Do I Need to Know Geometry Before Starting Calculus?

[Stratosphere]

I am currently finishing up algebra II and I was curious to know if I have to know Geometry before I can start calculus. I would learn Trigonometry but not the rest of Geometry. I would eventually go back to learn geometry after I finish calculus I.

 

[Nabeshin]

Uhh... I guess you don't really have to know any trig besides a basic understanding of sin/cos/tan and really simple identities... But how did you get to calculus without taking a course in geometry?

 

[Stratosphere]

Uhh... I guess you don't really have to know any trig besides a basic understanding of sin/cos/tan and really simple identities... But how did you get to calculus without taking a course in geometry?

I was a bought to explain that in my original post but I decided not to, I might as well explain. I have been learning algebra II even though I am in algebra Ia which is half of algebra I (The second half being algebra Ib). I am nearing the end of algebra II (should be done in a bought 3-4 weeks). Next year my sophomore year, I am taking Accelerated Geometry and I would rather start calculus than learn stuff that I will have to learn in a few months anyway. Also can anyone recommend a good calculus I book?

 

[symbolipoint]

What your degree objective is might determine if you really should study Geometry or not study it. The course called Geometry is not really college-level (the plane and space with formal proofs like you learn in high school). You at least must understand basic common Geometry in order to make sense of a few things you find in Trigonometry and first years-worth of Calculus. Also, having studied Geometry as a course would help you, at least some, when you study Trigonometry.

For Calculus 1 and 2, you NEED Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Trigonometry. You can learn reasonably well even if you skipped Geometry. One good thing about Geometry is that the course places great emphasis on learning to understand and perform proofs; far more than what you do in Algebra 1 or 2 or even in Trigonometry. A Geometry course then is at least very good for your mathematical development.

 

[symbolipoint]

Another interesting set of thoughts: Geometry students will usually learn a little bit of basic Trigonometry and can learn to derive the laws of sine and cosine. Such students also gain rigorous however brief exposure to cartesian coordinate Geometry proofs before they may need to deal with them in Algebra 2 or in Trigonometry or in Calculus.