I'm going towards my ME degree and as right now i'll be finishing my degree in San Anitonio. Anyways this semster i'll be finishing up Math 110 - Intermediate Algebra. I can take according to the preq. Precalculas next without taking College Algebra. Calculas is required of course for the degree. I was thinking about taking precalc. in the spring and college algebra in the summer so I can take calc. in the fall, puts me ahead a little faster. If I take college algebra next I have to take college algebra and precalc. or trig before going onto calc. After talking to some university friends my 110 is harder than their college algebra, according to them. I want to do what's best, if it takes longer. What do you guys think?? I've had bad luck with counselors so I tend to avoid that route.
Engineering/Math guru's need class advice
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As an EE/CompE/CompSci graduate, with a year of ChemE thrown in just for fun, I can try and to give you some advice:
Try and get the math out of the way as quick as possible, so that you have all of the underpinnings well understood, especially differentiation and integration. Mechanical engineering programs make extensive use of 3-dimensional calculus, including vector calculus and differential equations, in most courses, so you'll want that out of the way as well.
Personally, I would rather have a good understanding of how the mechanics of mathematics works before I would attempt to tackle some of the more difficult and math-intensive coursework you will face, especially in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. So yes, try and get as much of it done as possible, before you go into classes where you are expected to make extensive application of it.
Try and get the math out of the way as quick as possible, so that you have all of the underpinnings well understood, especially differentiation and integration. Mechanical engineering programs make extensive use of 3-dimensional calculus, including vector calculus and differential equations, in most courses, so you'll want that out of the way as well.
Personally, I would rather have a good understanding of how the mechanics of mathematics works before I would attempt to tackle some of the more difficult and math-intensive coursework you will face, especially in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. So yes, try and get as much of it done as possible, before you go into classes where you are expected to make extensive application of it.
I don't know what you are trying to say here. Also You haven't hat Trig yet??
As Pitzel said you must get the Math done Especially the Calc. You can't do any Engineering related courses without Calculus..Period. Even Basic Thermo, Physics, and Statics. I was a Freshman in 1964 and really I took Calculus in my first year. Fortunately I had Calc in H.S. but It didn't stick the first time around. You should have had Trig and Advanced Algebra in H.S. I never had Math 110 (whatever is is) or Precalc.
JHZR2
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Im a ChemE from a good school... U of DE. We had to take three high level calc classes, designed expressly for engineers and math majors (though others could take them... and of course most all didnt. These were significant classes, 4 credits each, had at least one meeting every day, so we were always busy doing calc! We then had to take a differential equations class on top of that, plus linear algebra and engineering math with matlab.
You really should have had calc I equivalent in HS, and at the bare minimum precalc. The math classes are a lot of hard work that takes a lot of time, so you need to get them out of the way as much as possible (and learn the stuff as much as possible as it helps you out a lot as you ge to advanced thermo and whatnot), at least the calc classes, before getting hot and havy into the actual engineering topics.
I would suggest you find the hardest calc classes and take them - if you have a choice, stay away from the calc for business majors - its easy but a waste of time. take the one for engineers and or math majors, as youll get better knowledge and less of the riff raff. Get calc I-III done, and maybe some prerequisites out of the way, so then you can really focus on your engineering stuff. DiffEQ was less intense for us then our calc III class, and linear alg. is relatively easy. However, they do take time awya from problem sets and whatnot, so get hem done ASAP also. If you can get a bunch of prereqs done in advance, then in the harder senesters you can lighten your load and excel easier... I wish Id have done that, so I didnt have to waste time in unrealted classeswhrn I had 10 more hours of problems to do...
JMH
You really should have had calc I equivalent in HS, and at the bare minimum precalc. The math classes are a lot of hard work that takes a lot of time, so you need to get them out of the way as much as possible (and learn the stuff as much as possible as it helps you out a lot as you ge to advanced thermo and whatnot), at least the calc classes, before getting hot and havy into the actual engineering topics.
I would suggest you find the hardest calc classes and take them - if you have a choice, stay away from the calc for business majors - its easy but a waste of time. take the one for engineers and or math majors, as youll get better knowledge and less of the riff raff. Get calc I-III done, and maybe some prerequisites out of the way, so then you can really focus on your engineering stuff. DiffEQ was less intense for us then our calc III class, and linear alg. is relatively easy. However, they do take time awya from problem sets and whatnot, so get hem done ASAP also. If you can get a bunch of prereqs done in advance, then in the harder senesters you can lighten your load and excel easier... I wish Id have done that, so I didnt have to waste time in unrealted classeswhrn I had 10 more hours of problems to do...
