What math is generally needed for a regular high school physics course?

OrangeD00D: What math is generally needed for a regular high school physics course?
At my school, you can take your science in any order you want, but all honours and AP courses require one year in that science.

I have to take Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. I am currently taking Biology, and I can take physics next year and then chemistry after that.

I was wondering what math courses are recommended for Physics? By next year, I’ll have taken Algebra I and Geometry.

Answers and Views:

Answer by hippie
physics and calculus go hand in hand. i honestly felt that physics was a lot easier when i understood calculus. ( going from regular physics to AP physics the following year )

but i got through physics (regular) quite easily. threes a lot of algebra.

Answer by Insomnia
High school physics are Algebra based. So you should have a good understanding of Algebra and some Geometry. I took physics in 12th grade after completing both algebras and geometry and there were no surprised thrown at me. In college they have Calculus based physics, which are much tougher. You’ll be alright if you pass Algebra 1 and Geometry by next year.

Good luck!

Answer by [W.G.BEATS]
hmmm i suggest u take algebra 2 while you take physics. its not that hard. but you dont really have to take anything else since your already up to geometry.

Answer by Donovan
That question is really best answered by your counselor or the physics teacher at your school, since they know the requirements of your particular course.

I can tell you that any physics course except a basic concepts-only course (which yours probably isn’t) will require you to be able to solve basic equations routinely. You may also need to solve some quadratics using the quadratic formula. Most physics courses will also require some right triangle trigonometry, which is usually taught in geometry, as well as some knowledge of exponential equations (for radioactive decay) and logarithms (for relative intensity level of sound). The physics course that I teach, for example, requires that students at the very least take Algebra II simultaneously, and we recommend that all but very strong math students complete Algebra II the year before. On the other hand, our course is not open to sophomores, so your school may have lesser math requirements if it is designed for younger students than ours is.