Bad at algebra.. how will this impact pre req courses?

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t510

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Hi Can I please ask for some help...

It's been years since studying algebra (I'm bad at it... logarithms... don't really know, etc, etc) .. how will this impact pre req courses?
My Plan is to take a bio course this fall while working full time (I assume algebra is not needed for that...please let me know if otherwise).
But what about physics and chem... I know I need a strong algebra background for that. Do you think I should try to fit in some studying while taking bio this fall?
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Well you need algebra for physics and especially gen chem 2. you also have to take at minimum a college algebra course. I'd recommend taking the remedial math courses to get you up to speed or else you will struggle a lot.
 
You will need a good handle on algebra and trig prior to starting your physical science coursework (gen chem and physics). Bio doesn't use as much math, but there's still some (particularly in genetics). I'd suggest doing the math classes first before you take any of the prereq science classes. In other words, you should take algebra this fall instead of bio.
 
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Thanks!

Tough to hear. I was pretty set on finally taking my first pre-req, but I'm worried about the math. That's another 4 months gone and my working schedule is less busy in during the fall than the spring. I guess I would have to learn the math at some point anyway. I even talked to the bio teacher too about taking her class. There's noway I can try to fit in the math at the same time?
 
ps I took university calculus several years ago (6 years ago ?) also I've been working at improving my math skills.
 
Khan Academy is your friend

t510 said:
Hi Can I please ask for some help...

It's been years since studying algebra (I'm bad at it... logarithms... don't really know, etc, etc) .. how will this impact pre req courses?
My Plan is to take a bio course this fall while working full time (I assume algebra is not needed for that...please let me know if otherwise).
But what about physics and chem... I know I need a strong algebra background for that. Do you think I should try to fit in some studying while taking bio this fall?
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I suck at algebra and physics killed me. If I could start over, I would take an introduction to college algebra before I took physics/gen chem.
Good luck!
 
I would have to agree with Goro. I was just informed about Khan Academy. I think it is very helpful. I am having the same problem with algebra myself. Good luck with that.
 
I was always good at financial math, but never good at math... math.

Khan Academy, Coursera.org and take a remedial class in summer to get your feet wet. The remedial class was tougher than the actual Algebra course IMO...
 
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I wish I had Khan academy during my time in college 9-10 years ago. Youtube just came along during 2005.
 
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Agree with Q and Goro. You have to find a way to see the value of learning it, and then get into it. Really. Do the work daily or regularly and you will grow in leaps and bounds.
 
You absolutely need strong algebra skills for Gen Chem II and Physics. I don't think you really need them for Bio.
 
Several non-trads dropped out of my Gen Chem classes this summer and all of them did so because they were shaky on algebra. Believe me, it is better to postpone for one semester than earn low grades or even Ws in pre-reqs. If you know that you can discipline yourself to do Khan Academy or something similar go right ahead, but if you're just starting back at it, I think the structure of a CC math class would be a huge help.
 
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I took a placement test when I went back to school and only tested into a basic algebra class. I took 8 straight semesters of math (Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, Calculus 1, Calculus 2) and got all the way through calculus 2 - you can do it!
 
Khan et all are helpful as complements not sole providers of math edu. I was just like you but I laid my pride down and started with the lowest math class my cc offered. 7 classes later im starting pre-calc this fall and my algebra is rock solid.

Do NOT take any pre-reqs except the first semester of bio without having gone through and mastered at least college algebra. You WILL completely regret not building a solid algebra foundation, I guarantee it.
 
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I considered myself "bad" at math, and indeed my first time around in undergrad I was bad, had to take algebra 2 times back then, so recently, before taking science pre-reqs, I decided to go all the way back down to introductory algebra and worked my way thru college algebra doing so much better this time---all A's, it's not that difficult and I would highly recommend taking intermediary and then college algebra before any chemistry. You'll have a new perspective on it.
 
College Algebra is a prereq for GenChem-I, so you'll have to take that before. PreCalc/Trig, I'd say that can wait until right before GenChem-II (the only time I ran into Trig for GChem-I was with Bragg's Law). Math doesn't factor heavily into Bio; it's mostly memorization.
 
Apollo1 said:
College Algebra is a prereq for GenChem-I, so you'll have to take that before. PreCalc/Trig, I'd say that can wait until right before GenChem-II (the only time I ran into Trig for GChem-I was with Bragg's Law). Math doesn't factor heavily into Bio; it's mostly memorization.
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Speaking of, is Pre-Calc necessary for Gen-Chem II or any of the other pre-reqs? The schools I've looked at only require math through college algebra or stats.
 
I'm sure there is variation between schools, but I only took Algebra and Stats and had no problems in Gen Chem.
 