JMH
In high school we took:
Geometry-Algebra 1 and 2-Trig-PreCalculus
Oh we whined - but if you paid attention at all it did help with calculus in college - in fact I am trying to convince my 7th grade daughter - you can't pick and choose at this level of math. You HAVE to have a foundation or you won't get it at all. And it sure made all my advanced stat classes easy. (but you know I still forget trig functions - howver finding them is easy!)
Geometry-Algebra 1 and 2-Trig-PreCalculus
Oh we whined - but if you paid attention at all it did help with calculus in college - in fact I am trying to convince my 7th grade daughter - you can't pick and choose at this level of math. You HAVE to have a foundation or you won't get it at all. And it sure made all my advanced stat classes easy. (but you know I still forget trig functions - howver finding them is easy!)
Do what some others said and get a solid math foundation before you start college.
If your HS intermediate algebra is as good or better as a college algebra course (it probably is) take it now.
A good solid basie in Algebra and trig are essential for Calc. You will need to be able to concentrate on new concepts in calc instead off wasting time trying to get along on poor algebra and especially trig skills.
Get in at least pre-calc too before you start university if you can. Like Al said, you should have taken at least Calc 1 in High school.
Consider University Calculus the foundation to the house you are building. If you don't build a solid foundation, you will seriously regret it down the road.
I left high school in 1960, fininshed the Air Force in 1964 and went to college. I had algebra and trig in high school, then 4 years later tested well enough to skip any remedial math and went stright into Calculus....Big mistake. I had to work a lot harder at calculus and courses that used calculus than if I had taken some time to really get ready for Calculus. I did quite well, but would have done better with less work had I had my ducks in a row at the start.
An understanding of the math in calculus is such an important part of what follows that you can't afford to take any shortcuts.
If your HS intermediate algebra is as good or better as a college algebra course (it probably is) take it now.
A good solid basie in Algebra and trig are essential for Calc. You will need to be able to concentrate on new concepts in calc instead off wasting time trying to get along on poor algebra and especially trig skills.
Get in at least pre-calc too before you start university if you can. Like Al said, you should have taken at least Calc 1 in High school.
Consider University Calculus the foundation to the house you are building. If you don't build a solid foundation, you will seriously regret it down the road.
I left high school in 1960, fininshed the Air Force in 1964 and went to college. I had algebra and trig in high school, then 4 years later tested well enough to skip any remedial math and went stright into Calculus....Big mistake. I had to work a lot harder at calculus and courses that used calculus than if I had taken some time to really get ready for Calculus. I did quite well, but would have done better with less work had I had my ducks in a row at the start.
An understanding of the math in calculus is such an important part of what follows that you can't afford to take any shortcuts.
I too, am confused about what you are asking. Are you in high school? When you enter engineering school you should be starting with Calculus. If not, you are behind. In order to ensure you do well in Calculus in College it is best to take pre-calculus and/or AP Calculus in high school. Sometimes you can get credit for college level calculus from you high school AP Calc class. Don't do it. Just use that knowledge to help you get a good grade in your College Calculus class. All of the trig and algebra should be completed in high school. Algebra classes in college are usually remedial classes for non science majors who never took algebra in high school.
Engineering = math math math Yahoo! More math.
Engineering = math math math Yahoo! More math.
Good comments. In my first engineering calculus course, the failure rates were running in excess of 70% of the student enrolment. As our program was structured, if you failed any calculus course, you pretty much ended up failing the entire years work and you would have to take an additional year in the engineering program.
After 7 years, I would recommend a comprehensive refresher of algebra, especially some of the topics relating to the manipulation of complex numbers. Many engineering schools are now offering a sort of 'math readiness course' in the summer months before school starts, just to make sure the students are all up to date on their math. Your school may have that option as well.
After 7 years, I would recommend a comprehensive refresher of algebra, especially some of the topics relating to the manipulation of complex numbers. Many engineering schools are now offering a sort of 'math readiness course' in the summer months before school starts, just to make sure the students are all up to date on their math. Your school may have that option as well.
If you feel comfortable with Algerbra, start from Trig, if you feel comfortalbe with Trig, start from Precal, if you feel comfortable with Precal, start from calculus right away.
