Is Pre-Calculus Harder Than Calculus?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the comparative difficulty of Pre-Calculus and Calculus courses, with participants sharing their personal experiences and perspectives. The scope includes subjective experiences from high school and community college settings, as well as considerations of teaching methods and individual learning styles.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the perceived difficulty of Calculus versus Pre-Calculus can vary significantly based on individual experiences, teaching quality, and course structure.
  • One participant notes that Calculus II is often regarded as the hardest course among those who have taken both Pre-Calculus and Calculus.
  • Another viewpoint indicates that a strong understanding of Pre-Calculus can facilitate learning in Calculus, suggesting a foundational relationship between the two subjects.
  • Some argue that Pre-Calculus covers a broader range of topics, which may contribute to its perceived difficulty compared to the more focused approach of Calculus.
  • A participant mentions that personal algebra skills can significantly impact the experience of learning Calculus, indicating that prior knowledge plays a crucial role.
  • There are differing opinions on whether community college courses are easier than university courses, with some participants sharing their experiences of transitioning from one to the other.
  • Several participants emphasize that the difficulty of either course is subjective and can depend on various factors, including the instructor, textbook, and study habits.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the difficulty of Pre-Calculus versus Calculus, with no consensus reached. Many agree that factors such as teaching style and personal background influence their experiences, but there is no definitive agreement on which course is harder.

Contextual Notes

Limitations in the discussion include the variability of individual experiences, the influence of different educational environments, and the lack of standardized measures for comparing course difficulty.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students considering their math course options, educators seeking insights into student perceptions, and anyone interested in the comparative challenges of Pre-Calculus and Calculus.

starchild75
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Hi, all

I am taking precalculus right now, and I have heard from some people that calc is actually easier than precalc. What is your experience?
 
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Maybe at your high school it is... Depends.

Both at my high school were relatively easy. Calc II at the University of Arizona was significantly harder than any math course I have ever taken in high school. By significantly, I mean worlds harder.

If calc at your school is taught towards AP test and nothing else, then yes, it will be really easy because you would only need to memorize several things and be on your way.
 
I am taking precalc at a community college. and will be taking calc 1,2,3 at community college, probably
 
Depends on the teacher, the book, the student, the amount of time one studies, the amount of previous knowledge one student has, and probably numerous other factors. My experience would be that Calculus 1 is harder.
 
Oops, sorry, I thought that your previous posts mentioned something about high school...
 
no prob, I have been out of school for 10 years. I have a two year degree in business, but want nothing to do with the business world. It took me a long time to find what I wanted.
 
This is what I have heard from everyone as well at my school (University of Florida). I don't really think I can venture an opinion because I found both to be easy. But if you understand how precalculus really well it makes calculus much easier.
 
In my experience the general people who do take precal and all the calcs offer say that Calc II is the hardest one they face. Perhaps Pre-cal is viewed as difficult because it is new math that they are not use too and when they get to calc they are more use to it?
 
Basically, with calculus you learn the Derivative, Limit and Integral in fine detail, with precalculus you learn all sorts of concepts in less detail.

Its all about Mass concepts vs. Fewer, more complex concepts.
 
  • #10
If your calculus class say uses stewarts calculus, and it's just a regular calculus class with not a bunch of proofs. Then yes, I think pre-calculus is harder, perhaps because it covers more topics that really don't seem to be related when you study them, whereas calc, it's a very vertical thing. You start with limits, go to continuity, then differentiation, etc. It builds upon what you know.
 
  • #11
Calculus showed me how bad my algebra skills were. If your foundation is strong, than calc I is not too dificult. It's hard to say if one is easier than another, because the material can definitely be difficult. It really depends on your professor, and the book.

A lot of people told me that calc III was the easiest. I found it to be very difficult. So people's opinions are just that... theirs.
 
  • #12
mattmns said:
Depends on the teacher, the book, the student, the amount of time one studies, the amount of previous knowledge one student has, and probably numerous other factors. My experience would be that Calculus 1 is harder.

I agree that there's many factors to consider. My experience, Calc II and Calc III were the hard ones of the whole set, I skipped precalc and college algebra, and went straight to Calc I at my community college, then I came up to the state university and did Calc II and Calc III and those semesters tore up my social life like a (insert lewd comment).

It's natural for me to assume that community college classes are (on average) easier than university classes.
 
  • #13
So, would you recommend I take the calc classes at a university as opposed to at the community college?
 
  • #14
starchild75 said:
So, would you recommend I take the calc classes at a university as opposed to at the community college?

I'm a student, myself, so this is just opinion, but yeah, it might be a good idea to go down one series of classes in the same school. If it seriously complicates your schedule, then just take the community one, but otherwise, you might as well get a feel for the university influence (grading policies, homework, etc, you also get to hear other studen'ts opinions of good and bad teachers) at the start of the calc series.
 

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