An AP subject that even those who have given up on math can take on

Today, we will look into the AP Precalculus, which is being implemented for the first time in the 2023-24 academic year, and explain the benefits it will bring to students.

The image above is an advertisement from the College Board about AP Precalculus. It has been adopted by many high schools from the fall semester of 2023, included in the curriculum, and the AP exam was also conducted in May 2024.

So why was AP Precalculus created? Research shows that 40% of students who enter in the STEM field switch to humanities because they were not prepared in the mathematical area. Ultimately, the university explains that students who have only taken Regular Precalculus find it difficult to follow the course.

Ultimately, because the College Level is difficult to cover with just high school level, each high school decided to provide the AP Precalculus course to supplement this part institutionally. So who should take AP Precal?

If you took Algebra 1 in 9th grade, you will take Geometry in 10th grade, and Pre-Cal in 11th grade. It’s a curriculum where you study math up to 12th grade, but you don’t get to see AP and go to college. It’s a fact that students’ mathematical knowledge is lacking, regardless of whether they are in the STEM/Non-STEM field. Therefore, the purpose is to provide a somewhat buffering effect for students transitioning from high school math to college by offering Pre-Cal at the AP level. It is recommended for students who want to have mathematical skills and enter college. There has always been a question about whether it would be disadvantageous if you only took Pre-Cal in high school because there is no AP level. It seems good for students who want to become more competitive by taking the AP Precal course. AP Precal is indeed difficult when moving to AP Cal AB/BC.

It’s a good subject for students who took Algebra 1 in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th grade, Algebra 2 in 10th grade, and Precal in 11th grade. In fact, looking at the curriculum before the current AP precalculus was offered, it was difficult to say that Precalculus was a prerequisite for AP Cal AB/BC. It’s true that it feels a lot like Algebra 1/2/3, even though it’s only called Precal. That’s why students who went straight from Precal to AP Cal AB/BC had a hard time.

The image above is the chapters of the Pre-Cal curriculum. It lists the chapters that encompass the curriculum suggested by many States.

The image above is the chapters of Pre-Cal and AP Cal AB. If you look at the Pre-Cal chapters, in fact, although it is Pre-Cal, there are more contents that are not related to Calculus than the real Pre-Cal. Only Chapter 8, Limits and Continuity, is thought to be included in the real Pre-cal area. From the standpoint of Calculus, there are many unnecessary chapters, so even students who studied well in Pre-Cal often had to study again when they went to AP Calculus. Somehow, it seems that AP Precalculus will take over the parts that were blank in the current math, so it seems to be a positive change that gives positive expectations in terms of the curriculum.

If you look at the Unit of AP Precalculus, Polynomial and Rational Functions in Unit 1 is difficult to learn in Pre-Cal, but it is a part that is definitely helpful, so it looks very effective in AP Precal. Unit 2, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions, is an exponential logarithm function, which is a very necessary part for calculus. Unit 3. Trigonometric and Polar Functions are also very necessary for calculus. It seems to be a very effective math subject because the Units that should have been in Pre-Cal but were not are included. Vectors and Matrices in Unit 4 are expected to be covered by the school’s discretion because it is stated that they will not be asked in the May AP Precal exam. Personally, I think that the really necessary ranges have come in, and although Stat is not in the Unit in Pre-Cal, it can be strengthened in AP Statistics, so I think AP Precalculus is very appropriately composed of units.

Today, we looked at the newly created AP Precalculus. It’s not bad to take one more AP subject and get the exam score, so if your school does not offer AP Precalculus, it can be a good way to apply for the exam separately and receive the score in May and submit it to the university. Regardless of whether you are going to STEM/Non-STEM, think carefully about the AP Precalculus subject and if it is offered at the high school you are attending, I recommend you take it. It’s not that unnecessary parts are presented, but I would like to tell you to positively review AP Precalculus, which is composed of unit configurations to go to true Calculus in terms of class composition. I will finish today’s posting with this.

If you have any questions about AP Precalculus, please contact us at A-One Institute, and we will kindly answer you.

Thank you.