Math Curriculum Plan of Study

High school math typically consists of three or four years of required credits along with additionally offered electives. In many states, the choice of courses is determined by whether the student is on a career or college preparatory path. Following is an overview of suggested required courses in a curriculum, for either a student going on a Career Preparatory Path or a College Preparatory Path along with electives one might find at a typical high school. Sample High School Career Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 Major Topics: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Year Two–Liberal Arts Math This course is intended to bridge the gap between Algebra 1 and Geometry by building on the students algebra skills to help them prepare for geometry.Major Topics: Exponents and RadicalsAlgebraic Expressions and PolynomialsLinear and Quadratic EquationsSystems of Linear Equations and InequalitiesCoordinate GeometryTwo-Dimensional FiguresProperties of congruent and similar trianglesRight TrianglesSurface Area and Volume Year Three–Geometry Major Topics: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Sample High School College Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 OR Geometry Students who completed Algebra 1 in middle school will move directly into Geometry. Otherwise, they will complete Algebra 1 in ninth grade.Major Topics Included in Algebra 1: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Major Topics Included in Geometry: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Year Two–Geometry or Algebra 2 Students who completed Algebra 1 in their ninth grade year will continue with Geometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2. Major Topics Included in Algebra 2: Families of FunctionsMatricesSystems of EquationsQuadraticsPolynomials and FactoringRational ExpressionsThe Composition of Functions and Inverse FunctionsProbability and Statistics Year Three–Algebra 2 or Precalculus Students who completed Algebra 2 in their tenth-grade year will continue with Precalculus which includes topics in Trigonometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2.Major Topics Included in Precalculus: Functions and Graphing FunctionsRational and Polynomial FunctionsExponential and Logarithmic FunctionsBasic TrigonometryAnalytic TrigonometryVectorsLimits Year Four–Precalculus or Calculus Students who completed Precalculus in their eleventh-grade year will continue with Calculus. Otherwise, they will enroll in Precalculus.Major Topics Included in Calculus: LimitsDifferentiationIntegrationLogarithmic, Exponential, and Other Transcendental FunctionsDifferential EquationsIntegration Techniques AP Calculus is the standard replacement for Calculus. This is the equivalent of a first-year college introductory calculus course. Math Electives Typically students take their math elective in their senior year. Following are a sampling of typical math electives offered in high schools. AP Statistics: this is the study of collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data.