Current Events > Which is easier, college algebra ir statistics?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Especially if you're not good ar math...

College algebra was easier for me. I think that's a pre req.

Probably statistics. Algebra is all math. Statistics is more concepts and still has plenty of math, but not overly difficult and Excel can do most of the functions.

I was great at Statistics... walked into the final with 99%, studied literally 90 seconds for the final, and walked out with an A+. Would have studied more for the final, but I had two of them the next day.

I just completed my statistics class in December and I'm currently in an algebra with modeling class. Hands down the statistics class was easier. You still had to do math but 75-80% was on statcrunch which straight up felt like cheating.

It seems to me a low level college algebra class (i.e. any class that would spend a substantial amount of time reviewing high school algebra) should be easier than a statistics class.

My reason for saying this is that such a college algebra class should be mostly plug and chug, while a statistics class is likely to deal with some basic concepts that aren't so easy to grasp.

Bump

really depends on what level statistics class you're in. i took a "intro to statistics" class aimed at math/compsci majors and it was considerably more complicated than the "intro to statistics" class my then gf took for her psych major.

The statistics class I took, I was able to just show up on the one day per week that work was assigned/collected. Could learn what I needed from the textbook easily enough, so after the first couple weeks I just stopped showing up the rest of the week and still passed easily. I was good at math, though (picked it as my major initially), and didn't find the concepts difficult to understand.

I guess it depends. The prerequisite for Statistics at my kids high school is Algebra 2.

Algebra. An intro statistics class involves some algebra, and in higher level statistics courses you'll be dealing with calculus and matrix algebra.

I took an intro stats course and I hated it. I think I got a 2.3. I did way better at algebra, precalculus and calculus.

I would say college algebra. If you're doing standard deviations the Z-scores by hand, it can be a mess. Just the rounding was hell. I remember my multiple choice final giving answers like "A: 1.41 B: 1.42..." etc.

Though, TC's account was made 2002? Presumably he's in his mid 30s, at least. Not sure why he's taking math classes?

If math is intuitive for you, statistics will be a guaranteed A.

Imo Stats is easier. I took one Stats class at a community college and two Stats classes at a full university and in every case it was a combination of learning concepts and interpreting results, and learning just how to use software to actually do the calculations.

Algebra felt like it required learning actual math, like a whole new language. But it still wasn't too hard.

And deupd_u - maybe going back to school? I'm in my mid 30s and started my degree a few years ago.

Algebra is the easiest possible math aside from basic math.

PraetorXyn posted...

Algebra is the easiest possible math aside from basic math.

...until the shit hits the fan in abstract algebra.

deupd_u posted...

I would say college algebra. If you're doing standard deviations the Z-scores by hand, it can be a mess. Just the rounding was hell. I remember my multiple choice final giving answers like "A: 1.41 B: 1.42..." etc.

Though, TC's account was made 2002? Presumably he's in his mid 30s, at least. Not sure why he's taking math classes?

I'm 50. Changing careers. I have to take it as a prerequisite for the program I want.

Cocytus posted...

I'm 50. Changing careers. I have to take it as a prerequisite for the program I want.

Your college should have course descriptions that describe topics covered in each class. The last thing we did in our stat class was hypothesis testing.

The only conceptual thing that bugged me a little was understanding Z and T scores, and P hat stuff.

EPR-radar posted...

...until the shit hits the fan in abstract algebra.

Yes but thats a high level proofs course that only Math majors will take. Even then, I found it a breeze compared to Analysis / Advanced Calculus (whatever your university calls the course where they spend a semester teaching you how to prove the basic Calculus shit you learned years ago like limits and derivatives works with epsilon / delta proofs).

I didn't like statistics. I'd rather just do algebra and no talking about what the data means

Algebra is not especially hard, but stat is so easy that easy majors like business and sociology can handle it.