Sequence of math courses after Algebra?

[eclipse]

My son is going to be starting pre-algebra and he asked me what we'll be doing after he finishes Algebra and I realized that I'm not entirely sure. I know when I was in school, after Algebra 2 I did geometry, then pre-calc/trig, and then I said "No More Math!" I was good at math and was in advanced classes, but I hated it. I also knew I wouldn't be moving forward with math in college, so I took different classes than my friends who were planning to major in science, math, computers, etc. My son is very young to be making future major/career plans, but for now he wants to become a programmer and major in computer sciences in college. He doesn't even turn 10 for a few more months, so I'm under no illusions that what he's saying now will be the same as what he actually ends up wanting to do. However, he's starting to get interested in what he needs to do between now and college to acheive his goals. He wants to know how much and what type of math he will be able to and should learn between now and then, and I'd like to help him map it out. Well, that was a long explanation for the simple question in the title of this post - what's the usual sequence of math courses after algebra for a college bound student planning to major in a math related field?

[cmoma]

hmm I did algebra split into two years, then geometry, then I think I did another algebra class...? I never made it to calc/trig...math was NOT my thing at the time. haha. But it was similar to your schedule for most kids at my school. Not sure if that helped you any. Maybe look into college rec's for his possible degree and see what they want him to have taken?

[Breathless Wonder]

For the college track in my school, it was Algebra 1 (grade 8), Geometry (Freshman), Algebra 2 (Sophmore), Trigonometry/ Pre-Calc (Junior), and Calculus (Senior).

[lach]

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

For the college track in my school, it was Algebra 1 (grade 8), Geometry (Freshman), Algebra 2 (Sophmore), Trigonometry/ Pre-Calc (Junior), and Calculus (Senior).

I think this schedule is the norm. I went to a school that did Algebra 2 in 9th grade and Geometry in 10th, but all of my friends at every other school I knew of did Geometry in 9th and Algebra 2 in 10th.

If he's planning on doing the PSATs in 10th or 11th, and the SATs in 11th and early 12th, the test will expect him to have had geometry and 2 years of algebra, so that's the only thing that has a "deadline" before the high school transcript is complete Saxon Math doesn't have a separate geometry course (geometry is taught through the other 3 high school years of their program), and I've heard that kids who take the PSATs and the SATs before the end of that program should do some quick geometry tutorial. Of course, it's fairly low level geometry on both those tests: find the area of a circle kind of thing.

[AAK]

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

For the college track in my school, it was Algebra 1 (grade 8), Geometry (Freshman), Algebra 2 (Sophmore), Trigonometry/ Pre-Calc (Junior), and Calculus (Senior).

This was my track. But, if I have a math minded kid, I will insist that Trigonometry be a separate course. I wasn't required to take it separately, but I really needed it for my second year of Calculus in college.

Other math "spin offs" for a kid who likes math could include probability and/or statistics and Physics.

Amy

[moominmamma]

I think the US is the only nation that divides math up year by year into all these sub-subjects. As a Canadian using Canadian and Singaporean curricula it seems really odd to me. It seems a little like dividing music into a year of scales, a year of sight-reading, a year of solo playing and a year of orchestra. The skills are inter-related and complementary -- in math as well as music.

Anyway, to the OP, my kids have done a combination of algebra, trig, geometry, probability and statistics, number theory and basic calculus every year since they got to high-school-ish level. Just another option, particularly if you use a non-US curriculum.

Miranda

[luv2homeschool]

DD did pre-algebra, algebra 1, algebra 2 and this year she is doing geometry. We have been using Saxon, and although the geometry is woven into the 2 algebras we decided to do a full year of geometry. Saxon actually has a geomtry text now, although we are using Jacobs due to its rave reviews. Next year she will probably do pre-calc or calc. not sure yet. She is 11th this year.

In high school we did Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry then Calc.

[prothyraia]

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

For the college track in my school, it was Algebra 1 (grade 8), Geometry (Freshman), Algebra 2 (Sophmore), Trigonometry/ Pre-Calc (Junior), and Calculus (Senior).

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