Is your child READY for ALGEBRA?
How do you know if she should be taking “prealgebra” or just moving straight into algebra?
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about MATH TOPICS specifically as they relate to science, and also questions like the ones above.
Actually, there is no such thing as “prealgebra” when you look at the different areas of math. You’ll find Calculus, Geometry, Algebra, Arithmetic… but prealgebra is not usually listed as a specific area of math.
What usually people mean by “prealgebra” is that it is an optional prerequisite course for algebra where students show their mastery of arithmetic, which includes: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with positive and negative integers, fractions, decimals and percent.
Once your student has covered these basics, then she is ready for algebra. You just have to take a dive and go for it, and expect that you’ll need a little help along the way, because the difference between the stuff you studied up til now is a bit different than the thinking you’ll do in an algebra course.
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