- Mathematics
Prerequisites: Departmental recommendation, diagnostic, and a student interview
This course is designed for ninth-grade students who intend to complete AP Calculus BC as juniors. This is a rigorous and accelerated course in which the material from a traditional Algebra II course and select precalculus topics are covered in greater depth and sophistication. Students begin the year studying arithmetic and geometric sequences and recursive systems. They then use linear functions to model approximately linear datasets and use technology to learn about linear regression and linear programming. Quadratic, polynomial, root, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions are covered from both algebraic and modeling perspectives. This course includes a rigorous development of mechanics and solution techniques, along with a greater focus on theory and analysis. Advanced Algebra students should enjoy doing mathematics and showing creativity in problem-solving. They should be comfortable reasoning abstractly and wrestling with challenging problems. Successful completion of Advanced Algebra prepares students for Advanced Precalculus the following year.