Expert: Sherry Wallin - 6/29/2010

Question
Hi, my name is Brianna and I'm needing advice on a math class I'm starting tomorrow. As far as I can tell I've never been very good at math. It started with a lack of education in high school (only received very basic algebra and geometry in high school). When I went to college I placed in pre-algebra but ended up taking basic math because I was having difficulty. The last class I took was intermediate algebra, the last class before getting into college level math, this was 4 years ago. I didn't really like the teacher's style (and apparently I wasn't alone 2/3 of the class was gone by the time the final came around) and I received a C. I am now going back to finish school and I'm taking trigonometry. My algebra knowledge is 4 years old and I just barely passed the class. This is also a summer course so the classes are condensed. The one upside is this is the only class I'm taking so I can devote more time to it. What I need to know is what I can do to succeed in this class. I started looking a little through the book and I was completely lost. I even looked up some review algebra and I have forgotten a lot of what I learned. I am bound and determined to pass this class. I would appreciate any advice you could give me, any websites, anyone I could talk to, any books I could read, any studying advice, etc. I plan to go to the tutoring center but I don't think they have 1:1 tutoring in the summer (though I'll need to double check on that). Is this a bad idea to be taking this class considering the circumstances? I am sorry this is so broad but I really want to position myself so that I can succeed in passing this class, so any advice you have would be more than welcomed. Thank you very much :)

Answer
Brianna~
   Wow what a mouthful. I am actually teaching a Trigonometry course this fall and I imagine I will have a bunch of students in the same boat. The requirement to take Trigonometry is College Algebra and I know there will be those students who still don't do well because it really does make it so much easier if you have strong algebra skills. I remember taking trigonometry and it was very difficult. I had even had calculus 1 already (with a B). It's not that you use directly algebra but your skills for solving stuff depends so much on being able to manipulate trigonometric equations and to be able to use substitution. This is where I fear your downfall will be since you said you barely passed the class. Just from the perspective of the teacher I have taught a lot of Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 courses and it is pretty typical to start out with 35+ students and end with fewer than 20 students. It is just the nature of the beast sort to speak. I don't doubt that the style of your teacher didn't fit your needs but that is also the risk you take being a student. My recommendation (after serious consideration) would be to suggest you retake the algebra so you feel confident about what you can do and then tackle the trigonometry. Regardless of what you choose to do, feel free to ask me further questions as necessary, that is why I am out here.

Good luck Brianna. You don't happen to be in the Sacramento area by chance??

Math Prof