Mathematics

Overview

The Madison Metropolitan School District requires three (3) credits of mathematics classes for graduation. Every course above Algebra 1 has recommendations which are intended to help students choose the appropriate class sequence.

Earned Honors

Students are be able to earn the honors designation in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2/Trigonometry without taking the stand-alone honors courses. All students in these courses will complete at least two performance assessments per semester. Students must average a 3.2 out of 4 or higher on all four assessments and achieve a C overall in the course in order to earn the honors designation.

AP Courses

The math department offers 4 Advanced Placement courses. Students can earn college credit by passing the AP exam at the end of the year. Pay particular attention to the sequence of courses that prepare students for these options. A double period of calculus course is offered so that students can complete the entire calculus sequence in one year.

The flow chart to the left shows the paths students could take through different courses.
Please consider your post high school plans and goals as you plan out your math course path.
Notes:

3 math credits are required for high school graduation
Most 4 year colleges want students to get through Algebra 2/Trig and some colleges would like to see more than the minimum 3 math credits on your transcript, so be sure to look at the requirements for the college that you are hoping to attend.
Earned Honors is available in regular Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2/Trig

First and Second Year Math Courses:

Algebra 1

Algebra is the first course in the high school math course sequence and is usually taken as the first year of math. Students will investigate and gain understanding of the properties of linear, exponential, and quadratic functions. We will build on what students have already learned about in elementary and middle school.

Topics include one-variable statistics, linear equations, inequalities, systems of equations, exponential equations, quadratic equations, and more! While we gain greater understanding of these topics, we will also practice the important skills of constructing arguments, justifying conclusions, modeling, and using our reasoning skills.

Students can earn honors in this course.

Geometry

Geometry is the second course in the high school math course sequence and is taken after completing Algebra 1. Students will investigate and gain understanding of the properties of different geometric figures. We will build on what students have already learned about geometry in elementary and middle school, and we will make connections between Geometry concepts and Algebra concepts.

Topics include transformations, congruence, similarity, right triangle trigonometry, solid geometry, coordinate geometry, and circles. While we gain greater understanding of these topics, we will also practice the important skills of constructing arguments, justifying conclusions, modeling, and using our reasoning skills.

Geometry Honors is available for students who seek a more advanced course, though students can earn honors in regular Geometry as well.

Third year math courses:

Algebra 2/Trigonometry

After completing Geometry, students can continue on to Algebra 2/Trigonometry. Here, students will build on what they started learning in Algebra 1. This course will prepare students for Algebra 3, AP Precalculus, and/or AP Statistics. If you are interested in attending a 4 year college, it is highly recommended that you get through this course in high school.

Topics include sequences, polynomials, complex numbers, rational exponents, exponential functions, transformations of functions, trigonometric functions, and statistical inferences. While we gain greater understanding of these topics, we will also practice the important skills of constructing arguments, justifying conclusions, modeling, and using our reasoning skills.

Algebra 2/Trig Honors is available for students who seek a more advanced course, though students can earn honors in regular Algebra 2/Trig as well.

Advanced Algebra with Financial Applications

Choose this if you would like to learn some true, real life math! This class will give you the knowledge to make decisions about your financial future.

Topics include interest & banking transactions, investing in the stock market, business modeling, consumer/purchasing data, employment & retirement, loans & credit , taxes, and budgeting.

This class is a great option for students who may have struggled with math in the past and would like to see some more concrete uses and applications of the math they have learned up to this point.

Advanced Algebra

Most 4 year colleges require that students get through Algebra 2 so that you are prepared for college level math. However, we recognize that Algebra 2/Trig can be a challenging course for students who may have struggled in Algebra 1. If you have plans to head to a 4 year college, but need to build your Algebra skills a bit more in order to feel more prepared to take on Algebra 2/Trig, this may be the course for you!

In Advanced Algebra, we will review and dig deeper into the concepts you learned in Algebra 1, and we will also begin to dig into concepts students begin to learn in Algebra 2/Trig. We hope to build up your algebra, critical thinking, modeling, and reasoning skills so that you become a stronger math student and are more prepared to take on higher level math courses.

Upper Level and AP Math Courses:

Algebra 3

This course is for students who have successfully completed Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2/Trigonometry and want to further their mathematical knowledge, but do not feel ready for the challenge of an AP course.

Topics from previous courses (such as trigonometric functions, transformations, and polynomial equations) are investigated more deeply while new topics (such as probability, the unit circle, and logarithms) are introduced and studied.

The curriculum is geared towards students who plan on continuing their education at a 2 or 4 year school after high school.

AP Precalculus

This AP level course is for students who have excelled in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2/Trigonometry. It is meant for students expecting to take AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC as their next math course and intended for students planning to attend a four-year college in a math-related field.

The course takes aspects of geometry, algebra, and trigonometry and explores how they relate to each other. There is a focus on “why” certain steps are taken to solve problems in order to gain a deeper understanding of math.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses give students the opportunity to take college level courses while in high school and potentially earn college credit.

AP Statistics

In today’s world, we have to be educated consumers of data and need to be able to decipher the truth. Too often, people are misled by statistics or reports of studies that may or may not be done correctly. Whether you will be a consumer of data or collecting your own data through research in your educational journey, AP Statistics can help you be better prepared.

In AP Statistics, we study how to collect, organize and summarize data, both through surveys as well as experiments. We then learn how probability enables us to make inferences to populations based on the data from the surveys or experiments.

To be best prepared to understand the concepts and mathematics applied in the course, it is best that students have completed at least Algebra 2/Trigonometry and are either a junior or senior.

This course will count as a third credit of math toward state and district high school graduation requirements but may count as an Elective credit, not Math, for college admissions purposes at certain universities.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses give students the opportunity to take college level courses while in high school and potentially earn college credit.

AP Calculus AB/BC

Are you planning to continue your education after high school? Are you interested in a career in engineering, business, computers, or other math and science fields? Then taking calculus courses in high school may be for you!

Calculus is the study of how things change and accumulate. You will learn how to analyze text, write equations, and interpret analytic, graphical, tabular data.

AP Calculus AB topics: limits, derivatives, and integrals.

AP Calculus BC topics: parametrics, polar, vectors, infinite sequences and series, logistic models, and integration.

Advanced Placement Calculus AB is a one credit course, equivalent to a first semester college calculus course. Advanced Placement Calculus BC is a one credit course, equivalent to a second semester college calculus course. After successfully completing AP Precalculus, students wishing to take AP Calculus AB and BC will enroll in BOTH double period courses (meeting two periods each day) and will complete both Calculus AB and BC in one school year!

Advanced Placement (AP) courses give students the opportunity to take college level courses while in high school and potentially earn college credit.

AP Computer Science Principles

AP Computer Science A

Learn more about these courses here.

These two courses can count as a third credit of math toward state and district high school graduation requirements but are likely to count as Computer Science, not Math, for college admissions purposes.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses give students the opportunity to take college level courses while in high school and potentially earn college credit.

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