Should i take trigonometry during the summer?

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    Summer Trigonometry
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether a community college student should take trigonometry during the summer, considering their previous experiences with math courses and the implications for their potential STEM major. The scope includes personal experiences, course recommendations, and the importance of foundational math skills.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their journey through math courses, expressing regret over skipping intermediate algebra and trigonometry, and suggests considering summer trigonometry to improve their skills.
  • Another participant recommends reviewing algebra to fill knowledge gaps before taking trigonometry and precalculus, suggesting this will help determine if a STEM path is suitable.
  • A participant argues that "pre-calculus" is not a distinct mathematical area and emphasizes the importance of learning trigonometry independently, as it is crucial for calculus and physics.
  • It is suggested that trigonometry can be manageable in a summer term if sufficient effort is applied, and that taking a general education course alongside it could be beneficial.
  • A participant shares an anecdote about a peer who took foundational courses at community college and emphasizes the importance of strong foundational skills, noting the quality of community college classes compared to high school.
  • The original poster expresses gratitude for the advice received and confirms their decision to take trigonometry over the summer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of taking trigonometry and reinforcing foundational math skills, but there are differing opinions on whether to focus solely on math or to also take general education courses during the summer.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the variability in course quality between high school and community college, suggesting that foundational skills may be better developed in the latter. There is also an acknowledgment of the challenges faced by the original poster in previous math courses, which may influence their decision-making.

Amazedbyscience
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So I am a community college student and I would like to major in something within the stem field. When I arrived at cc in fall of 2014, I took my school's math placement test and scored into intermediate algebra. I wasnt satisfied with this so i went to my school's summer math academy and retook the placement test. I scored into pre calculus. So i enrolled into that class and regretted it. I skipped intermediate algebra and trigonometry even though i failed trigonometry in high school. I ended up gettimg a C in pre calc. I then spoke with my friend who was taking calc amd he said that calc was different than pre calc. So i enrolled in the calc class, and that was a Huge mistake! It proved to be too challenging for me and i dropped it. So now i have the option of taking trigonometry over the summer and attending summer math academy or taking trigonometry and other general education courses. Math academy would help me understand pre calc but i wouldn't be able to take any general eds over the summer. Should i just focus on math over the summer or try to bring myself up to par in math and take a couple general ed courses?
 
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I would take some algebra, even if only self taught, just to review and fill in the gaps in your knowledge, then Trig and precalc. From there you'll have a good idea of what to do and whether stem is for you.
 
Contrary to common perception, there really is no such mathematical area as "pre-calculus." Many schools have a pre-calculus course that is really just elements of both college algebra and trigonometry condensed into one course. Trigonometry is an incredibly important part of mathematics, and it deserves to be learned on its own. It becomes increasingly important as you move through the calculus sequence, and it's incredibly important in physics as well. Having a solid foundation in trig is essential.

I'd suggest taking trig over the summer, and doing whatever you can to brush up on your algebra skills.
 
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Trig is very manageable in a short term like summer if you put in the time to learn it properly. And taking a gen ed with that isn't a bad idea. Echoing Curt, It's also just as important as algebra to understanding Calculus. Taking it should also brush you up on your algebra skills.
 
I know a guy at my CC who took up to precalc in high school but still started at algebra. I think this was the right decision since he now in differential equations is one of the stronger math students at our CC.(he is a tutor here and has been a big help to me in both physics and math) He is going to be going to Berkley in the fall. The foundations are very important and should not be overlooked.

I think the class quality at CC is also better then most high schools so its a good idea to get the foundations down.
 
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Thank you to everyone who replied. I aprreciate your advice! I will be taking trig over the summer!
 

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