Which Math Class Should I Take Next Year? A helpful discussion with AP Calculus Teachers Ms. Jennings and Mr. Messner

What math class can I take next year? O SIX choices for pre calc students O Advanced Quantitative Reasoning O Statistics O AP Statistics O Calculus O AP Calculus AB O AP Calculus BC

Advanced Quantitative Reasoning O Type of class – O Student learning done in groups. A wide range of topics and types of math will be examined most of which you will be fairly familiar with. Analytically based O What will it prepare you for – O AQR “prepares students for a range of future options in non-mathematics-intensive college majors or for entering workforce training programs” O Prereq is Alg 2

Statistics / AP Statistics O Type of class – O Not similar to other math classes you have taken, a lot of reading, writing, and analysis of data (compared to other math classes) O What will it prepare you for – O Regular stats will prepare you to do well in college stat classes. O AP Stats will prepare you for the AP exam which, with a high enough score, could place you out of college Stats

Calculus / AB Calc / BC Calc O Type of class – O Problem based, individualized, very algebraic O What will it prepare you for – O Calc – To do well in a college calculus class O AB Calc – The AB Calc exam, which could place you out of Calc 1 in college O BC Calc – The BC Calc exam, which could place you out of Calc 1 and Calc 2 in college

Difference between AB and BC Calculus O AB Calc O One period (meets every other day) = Calc 1 in college O BC Calc O Two periods (meets every day) = Calc 1 and 2 in college Sophomores in precal can take AB as juniors and BC as seniors.

Difference between AB and BC Calculus O Difficulty level is the SAME!!! O Both classes require strong algebraic skills and strong knowledge of trigonometry (unit circle known by heart) O Calculator use is extremely limited. O The primary difference is the amount of material covered. (BC covering three extra units of material)

What classes will be required in college if I study….. O Depends on your major O Almost all majors require at least some math courses (core classes that every student must take) O Not all require calculus as that math class O All typically require a statistics class O Which ones require calculus O Any of the Sciences (chem, biology, computer science, environmental science, physics, math) O Business O Engineering

Advice… O The best “bang for the buck” is BC Calculus. O If you pass the BC exam you get credit for 2 college classes. At UT for an in state student that is worth ~$2000 and many hours of your time O Everyone in college will need to take some sort of Stats class O Why not take AP Stats and pass the AP exam so you don’t have to take the class in college?

Advice… O All AP classes are tough! O Some will find Calculus harder while others may find Statistics harder O Typically students in Pre AP Pre Calc are ready for the rigor in either AP Calc or AP Stats O If you are a strong regular pre calc student you are ready O Can’t fit BC Calc in your schedule (or you don’t want to be in math every day?) O AB Calc is a solid option. O A select group of students from AB will be learning the extra material on their own time to take the BC exam. O But to be clear… AB Calc and AP Stats is not “easier” than BC Calc

Advice… O Don’t want to take an AP math class at all? O AQR, regular Stats, and regular Calc will all prepare you for college math classes.

Questions?…