With course planning in the air, we’re diving into common questions parents and students might have when selecting their courses for the upcoming year. This week, we’re tackling math courses.
In B.C., for post-secondary bound students, the decision to take math in grade 11 usually boils down to Pre-Calculus 11 or Foundations of Math 11. These courses typically transition into Pre-Calculus 12 and Foundations of Math 12, respectively, once a student reaches grade 12.
These courses can be quite different in their curriculum and expectations, so let’s start by taking a closer look.
Foundations of Math 11
The key concepts covered in this course include
- forms of mathematical reasoning
- angle relationships
- graphical analysis
- linear inequalities
- quadratic functions
- systems of equations
- optimization
- applications of statistics
- scale models
- financial literacy
Pre-Calculus 11
The key concepts covered in this course include
- real number systems
- powers with rational exponents
- radical operations and equations
- polynomial factoring
- rational expressions and equations
- quadratic functions and equations
- linear and quadratic inequalities
- trigonometry
- financial literacy
Having an understanding of what you’ll study in each class is a great first step, but the biggest part of deciding which math pathway to take is thinking about which doors you want to keep open in the future. The Pre-Calculus pathway was created for students wanting to eventually go into science, technology, engineering, math, and business, who will require calculus in their post-secondary studies. On the other hand, the Foundations pathway was designed to serve students going into the arts, humanities, and social sciences, who will likely not need calculus in their post-secondary studies.
So for instance, a student who wants to study business at university would benefit from the Pre-Calculus stream since they are likely to see calculus during their first year. Alternatively, a student hoping to major in sociology most likely won’t need calc at the university level and may actually benefit from the Foundations stream with its focus on stats.
Course planning is often about leaving the right doors open for your future, so considering which options you want to have open to you down the road can be a great way of determining which courses to take.
Need help with your upcoming course selection? Contact us to book in with an Educational Consultant.
