Has my community college skipping important precalc concepts?

[mmm_math]

Hi. I did poorly in HS math due to many reasons, but now I love it and have received ~ 100% on every exam in the past 4 remedial math classes. Next I start cc version of precalc.

So lately I've been feeling like my cc is teaching us watered down math. For example, logarithms are not introduced until part 1 of precalc (precalc at my cc is divided into 2 separate classes, let's call them 111 and 112). Long division of polynomials is skipped completely as well.

Link to text being used: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP002958.htmlThe bold chapters will be covered in both classes, the rest are skipped.

Chapter 0: Equations and Inequalities

Chapter 1: Functions and their Graphs

Chapter 2: Polynomial and Rational Functions

Chapter 3: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

Chapter 4: Trigonometric Functions of Angles

Chapter 5: Trigonometric Functions of Real Numbers

Chapter 6: Analytic Trigonometry

Chapter 7: Polar Coordinates and Vectors

Chapter 8: Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities

Chapter 9: Conics, Systems of Nonlinear Equations and Parametric Equations

Chapter 10: Sequences and SeriesAlso absent is anything on limits, which is not even introduced until Calc 1.

I asked several teachers here what the hardest topic was for their 111 students and they all said logarithms and rationals (fractions are hard to folks here I suppose).Not sure what to do. Part of me wants to stop taking college math altogether and just teach myself. I want to get a degree in Engineering and I don't want to have any holes in my maths.

 

[Simon Bridge]

Fractions and exponents are generally tricky subjects for students to learn.
Most students in NZ don't see logarithms before senior year HS or 1st year college, but we used to cover it in junior HS after multplication by tables you get log tables use.

Log functions come into their own with calculus and you don't need limits before calculus either.

Given that some stuff has to be missed out or left until later in order to get other core conceps through, I think you are describing a sane curriculum for a community college.

Note: skipping a chapter is not the same as skipping the subject.