|
|
Post by fallingmoon on Jul 28, 2008 13:25:39 GMT -5
I'm going to be a junior in high school this year, and I'm going into Pre-Calculus. Is it hard? From what I heard from the kids at my school, it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by littlemorgsi on Jul 29, 2008 0:57:51 GMT -5
Pre-calculus isn't difficult. Like all maths, the key is to practice. People say its hard, but really, it's just a new area of study you need to work at a little in order to grasp the basics. Some people struggle more than others of course, but provided you have a competent teacher and do your homework, you should be fine.
If you don't have a competent teacher, or if you do struggle a bit anyway, it might be an idea to get a maths tutor, even temporarily, just to have someone spend some one-on-one time explaining things to you at your pace.
The key to maths isn't natural talent, or being able to just jump straight to the right answer (although those might help): The key is to practice over and over. That's the best study method. Also, make sure you set things out neatly and ALWAYS show appropriate working out.
Don't stress, just go in with a positive attitude and do your best - you might surprise yourself and love calculus! I did. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Post by aptasi on Jul 29, 2008 11:56:07 GMT -5
I personally did not find precalc too hard, but make sure you don't fall behind. That's where many people in my school had trouble. If you have trouble on a particular quiz or test, don't try to ignore it. Just go in and get some help from the teacher or do a tutoring session. That way you'll be ready for the next material. And again, be sure to practice.
|
|
|
|
Post by pinnacle on Jul 29, 2008 18:12:38 GMT -5
I agree that it's not as hard as it sounds, but like with anything, the teacher is pretty important. I hope you have a teacher that takes lots of grades into account, and one with infinite patience. Unlike mine, of course. Having only a handful of grades per semester hurt my grade, and this teacher would stop her lectures often to tell us to stop talking. If you get a teacher like this, it would be an excellent idea to (1) get an good idea of how the class is structured (i.e. when/what grades are taken, how the tests/quizzes are written, what you generally do in class every day), (2) get a study buddy, and/or (3) if your school offers math help sessions, attend them as needed. It's basically one long, painful review of previous math topics with preparatory stuff thrown in to get you ready for calculus. Good luck!  |
|
|
|
Post by gahhMinerva on Jul 30, 2008 12:15:20 GMT -5
I didn't find pre-calculus difficult at all. After you adjust to the style of teaching and the way things are run, then basically all I would suggest is that you pay attention and do all of your work. If you have a good teacher like I did, then that's all you'll need. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a having an incompetent teacher, then don't hesitate to form a study group, find a math tutor, or maybe even ask another math teacher if they would help you after school.
|
|
|
|
Post by MinnieQuill on Jul 31, 2008 17:05:31 GMT -5
I agree with everyone here about having a good teacher. That goes without saying. If your teacher is a dunderhead, then a tutor is a great idea. Even if you hate the idea of asking for help (like me), swallow your pride and do it.
If you have a good teacher and still have trouble, again go for the tutor. Or, if you've done a test and scored badly ask the teacher to go through it with you so you can find out where you went wrong. This is extremely helpful as it gives you some one-on-one time and you can find out where you yourself went wrong.
|
|
|
|
Post by StormAngel on Aug 4, 2008 7:16:05 GMT -5
Precalc isn't that difficult. I'm studying it right now, and once you get used to the format and everything, it gets a little easier. You need to practice a lot though, something that I didn't do and screwed up my grades last semester. I agree with having a good teacher. It makes a difference in anything you do. If you do have a terrible teacher, maybe a tutor would help.
|
|
|
|
Post by MinervaMcGonagall on Aug 17, 2008 20:33:33 GMT -5
I found it difficult and hated the class. Then again, math is my most difficult subject and the teacher I had was known to be difficult. He was pretty decent in the end. Prepare to do the work and get a graphing calc. preferable a TI 83 or 83+. THey are about $100 but available on Ebay and worth it.
|
|
|
|
Post by StormAngel on Aug 18, 2008 7:53:17 GMT -5
I'm using a Ti-84 titanium at the moment. Is the 83+ good?
|
|
