Math Topics on PCAT especially precalculus?

[RNtoPharmD]

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This topic is probably discussed already. Howevere, I still need some guidances so I can spent the rest of the study time efficiently.
I just bought Schaum's Outlines precalculus and calculus. Good books?

I took Calculus I&II 4-5 years ago and NEVER took precalculus even in high school. My high school education was out of country and we're not required to take any Math. So the missing gap is "precal". Since precalculas is only 20% of the exam format according to the test blueprint by Harcourt assessment, I think I should just focus on the topics that is likely to be on exam.

Since when I took PCAT in June and didn't study for MATH at all, I can't remember many topics I've seen on the exam.

I have seen 1) vectors 2)functions 3) intergral/derivative of e^x 4)logarithm

Questions:

1.)Any other topics?


2.)According to Harcourt, Geometry won't be on the exam...I don't remember seeing any.... but Do I still need to know cos, sin,tan properties? Or just know how to do derivative of trigonomial function?

 

[binghamkid]

This topic is probably discussed already. Howevere, I still need some guidances so I can spent the rest of the study time efficiently.
I just bought Schaum's Outlines precalculus and calculus. Good books?

I took Calculus I&II 4-5 years ago and NEVER took precalculus even in high school. My high school education was out of country and we're not required to take any Math. So the missing gap is "precal". Since precalculas is only 20% of the exam format according to the test blueprint by Harcourt assessment, I think I should just focus on the topics that is likely to be on exam.

Since when I took PCAT in June and didn't study for MATH at all, I can't remember many topics I've seen on the exam.

I have seen 1) vectors 2)functions 3) intergral/derivative of e^x 4)logarithm

Questions:

1.)Any other topics?


2.)According to Harcourt, Geometry won't be on the exam...I don't remember seeing any.... but Do I still need to know cos, sin,tan properties? Or just know how to do derivative of trigonomial function?

Trigonometry is considered part of precalculus. Where did you take your calculus classes? Most college institutions in the U.S. require you to have taken precalculus courses prior to enrolling in calculus courses. (Actually, as far as I know, all of them do) I would strongly suggest obtaining lots of practice tests in order to practice the math section. The most difficult part about the section is timing. Only practice will help you improve your score. You should already know most if not all of the concepts they require.

 

[RNtoPharmD]

Trigonometry is considered part of precalculus. Where did you take your calculus classes? Most college institutions in the U.S. require you to have taken precalculus courses prior to enrolling in calculus courses. (Actually, as far as I know, all of them do) I would strongly suggest obtaining lots of practice tests in order to practice the math section. The most difficult part about the section is timing. Only practice will help you improve your score. You should already know most if not all of the concepts they require.

I took it in community college. They gave me a placement exam (COMPASS), then they placed me in Caculus I...basically, I self-studied algrebra and a little pre-cal before taking the test. Unfortunately, I don't know many concepts in precal that is not used in caculus. For example, I know the derivatives of trigonomial function but don't know the real meaning of it..

 

[binghamkid]

Keep in mind that PCAT math needs to be 1) doable without a calculator and 2) doable within the stressful time frame they give it in. Therefore, there will never be a question that you can't finish in a minute or less. If you can't finish it in a minute or less that means 1) you really don't understand the concept, 2) you're approaching the problem incorrectly, 3) you're not utilizing your critical thinking strategies to simplify the question, eliminate impossible answers, estimate your answers.

In terms of the knowledge you need to know for precalculus used in PCAT, a solid review of the Kaplan prep book should net you all of the concepts you need to know (minus the calculus which I would use another book for). If you know how to do all the problems, then the problem isn't with the knowledge, it's with the test format and style itself.

For example, you may need to know the basic values of sin, cos, tan for standard angles such as 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 180. If you know those, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[wigwam]

I was wondering how hard the calculus will be on the PCAT. Is there going to be a lot of integration and do we have to know how to integrate by parts, substitution, etc? I haven't taken calculus in a while.

 

[omnione]

I was wondering how hard the calculus will be on the PCAT. Is there going to be a lot of integration and do we have to know how to integrate by parts, substitution, etc? I haven't taken calculus in a while.

Integration by parts and substitution should be skills you should know for the PCAT. However, the percentage of PCAT math problems that are calculus-based isn't overwhelming (10-30 %). I was surprised by the low number of calculus problems on the October PCAT. However, there was one difficult integral I skipped because I forgot how to do it.