Precalculus review or Calculus 1

In summary, the person is seeking advice on whether to jump right into Calculus or to take a precalculus review course, as they have not taken a math course in 12 years. They have previously taken College Algebra and Trig and have a strong math background, but are unsure if they need a refresher before starting Calculus. They are also considering taking undergraduate math courses to fulfill prerequisites for a Professional Master of Science and Technology degree.
  • #1
mathyou9
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Irrelevant context for anyone interested (feel free to skip this blue paragraph):
I've always been a geeky, scientific nerd-type. But I've only been sort of a dilettante with all things science (i.e., well above the 50th percentile amongst my peers, but no area of expertise, by any means.) However, for college, I took the easy route and earned a BS in Mass Comm. (Comm. Tech. emphasis). Overall, it's a pretty worthless degree (scientifically speaking, that is.) But now I'm looking to apply to earn a Professional Master of Science and Technology. Some of the PMST degree courses have prerequisites that are undergraduate math classes (like Calculus and a few others) that I never took. I figured that taking these courses as a non-matriculated student would, at least, allow me to get the needed prereq. courses for the PMST degree. I can't imagine that getting a second science-/math-related BS degree would be worth the time or money. But taking just a few undergraduate courses solely to qualify for the PMST degree would be worth it. Just my two cents.

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Just looking for advice or suggestions. So I've already taken College Algebra and Trig. (got an A- and B, respectively) and got 32 for Math on my ACT. Credential-wise, I could register for Calculus I without any issues. But that's all on paper.

However, I took College Algebra and Trig. way back during the 97-98 school year (and the ACT back in 1998.) So it's been a long time (who knows what I've forgotten.) I've only taken a few statistics courses since then.

Do I register and jump right into Calculus since I [technically] qualify? Or do I take the precalculus review offered at the university due to my 12-year hiatus of taking a math course (minus the handful of stats classes, of course)?

Thanks. :)
 
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  • #2
Try reviewing basic manipulations of the trigonometric functions, and getting comfortable with the rules for manipulating exponents and logarithms. If you find that you can get back into that fairly easily, you should be able to pick up most things as you go along in your calc class. If that is a struggle, you may want to spend more time reviewing.
 
  • #3
The University of New Brunswick has a beautiful set of exercises to help check if your algebra and trigonometry is up to snuff for passing calculus. If you can work all the examples and make sense of them you should be reasonably prepared to jump straight into calculus.

http://www.math.unb.ca/ready/exercise.html" [Broken]
 
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1. What is the difference between Precalculus and Calculus 1?

Precalculus is a course that covers the fundamental concepts of algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry in preparation for Calculus 1. Calculus 1, on the other hand, is a course that focuses on the study of limits, derivatives, and integrals.

2. Do I need to take Precalculus before taking Calculus 1?

It is highly recommended to take Precalculus before taking Calculus 1, as the concepts and skills learned in Precalculus are necessary for success in Calculus 1.

3. What topics are typically covered in a Precalculus review for Calculus 1?

A Precalculus review for Calculus 1 may cover topics such as algebraic functions, trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, and basic geometric concepts.

4. How can I prepare for a Precalculus review or Calculus 1 course?

To prepare for a Precalculus review or Calculus 1 course, it is helpful to review basic algebra and trigonometry concepts and practice solving problems involving functions and equations.

5. What are some common applications of Calculus 1?

Calculus 1 has many real-world applications, including physics, engineering, economics, and statistics. It is used to model and solve problems involving rates of change, optimization, and area and volume calculations.

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