Which Math Class Should I Take Next

Year?A helpful discussion with AP

Calculus TeachersMs. Jennings and Mr. Messner

What math class can I take next year?

O SIX choices for pre calc studentsO Advanced Quantitative ReasoningO StatisticsO AP StatisticsO CalculusO AP Calculus ABO 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 StatisticsO 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 classO AB Calc – The AB Calc exam, which could

place you out of Calc 1 in collegeO 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 CalcO One period (meets every other day) =

Calc 1 in collegeO 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 majorO 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 calculusO Any of the Sciences (chem, biology, computer

science, environmental science, physics, math)

O BusinessO 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 classO 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?…