How far will Khan Academy take me?

[Alanay]

So in September of 2016 I will start college for science & engineering, which will be mostly studying physics, engineering and a little chemistry.

I've been studying on Khan Academy for the past few weeks, with the help of some friends online I've been passing all the practices pretty easily. Right now I'm trying to complete all of the Math from Algebra 1 and after. Then after that I'll be studying all of the Physics, and if somehow I have the time and will to do it I will study chemistry.

Does anyone here have experience from Khan Academy or know if it will give me the amount of knowledge I need to get a good start in college? I live in UK and am 18.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Hi Alanay, I'm 15 and am actually in an independent study school, which means that most of the homework and studying I have to complete is online (the ones I have to do on-campus include foreign language, labs, etc.). My math is completed "hybrid", which means that I have a textbook. The math lesson problems are homework, but I have to predominantly read the lessons myself and do all the further studying myself (i.e. I'm pretty much my own teacher). However, I do vocabulary quizzes online as well as "math essays", where we have to watch Khan videos related to the topics we're learning and write our own lessons. Khan Academy is helpful, but there are a lot of pieces of information that is overlooked--for example, Sal can explain all you need to know on how to solve for, say, the zeros of a function, but he doesn't necessarily say why it's important or whatnot. Additionally, he can skip pieces of information that textbooks always include: proofs to theorems, complete definitions, multiple ways of solving the same problem, etc. What I say? You can probably continue to use Khan, but maybe you could try to get some old textbooks to supplement?

(This is just based my own experiences)

 

[Alanay]

Hi Alanay, I'm 15 and am actually in an independent study school, which means that most of the homework and studying I have to complete is online (the ones I have to do on-campus include foreign language, labs, etc.). My math is completed "hybrid", which means that I have a textbook. The math lesson problems are homework, but I have to predominantly read the lessons myself and do all the further studying myself (i.e. I'm pretty much my own teacher). However, I do vocabulary quizzes online as well as "math essays", where we have to watch Khan videos related to the topics we're learning and write our own lessons. Khan Academy is helpful, but there are a lot of pieces of information that is overlooked--for example, Sal can explain all you need to know on how to solve for, say, the zeros of a function, but he doesn't necessarily say why it's important or whatnot. Additionally, he can skip pieces of information that textbooks always include: proofs to theorems, complete definitions, multiple ways of solving the same problem, etc. What I say? You can probably continue to use Khan, but maybe you could try to get some old textbooks to supplement?

(This is just based my own experiences)

That sounds very reasonable, I don't want to skip over anything. Could you recommend any good textbooks that have been helpful to you?

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

That sounds very reasonable, I don't want to skip over anything. Could you recommend any good textbooks that have been helpful to you?

Well, you're 3 years older than me, so you've definitely covered more. I'm currently in Pre-calculus, but I'll check out some of my books' publishers and post the names tomorrow... I don't currently have them all with me :)

 

[Mondayman]

Just my opinion: KA is good as a supplement to a textbook, but not as a primary resource. Textbooks will always be more comprehensive and contain more problems, as well as a greater variety of them. It's also a good idea to get used to learning from a textbook, as Khan Academy will not always be there to hold your hand through every physics/chemistry/math problem in college, particularly in the higher classes.

Any college algebra textbook should have everything you are looking for. Shop around the library and find one that works for you. I used Basic Mathematics by Serge Lang.

 

[Alanay]

Just my opinion: KA is good as a supplement to a textbook, but not as a primary resource. Textbooks will always be more comprehensive and contain more problems, as well as a greater variety of them. It's also a good idea to get used to learning from a textbook, as Khan Academy will not always be there to hold your hand through every physics/chemistry/math problem in college, particularly in the higher classes.

Any college algebra textbook should have everything you are looking for. Shop around the library and find one that works for you. I used Basic Mathematics by Serge Lang.

I'll search for an algebra textbook then. I'm hoping I'll still be able to finish all what I wanted to on KA and have enough time to get used to a textbook. If I see I'm not going to be able to do that I'll start using the textbooks sooner, thank you.

 

[Brian T]

I'd say focus on math as much as possible. Your intro science courses are fairly self contained, they don't assume prior physics or chem knowledge but they will expect you to be familiar with the math. If you get your math foundation set then you should be good to go.

 

[Alanay]

I'd say focus on math as much as possible. Your intro science courses are fairly self contained, they don't assume prior physics or chem knowledge but they will expect you to be familiar with the math. If you get your math foundation set then you should be good to go.

Yes, this is why I'm doing math first. Thank you, I will be sure to focus on it and if I have time only then I will do the science.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Well, you're 3 years older than me, so you've definitely covered more. I'm currently in Pre-calculus, but I'll check out some of my books' publishers and post the names tomorrow... I don't currently have them all with me :)

My Pre-calc book is from Glencoe/Mcgraw Hill and the Physics book that I'm using to supplement my online course is the tenth edition of Fundamentals of Physics by David Halliday, Jearl Walker, and Robert Resnick. Both books are really thorough and easy to understand.