Can anyone explain college math classes to me?

[golfgal]

Go online and see if they have the textbook listed and then look up the textbook to see what it covers. All of DS's textbooks are listed already so we can price them out on the internet. Most textbooks have an online version as well so you could probably see a good portion of the book.

I would go with the math for liberal arts. DS's school only has on math class required if you had at least 4 years of high school math. He is taking the equivalent of the math for liberal arts as he won't be going into a math intensive major. It's his "sluff" class for first semester .

 

[Christine]

My DD is taking Math for the Liberal Arts at her community college this Fall. It is MTH 151. She attempted to take college Algebra at her 4 year university (last semester) and had to drop the course at a few days. She knew from the start she wasn't going to make it (she is Math challenged).

I, too, cannot find out exactly what this course covers and the description doesn't even make it sound like it's going to be easy. This is her course description:

Presents topics in sets, logic, numeration systems, geometric systems, and elementary computer concepts.

 

[dancingdisneygirl]

I am math challenged and I took College Algebra last semester and I am taking Pre Calc in the fall.....yuck. I have to have 2 maths also and those were what was recommended to me from my advisor. I agree with others to check about seeing what would transfer as credit to another major or college. It would not be fun to have to take math again because hers don't transfer!

 

[Pastamom]

I teach math at a local university. Our liberal arts math class is a topic based class -not a traditional math class. It covers topics like probability, coding, and some art in math. It is not an "easy" class as many believe. There are lots of word problems and problem solving in it. Some students really enjoy it, others not so much.

I would talk to the math department or the actual instructor. They will give you a better picture of the class. Many times advisors don't know the specifics of a certain class because they have so many things to be concerned about.

I would also recommend taking the class ASAP so if, unfortunately, you need to retake it, or decide to take a different class you have time to do that without interferring with your overall plan.

Find out if tutoring is available (our U offers it for free) and take advantage of it. Also get help from your professor. Do this at the beginning of the semester - even if things seem to be going ok, before it gets too tuff.

Good luck

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd was so mad that she did not place into college algebra her first semester. She had to take a lower level math.

She did take college algebra her second semester and did pass with a C, I think. It was tough.

Math is one of her weak areas as well.

I do not know what to tell you. If majors are changed college algebra is the safe bet there.

Good Luck with your decisions.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

I'd suffer and take College Algebra. Then if or when I transferred to get a higher degree it would transfer just fine. There is no reason on putting yourself through more torture having to redo a math class.

 

[wvjules]

My DD is taking Math for the Liberal Arts at her community college this Fall. It is MTH 151. She attempted to take college Algebra at her 4 year university (last semester) and had to drop the course at a few days. She knew from the start she wasn't going to make it (she is Math challenged).

I, too, cannot find out exactly what this course covers and the description doesn't even make it sound like it's going to be easy. This is her course description:

Presents topics in sets, logic, numeration systems, geometric systems, and elementary computer concepts.

I took and withdrew from that same math class at the same school....TWICE! lol

I am currently taking Math 21 at Penn State which is College Algebra I. (I need Math 110 which is calulus, the pre-req for that is math 22 and the pre-req for that is math 21. Grrrrr!) I hate, hate, hate math. However I seem to be excelling in this course. My grades have been mostly 90s and a few 80s threw in. My professor doesn't use a book but uses an online program called ALEKS and it is awesome. (BTW, you can also use it as a tutor program.)

I would go with the college algebra course for the reasons others have stated, it might end up being *easier* than the Liberal Arts math due to word problems and such and also it more likely being transferrable to another school.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Math for Liberal Arts is the ONLY option for us non-math people. I actually got A's in college math.

 

[Christine]

I took and withdrew from that same math class at the same school....TWICE! lol

Would that have been WVU's Math 126? She said it was a killer.

 

[Tri-Delta4Life]

In college I took Calculus I, II, III, Differential Equations I and II and Engineering Statistics...

Best options:
1) Find a course discription and decide which course sounds most appealing
2) Talk to students and ask them for their opinion of the classes
3) Find a website like ratemyprofessors.com and try to find teachers who teach those classes and read what students have to say about them

 

[arminnie]

Unless you are going into a Math or Science major, you'll probably never use Algebra again.

Any time you figure out things like MPG or how far you can drive your car on the road you are using algebra. Calibration of medicines, etc. How many dimes in a dollar vs. # nickles in a dollar. How you decide 10% off of one price stacks up next to 20% off of a slightly higher price. No one calls it algebra, but all of those are based on algebraic equations.

Most colleges that have a math requirement offer a class for "non-math" people. Lots of universities don't offer any regular math courses lower than calculus as a starting point. So they have to offer something that the non-math people can take.

I tutored a brilliant woman when I was in grad school at Stanford. She had multiple fine arts degrees from Harvard, but she had no math since the 9th grade. The grad program we were in had a math requirement (pretty basic statistics I think). She had avoided math for years so just needed a little help to get into it. She was very, very, very smart, but math just wasn't her thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My brother is math challenged.

Gen Ed requirements require 6 credit hours which translates to about 2 math classes. He struggled through a fundamental math class
(which I think has no algebra in it, but I'm not certain.). For his second math class he was able to take statistics. He found that to be easier on his math challenged brain than other math classes. Not that it was easy peasy or anything for him.

 

[loveadobie]

Two math classes are needed. If the student is NOT a math person at all (and the intended major will not require any extra math classes) which ones would you take:

College Algebra (hated high school algebra but passed with an A due to round the clock tutoring).

Math for Liberal Arts 1 & 2 (no clue what these are but they sound like they would be designed for the non-math person possibly).

College Trig (can't even imagine that going over well)

Precalculus Algebra (see above ^)

Those are the only 1000 level classes. After that, they move up to the 2000 level and I don't see that happening.

I've googled the liberal arts math class and can't get a good feel for what it covers. My other option is to wait for the books to come out in 2 weeks and go thumb through them (assuming they aren't hermetically sealed like they seem to do with many books now).

Definitely call the math department and see what they say about the courses. It's between College Algebra (which is pretty tough) and Liberal Arts Math, I'd take Liberal Arts Math. That's more of practical world math (math that you could actually use in real life). It shouldn't have those weird equations that you have no idea what they're for. Stay far away from Trig or Precalculus. My advice is the two Liberal Arts math classes. Good luck!!!

 

[RitaZ.]

Has she decided on a major? Her major will determine the math courses that she'll need.