Why is precalculus required to take before calculus?

From my understanding pre calc is just advanced algebra, I thought calulus was entirely different to learn. Also do you need to know a lot of algebra stuff to do well in pre-calc? I haven't taken a math class for a long time and have forgotton a lot of basic algebra/geometry, not sure if I should sign up for pre-calc or study some algebra beforehand.

It's called precalculus because it contains what you need to know in order to understand calculus.

It's called precalculus because it contains what you need to know in order to understand calculus.

GabuEx

This, is truth

There is no reason to take it, other than for reinforcing Algebra II principles. If you were able to do well enough in Algebra II, they used to let you skip straight to calc back in my HS. Also yes, calc is completely different, and you do not need to know Algebra that well to understand it.

What IS in precalc anyway?

It's called precalculus because it contains what you need to know in order to understand calculus.

GabuEx

It's called precalculus because it contains what you need to know in order to understand calculus.

GabuEx

Precalculus is like the person who takes your keys from you when you go to a party. Calculus is the guy who forces you to have 5 shots of jager.FragStains

Easier that way. I didn't have precalc and I took calculus as one of the cIasses without a teacher. Was hard. But I got a C by myself which was an accomplishment...and it was the lowest grade I ever got so....LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Easier that way. I didn't have precalc and I took calculus as one of the cIasses without a teacher. Was hard. But I got a C by myself which was an accomplishment...and it was the lowest grade I ever got so....-Sun_Tzu-

Honestly I never saw the need for precalc since there's not a lot of material that overlaps with calculus, at least not calculus I.

For the record, I found calculus to be one of the easiest math classes I've ever taken. Precalculus on the other hand was quite possibly the hardest math class I've taken. I don't know why people keep talking as if calculus is to precalc as organic chemistry is to general chemistry.

Honestly I never saw the need for precalc since there's not a lot of material that overlaps with calculus, at least not calculus I.

For the record, I found calculus to be one of the easiest math classes I've ever taken. Precalculus on the other hand was quite possibly the hardest math class I've taken. I don't know why people keep talking as if calculus is to precalc as organic chemistry is to general chemistry.

gameguy6700

Oh God, organic chemistry my bane. I'm more of a math based person and that class tore me to shreds with its massive amount of memorization.

it is an intro to calculus and some trig, if you have the time, take a full trig class, its a smart thing to do. Dante2710

Pre-calc was pretty easy for me. It was just more algebra with a little bit of calc 1.

[QUOTE="Dante2710"]it is an intro to calculus and some trig, if you have the time, take a full trig class, its a smart thing to do. Agent-Zero

I didn't take pre-calc before calc. None of my class did.

Pre-Calculus is just a review of Algebra and Trigonometry. If you paid attention in your earlier math classes you shouldn't have to take Pre-Calculus.Rocky32189