Math Sequence Chart (2024)

This simple chart demonstrates when your math sequence can generate college credit alongside high school credit.

Typical Math Progression

  1. Arithmetic (grades k-8)
  2. Pre Algebra (grades 6-9)
  3. Algebra 1 (grades 8-10)
  4. Geometry (grades 9-10)*
  5. Algebra 2 (grades 10-12)
  6. Trigonometry / Pre-Calculus (grades 10-12)
  7. Calculus (grades 10-12)

*geometry may fit between Algebra 1 and 2, after Algebra 2, inside the Algebra course, or omitted entirely. Each math curriculum publisher handles this subject slightly differently.

Duplication of Time & Effort

We often think of college classes as significantly harder or more advanced than high school classes, but in the math sequence, once your teen hits a certain level, they are already doing the same math that they’ll do in college. Since high school math is never worth college credit, teens often have to retake a subject they’ve already learned. This duplicates their time, effort, and money! If you want streamline the process, you can use college level math in high school when they hit that point in the typical math sequence.

Math Sequence Chart (1)

More About Each Path

Non-STEM 4-year degree: Students earning a 4-year degree in a major that is not Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM), often do not have math requirements. Most non-STEM majors don’t have math requirements. The “general education” requirement will have some type of math, but you can shop around for low math colleges if desired. The college’s “general education” requirement will be the minimum for everyone in every major, so non-STEM majors could still have a high general education math if you attend a “mathy” college. Always look at a target college’s “general education” requirements. Since most colleges will only require 1 general education math class, you can find your target college’s math requirement on the chart above and see how much math is required to get there. The number usually indicates level of difficulty. For instance, MATH105 should be easier than MATH121, but this is more of a guideline than a rule.

STEM 4-year degree: Students earning a 4-year degree in a STEM major (or business) will have math requirements beyond the “general education” core and many will serve as prerequisites for other classes. (example: Calculus 1 credit may be a prerequisite to registering for General Physics) Occasionally, a STEM major’s math “starts” at Calculus 1, so lower maths like Precalculus, it may not “count” towards their degree, but this is low hanging fruit. Always grab the low hanging fruit! I’ve met hundreds of people that changed majors or changed colleges, so it’s never a bad idea to have extra math credit “in the bank.”

Other: If your student is looking at a short-term training, 2 year degree, license, apprenticeship, vocational program, or something other than a 4-year degree, their math requirements may look very different from the chart above! Many occupations require specialized math. When you notice a different suggested course of study, you’ll want to pay attention to suggested sequence. A student preparing to be a welder or pipefitter needs solid geometry skills. The more you know about their target occupation, the better prepared you’ll be at guiding them. In another scenario, a teen who attends cosmetology school may not have a math requirement at all, but bookkeeping and business math are excellent math choices for a student who might one day open a salon of their own.

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Math Sequence Chart (2024)

FAQs

What is an example of a math sequence? ›

Sequences are ordered lists of numbers (called "terms"), like 2,5,8. Some sequences follow a specific pattern that can be used to extend them indefinitely. For example, 2,5,8 follows the pattern "add 3," and now we can continue the sequence. Sequences can have formulas that tell us how to find any term in the sequence.

What are the rules for the math sequence? ›

The order is PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right). Is there a trick we can use to remember the order of operations? Yes. You can use the phrase “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” to remember PEMDAS.

What order does math go in? ›

Math Sequence Chart
  • Arithmetic (grades k-8)
  • Pre Algebra (grades 6-9)
  • Algebra 1 (grades 8-10)
  • Geometry (grades 9-10)*
  • Algebra 2 (grades 10-12)
  • Trigonometry / Pre-Calculus (grades 10-12)
  • Calculus (grades 10-12)
Mar 11, 2022

What's the hardest math class? ›

The most difficult math courses I have encountered thus far have included advanced calculus, abstract algebra, and topology (and they will generally only continue to get more challenging each semester).

What are the 4 types of sequence in math? ›

What are Some of the Common Types of Sequences?
  • Arithmetic Sequences.
  • Geometric Sequences.
  • Harmonic Sequences.
  • Fibonacci Numbers.

What are 5 examples of sequences? ›

5 examples of sequences?
  • 1,2,3,4,5...... - Infinite Sequence.
  • 3,6,9,12,15.......30 -Finite Sequence.
  • 4,7,10.... - Arithmetic Sequence.
  • 1/1, 1/2, 1/3... - Harmonic Sequence.
  • 0,1,1,2,3,5,8......-Fibonacci Sequence.
Jun 7, 2016

What are the 4 basic rules of math? ›

The '4 rules' (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) are at the heart of calculation and problem solving. Over the years a range of teaching methods has been adopted by schools and it is sometimes the case that parents' experiences are not the same as those of their children.

How to write a formula for a sequence? ›

Arithmetic Sequence Formulas

nth term of arithmetic sequence (explicit formula) is, an = a + (n - 1) d. nth term of arithmetic sequence (implicit formula) is, an = an−1 a n − 1 + d. Here, an is the last term of the sequence.

Is calculus the hardest math? ›

Calculus is widely regarded as a very hard math class, and with good reason. The concepts take you far beyond the comfortable realms of algebra and geometry that you've explored in previous courses. Calculus asks you to think in ways that are more abstract, requiring more imagination.

Does order matter in math? ›

The (inadvertent) lie: According to the commutative property, the order of the addends (or factors) doesn't matter. The truth: According to the commutative property, you can add (or multiply) two addends (or factors) in any order and get the same total.

Is trigonometry harder than calculus? ›

In general, calculus is considered to be more difficult than trigonometry due to the complexity of the concepts. However, the difficulty level can also depend on your personal strengths, interests, and previous experience with math courses.

What is the easiest math class? ›

Basic Math and Consumer Math are typically considered the easiest math classes in high school because they focus on practical, real-world math skills.

Is calculus easier than algebra? ›

Which is generally considered more challenging, algebra or calculus? The perception of difficulty varies among individuals, but calculus is often considered more challenging due to its introduction of new concepts like limits, derivatives, and integrals, building upon the foundation laid by algebra.

Why is calculus so hard? ›

The Complexity of Calculus

It involves advanced concepts such as limits, derivatives, integrals, and differential equations. These concepts require a high level of mathematical understanding and can be difficult to comprehend without a solid foundation in algebra, trigonometry, and geometry.

What is a real example of sequence? ›

Stacking cups, chairs, bowls etc. (Stacking anything works, but the situations is different when one thing fits inside the other.) The idea is comparing the number of objects to the height of the object. Pyramid-like patterns, where objects are increasing or decreasing in a constant manner.

What is an example of a sequence order? ›

A sequence is a set of numbers in a particular order or a set of numbers that follow a pattern. The most basic sequential order example is that of counting numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and so on. The numbers follow an increasing pattern (1, 2, 3…). These numbers don't necessarily have to be continuous to be a sequence.

What are the two examples of sequence? ›

The three examples of sequence are the following:
  • Arithmetic Sequence/Progression which has a common difference (d). examples are: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, ... ...
  • Geometric Sequence/Progression which has a common ratio (r). Examples are: ...
  • Harmonic Sequence which is the reciprocal of the terms of the Arithmetic Sequence. Examples are:
Jun 9, 2018

What are examples of sequence and series in math? ›

What is the Difference Between Sequence and Series?
SequenceSeries
Example: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, . . . . n are said to be in a Sequence and 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 . . . . n is said to be in a series.A finite series can be represented as m1 + m2 + m3 + m4 + m5 + m6 + . . . . . + mn
6 more rows

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