Alternate Math Classes

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Geometry Teacher William Ryan up in front of the class teaching at Lakeland High School.

Melia Blackwell, Opinions Writer

Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Math Applications, Trigonometry/Pre Calculus, Calculus, Personal Financing, and more. There are so many math classes students take or are required to take.

In high school as a freshman at Lakeland, you should be taking Algebra 1 or Geometry, if you took Algebra 1 as an 8th grader. As a sophomore, you’ll be in Geometry or Algebra 2. Once you become a junior and senior your math options open up.

By open we mean students can take classes that could be easier such as math applications. Math applications is a class most juniors take because the first semester is all about reviewing algebra 1 and geometry concepts and the second semester applying those things to new equations or situations.

Some students have decided to take Math Applications because it is the best fit for the high school plan and future plans after high school.

Mr. Keating, the Math Application teacher, is one of the more commonly known teachers amongst the upperclassmen. As for the 2021-22 school year, there are around 24 students that take Math Applications during first period.

The Personal Financing class has a main purpose of helping an individual or even group of people budget, save and/or spend money appropriately. It also helps prepare for future financial risks and events. This is not an official math class but rather an elective class that deals with numbers preceded with a $ sign.

What do you benefit from by taking a math class that uses real-world situations and applying useful equations? Students have stated how it’s helped them understand their previous math classes better and it goes over a lot of what they already knew and explains what they didn’t in a more detailed manner.

With that, the things they are familiar with but hardly understand will be applied to realistic situations. Students have agreed that applied math is easier and more essential than your everyday Algebra class. Although math classes like Algebra 2, Trig, and Calculus are needed for most careers in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine.

Once you are a junior or senior, ktec and college classes from NIC or NNU become available depending on your GPA; your goal is to shoot for a 3.0 or better because it will give you a higher chance of getting the classes you want.

Your math teachers and school counselors will help you decide the best path for math to take every year when you plan for classes for the following year. Check with them if you ever have any questions about your math path in high school or any other class for that matter.