For only those science majors (bio, chem, etc.) grad, upper-level class, professors, teachers. ...?

Question

I need to do an interview of math related questions?
Hope you will participate! (appreciated if answered it throughly) Thanks in advance!

I am doing a interview of those who are grad students or teachers who's majored in science. I want to ask you all what pre-calculus has significantly influenced you till now: Plz answer the following questions:

- Why did you have to take pre-cal in the past?
- What is it useful for?
- What topics are the ones that I'll use again?
-Why do we have to take this class?
-How has math helped you w/ your work?
-What technique from pre-cal class helped you to understand a concept or result that doesn't make sense w/ out math?

plz take it seriously. thnks!

Answer 1

I'm a microbiologist.

I took it so I could take Calculus as a senior in highschool. I took one semester of calc in college.

I don't know what it's useful for other than you need to take it to get into Calculus. Is your pre-calc a trigonometry class? I don't really remember trig at all.

I don' t know what topics you'll use again. If you end up in physics or astronomy, you'll probably use all of them.

You have to take it so you can take calculus. You need to take calculus if you want to go into any type of science or engineering. I'm not sure what math is required for other fields.

I use math to help me graph data and figure out things like growth rates of bacteria, how to make up various concentrations of solutions, etc. I use derivatives to calculate enzymatic rates. I use scientific notation all the time because when you're dealing with bacterial cultures, you're dealing with a lot of cells.

No clue.

Answer 2

OK, up front- I am not now either a grad student or a teacher (as you state in the 2nd part of the question) but I was a Vet Med student (I ended up switching career plans half way through), which is what they call (or did at my Univ) a 'professional school' (you must fulfill certain undergrad requirements before you can apply to enter)- so, I'm going to answer your questions. You can ignore them if I don't qualify; use them if they help you.

1- pre-cal (Alg II in my school, I think) was required to take calc which was strongly recommended (if not a pre-req) for anyone applying to a science school (and an excellent reason to take calc in high school- what a nightmare subj to deal with for the first time in your frosh year of college. The whole 1st semester was review, which was wonderful.)
2-It gets you very used to thinking in a logical, mathematical way. You can deal with unknowns and find an answer. I needed this- the more I did it, the 'easier' it got...
3-If you continue in the direction you're headed, you will absolutely encounter this stuff again, at the very least, when you get to college. Again, the more you do it, the less stressful, more understandable it gets. (Without seeing a list of what you're actually studying, I can't say this one, this one and this one).
4-required for college
5-Because of my career change mid-way through vet school, I don't really use these things now... but I'm not sorry I took the classes. Had I finished Vet School, Vets need to be able to calculate dosages for meds based on body weight, metabolic rate, GI transit time, all kinds of fun things... you must be able to handle some basic equations for this.
6-I will refer to the above answer to answer the last question as well- there's no way dosages make sense without math (of course, you also have to understand a few other things).

Answer 3

1. It was a required class in high school
2. If I remember, pre-calc is simply trigonometry, which I found very useful all through college. I majored in geological engineering and I used trig all the time.
3. I mostly used the techniques of determining angles when you know the lengths of sides, or determining the length of the sides when you know the angles.
4. Trig is the basis for all other upper level math that you will take.
5. Working for an engineering firm, I use math every day. Its not always complicated math, but I work with numbers at some point everyday.
6. Hmm..not sure how to answer this one. But hey, 5/6 ain't bad.

Answer 4

Pre-Cal is needed in order to take Calculas

Calculas is needed in order to take Physics & Chemistry

It is useful in many of the calculations used in those 2 subjects.

You'll see calculas formulas in use when you take a physics class, a chemistry class, a statistics course.

I'm not a math crazed person, I actually try to stay away from it as farrr as possible. You should take precalc and calc and know the formulas & equations front and back, because it will help you in many ways.

Theres only one solid technique, do so many problems until they make your head spin. It will help in the long run, know what the problem your doing results in, etc..

Answer 5

they might could hire extra professors. you may no longer assume somebody to instruct his first-type at 9 AM and his final at 7 PM. evening labs are oftentimes performed by scholar TAs. Universities are specifically attracted to finished-time pupils. finished-time pupils additionally upload to the "community" which facilitates them entice extra pupils and additionally they have a tendency to outlive campus and faculties could save the dorms finished to stability their funds. you are going to could the two stumble on a activity that can help artwork nights or positioned off college for some years so which you will save up. Being a element-time scholar is maybe to harm you for med college purposes. you will no longer have as plenty time to get to understand professors so which you will no longer have the means to get sturdy advice letters. And except your modern-day activity is working as a clinical assistant, you will no longer have the means to get the clinical artwork/volunteer experience that many applicants have (and a few med faculties require) or learn experience.