)... it was all trig and algebra, easy as pie...

 

[Chromium]

Sorry about that, by CS I meant computer science. I'm a computer science major.

 

[mgb_phys]

Is linear algebra even that important in CS?

Is calculus?
Seriously, take all the maths classes you can - it's hard to pick up maths by yourself later.
Don't worry too much about exactly how relevant something is going to be later - can you predict everything you are going to need to know in the next 50 years?