I have no idea how the concepts break down between "algebra" and "pre-calc" but here are the concepts I remember using in Gen Chem:

setting up equations from word problems, solving linear equations
recognizing the equation of a line and its properties (ie y=mx+b, e.g. what does it mean if the slope of a line is negative, does the "m" term change if the entire line shifts upwards, etc)
calculating mean and standard deviation
logarithms and exponents -- know what they are and the rules of manipulating them (e.g. log(a^b)=b*log(a), change of base, converting between log expressions and exponent expressions)
manipulating polynomials (e.g. FOIL)
solving the quadratic formula
setting up and solving systems of linear equations (we did this with Beer's Law/independent absorption and maybe partial pressures, didn't see it much otherwise)

ETA: and everyone's favorite dimensional analysis. If you understand how to do dimensional analysis, Gen Chem I can be pretty easy.
 
meander said:
I have no idea how the concepts break down between "algebra" and "pre-calc" but here are the concepts I remember using in Gen Chem:

setting up equations from word problems, solving linear equations
recognizing the equation of a line and its properties (ie y=mx+b, e.g. what does it mean if the slope of a line is negative, does the "m" term change if the entire line shifts upwards, etc)
calculating mean and standard deviation
logarithms and exponents -- know what they are and the rules of manipulating them (e.g. log(a^b)=b*log(a), change of base, converting between log expressions and exponent expressions)
manipulating polynomials (e.g. FOIL)
solving the quadratic formula
setting up and solving systems of linear equations (we did this with Beer's Law/independent absorption and maybe partial pressures, didn't see it much otherwise)

ETA: and everyone's favorite dimensional analysis. If you understand how to do dimensional analysis, Gen Chem I can be pretty easy.
Click to expand...

great, good to know, could you have done well without stats?
 
Vince411 said:
great, good to know, could you have done well without stats?
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Yeah, I think that should be fine. Mean/standard deviation come up in lab but I think stats in Gen Chem is limited to stuff like Maxwell-Boltzman distributions and understanding how the most probable value in a distribution can be not equal to the mean. It's far more important to be comfortable manipulating and solving equations.
 
If you have university calc, you probably heart the pre req requirements for chem and physics.

BUT, they are going to suck for you if your math skills aren't solid so you need to do some sort of review before diving in. If you are good at keeping yourself on task without a formal course Khan Academy is a good way to review and it's free (also has tons of other material as well). There are also sites like MIT Open Courseware that you can geek out on for free. If you need something more formal and structured, a class might be the way to go.

I was pretty good at math, but I'm studying for the MCAT right now and am spending a good deal of time reviewing things like logs and whatnot because it's been over a decade since I took my pre reqs and even longer since I took a straight math class.
 
Zelda840 said:
I'm sure there is variation between schools, but I only took Algebra and Stats and had no problems in Gen Chem.
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Echo this.
But, I only took Stats and had no college algebra. There was a slight learning curve when it came to Chemistry and Physics, but nothing that couldn't be overcome with a little extra effort.
Just your basic equations.
 
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Lawgiver said:
Khan et all are helpful as complements not sole providers of math edu. I was just like you but I laid my pride down and started with the lowest math class my cc offered. 7 classes later im starting pre-calc this fall and my algebra is rock solid.

Do NOT take any pre-reqs except the first semester of bio without having gone through and mastered at least college algebra. You WILL completely regret not building a solid algebra foundation, I guarantee it.
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Great advice!
 
Lawgiver said:
Khan et all are helpful as complements not sole providers of math edu. I was just like you but I laid my pride down and started with the lowest math class my cc offered. 7 classes later im starting pre-calc this fall and my algebra is rock solid.

Do NOT take any pre-reqs except the first semester of bio without having gone through and mastered at least college algebra. You WILL completely regret not building a solid algebra foundation, I guarantee it.
Click to expand...

I agree, that's what I did too, I took an 098 algebra class at my CC and worked my way up and am finishing college algebra this semester. It is definately different being with a whole bunch of kids straight out of highschool but worth it, I have a much better understanding of algebra now.
 
Keep in mind that it's more important to finish your prereqs well than it is to finish them fast. In order to be a competitive candidate academically for med school, your math skills need to be on par with those of your trad classmates. If that means you have to take a year's worth of math classes first before taking the prereqs, then so be it. There are no shortcuts in this process; we all have to learn the same algebra beforehand. Make up your mind now whether you think going to med school is worth the effort it's going to take to be ready, and if you decide it is, then commit yourself now to going the full distance.
 
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My first semester of my post bacc I took 2 classes and pretty much devoted all my attention to them. Calc and Gen Chem 1. I received a B+ and B respectively because my algebra skills were awful. Thankfully taking Calc forced me to improve and I have received either an A or A- in all of my classes since then. Moral of the story is that algebra is essential to gen chem and physics.

The good news is that imo you dont really need to take a class or delay things imo. I would take bio, there isnt going to be a lot of math there. Maybe some very basic probability for genetics. I would also during this time use khanacademy to brush up on my math skills. Honestly khanacademy probably helped me more than my professor in calculus. Math is a subject that you can teach yourself if you do the work.
 
Whoa great thread
I still haven't made my mind up and I'm cutting it close. Having trouble getting into the biology class anyways. It's a tough decision.
 
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YayMath is far better than Khan Academy. The teacher on that channel has an incredible way of explaining algebra and geometry and he has live students asking questions that you would. KA is a joke compared to that guy.

https://www.youtube.com/user/yaymath
 
Zelda840 said:
You absolutely need strong algebra skills for Gen Chem II and Physics. I don't think you really need them for Bio.
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Which is why "every single kid" takes biology as a premed freshie. Very few go into a subject that requires strong math at its base.
 
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