alculus is a complex branch of mathematics that focuses on continuous change.

The
history of pre calculus dates back to 17 th century Europe, when Sir Isaac Newton and
Gottfried Liebniz independently worked out many fundamental calculus concepts.
Calculus has many practical applications and is included in degree programs for
mathematicians, engineers, computer scientists, economists, statisticians, healthcare
providers and many other fields.

Although some high school students study calculus in high school in preparation for
college, others come to the subject with no prior knowledge. Success can depend on
their understanding of algebra and trigonometry. To prepare for the rigors of calculus,
many students take a pre calc course.

Pre Calculus Definition

Pre calculus is the study of the mathematical prerequisites for calculus, including
algebra, trigonometry and analytical geometry. The unusual thing about pre calculus
topics is that they don’t directly involve calculus. Instead, they give students a strong
foundation that will be used throughout their calculus studies.

One way to get a better understanding of the concepts covered by precalculus is to

check a sample course syllabus. For example, the self-paced Khan Academy precalculus
course includes trigonometry, conic sections, vectors, matrices, complex numbers,
probability and series. Additional important topics in any pre calc course are functions,
graphing, rational expressions and complex numbers.

Pre Calculus and Trigonometry

Trigonometry is the study of the relationships between the dimensions and angles of
triangles. It is a full course by itself in most high school and college math departments,
so the coverage in precalculus mostly serves as a refresher. Taking a trigonometry
course is often required before enrolling in precalculus. During precalculus, you can
expect to solve and graph problems using standard trig functions like sine and cosine.
Additional trig topics covered in precalculus include vector operations, sequences and
series.

Pre Calculus and Algebra

Many educators say that strong algebra skills are part of the key to success in calculus.
In addition to reviewing the trigonometric functions, precalculus courses cover
commonly used algebraic functions such as quadratic, exponential, polynomial and
logarithmic. The graphing of functions is an important part of precalculus since graphs
are used throughout calculus. The domain and range of functions are covered, along
with finding the intervals over which a function increases or decreases and performing
transformations on a function.

How Do Know If I Need Precalculus?

Many students are on their own when it comes to deciding if they would benefit from a
precalculus course. Their first resource should be their college or university math
department. Some schools offer a diagnostic test that help students determine how
ready they are for either precalculus or calculus. For example, UC San Diego’s
Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project offered a web-based test for precalculus
readiness that returns a score as soon as it’s completed. This type of test is not used
for official class placement but as measurement tool to help students gauge their own
readiness.

It may be helpful for students to commit to a college major before taking precalculus.
Some schools offer different flavors of calculus for non-math majors, such as Calculus
for Economics or Calculus for Engineers, which typically would put a greater emphasis
on trigonometry. Knowing the type of calculus you’ll be doing in the future might help
you decide if you need precalculus.

Many students are able to skip a formal precalculus course and prepare on their own
for their first college-level calculus course. There are plenty of online resources to
support this approach, from Kahn Academy to universities and colleges that share
videos of actual lectures. Students who have lower scores in college math placement
tests should consider taking intermediate algebra or trigonometry before enrolling in
precalculus. The emphasis in precalculus is on refreshing a student’s knowledge rather
than teaching the basics from scratch.