One way of the other you have to take all the way up to differential equation, for sure. In theory you should start from where you are comfortably as high as possible.
If you do well in interm algerbra (B+ or above), you can try jumping to precal. I don't think there is such a thing call "college algerbra" for engineering/math/science field, those are for business and social science majors.
One way of the other you have to take all the way up to differential equation, for sure. In theory you should start from where you are comfortably as high as possible.
If you do well in interm algerbra (B+ or above), you can try jumping to precal. I don't think there is such a thing call "college algerbra" for engineering/math/science field, those are for business and social science majors.
as mentioned before you need to be good at algebra to be good at calculus. math is one of the few subjects that actually builds from one class to the next. one of the main themes of calculus is the manipulation of an equation with calculus so that it can be "solved" with algebra.
Calc is first math class I found interesting, before that I thought math was repetitive and boring.
I think you'll be fine with precalc only as long as you feel comfortable with the material when you are finished.
Calc is first math class I found interesting, before that I thought math was repetitive and boring.
I think you'll be fine with precalc only as long as you feel comfortable with the material when you are finished.
Oh, I see now. I commend you for wanting to go back to school. I guess the one thing I wanted to make clear is that to stay on schedule for a 4 year engineering degree you need to start right off with the "real" engineering calculus. Your prerequisites for the 2nd year curiculum will require 1 year of calculus.
If you did not take trig, and algebra in High School you will need some sort of refresher before taking calculus. If you took those classes, take a precalculus refresher course as Panda said.
If you did not take trig, and algebra in High School you will need some sort of refresher before taking calculus. If you took those classes, take a precalculus refresher course as Panda said.
Please elaborate. I'm not sure if I understand what you mean.
Currently, I take Precalculus. (OK, the higher level students for their Jr. year take Calc BC) Freshman and Sophomore years students take Geometry and AlgII, respectively.
Michael
That changes the equation a bit but not much.
Definitley go into college with Trig and Algebra down so solidly that you can do the basics in your sleep. High school level trig is enough trig, but know the basics well. Since you have been out of school awhile, a college or 2nd year HS adult ed algebra course and any trig course would be good enough.
Instead of taking pre-calc, get a calculus text, or maybe find a calculus course online and see if you can grasp the basic concepts on your own without pre-calc. Calculus is very different than lower levels of math and it might take a bit of effort to get your head wrapped around it. It's not all that hard if you get the basic concepts, it's a beetch if you don't.
To add to your comments, he shouldn't feel comfortable until he has taken a text book for the subject and found it easy to work the problems in the book. Typically 1/2 the problems have answers in the back, making it easy to verify.
Nothing wrong with Pre Calc. It is a course that just reviews the foundation math required for Calculus (trig and algebra) and then gets into some basic Calculus stuff.
As long as you are ready for calculus when you start the curriculum you are OK.
As long as you are ready for calculus when you start the curriculum you are OK.
JHZR2
Staff member
Yeah, my pre calc in high school went over trig, trig and more trig... It really helped when doing calc... and then when solving PDEs.
JMH
JMH
I did College Algebra, then Calc I, Calc II, Calc III. Then, DiffEQ, which I absolutely hated. Finally, Linear Algebra, and Engineering Stats. Funny thing, once I got a job as an engineer, I never used Calculus again. Just good'ol Algebra and some Trig.
Quite a few engineers say the same thing, the last time they used calculus was college. I look at it as a challenge though. I have to take the same coursework as 416Rigby. According to everyone's thoughts if I take Precalc in the spring, college algebra in summer - not looking forward to another summer, and possible calculus in fall. If i'm not comfortable they're pretty good with changing classes, so I could always start out with calculus and then downgrade to trig if need be. I made 95 in intro -easy I know- and currently making 93 in this class, I defiantely going to start studying alot more. I want this degree bad, not so much for me but so I can pass it down someday.
Never mind, forgot that we're moving after we get married next fall. So basically in december. Don't think I can start at a university in the spring though, have to look into. I'm going to take college algebra in the spring, maybe trig in summer, and precalc in fall. So i'll be taking calc at the unversity. Between getting married, moving in to a 5th wheel (have to get rid of everything) and class I'm not sure how usable my brain will be in a year.
That's usually the case, but you need the calculus to do the following course work and actually understand what you are doing. That's extremely important. Calculus also helps you understand things when you are a working engineer, even if you don't use it directly.
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