Frequently Asked Questions

Advanced Algebra & Trig is a course that comes in between algebra 2 and pre-calculus. It is not the same as pre-calculus but does cover some of the same material while also strengthening and building upon material learned in algebra 2. It can be used as a prep course for pre-calculus, college algebra, SAT/ACT skills, or just to keep the algebra skills sharp through a student’s junior or senior year (as opposed to taking a consumer math course, where a student would easily forget algebra concepts during that year). It is recognized as a full high school math credit in all states. Sometimes this kind of class can be called “Algebra 3” or just “Trigonometry,” but primarily it is called “Advanced Algebra & Trig.” It is not a course that can be substituted for pre-calculus. If a student is planning on taking calculus at some point, they will need to take pre-calculus before it. Advanced Algebra & Trig is a great prep course for pre-calculus, however.

When a student finishes algebra 2, they have many options for an additional math credit, depending on the student’s goals, interests, and math strengths. Students can take a consumer math class, advanced algebra & trig, pre-calculus, or college algebra (dual enrollment). The Advanced Algebra & Trig course is designed for students who…

• Are planning on taking pre-calculus and perhaps calculus, but still need another year to strengthen math skills
• Are planning on going to college, but not majoring in a math-related field and plan on just taking college algebra or college statistics to fulfill college requirements
• Are not sure what they are doing upon graduation (maybe college, maybe not), but would like to keep the algebra skills sharp and would like to avoid forgetting their math skills
• Are planning on taking the SAT/ACT after finishing algebra 2 and would like to keep the skills sharp and improve upon them in order to increase test scores

Our system automatically starts access to the videos when a course is purchased. So, to give families more flexibility, we have added in three and a half extra months to cover those who want to start later, need to pause school during the year for whatever reason, or experience any of the other "life stuff" that can happen sometimes. For example, a May purchase will have access until September of the following year.

Yes. All of the teaching is done through videos, the assignments are designed to be done individually by the student, and the Solutions Manual is user-friendly and complete with a video solution library where the instructor works and explains every homework problem (in case a student can’t figure out how to work a specific problem).

That being said, Denison Algebra courses are ideally designed to have some level of oversight by a parent, tutor, etc., in the form of keeping the student on pace, recording grades, and administering and grading chapter tests. This helps keep you, the parent, involved if you desire, but the heavy lifting of teaching and guiding the student through their math development is done through the videos and notes. If your student is particularly diligent and self-motivated, he or she can complete the course independently with no oversight. 

Yes! Our standard courses are full, standard, high school level courses intended to provide the student with all the skills needed to move on to their next level of study, whether it is geometry, algebra 2, trigonometry, pre-calculus, statistics, consumer math, or even college algebra.  Not only are math concepts taught, but also specific math learning techniques and habits that will help students to be successful in all math classes going forward. Our courses are not just designed to help a “non-mathy” student finish high school math requirements strong and graduate, but also to give students the skills and confidence they need to go on to the next level of study if they so choose.

Yes! Our standard courses are full, standard, high school level courses, presented and taught in a brain-friendly way for the “non-mathy” student, math-resistant student, or the student who just isn’t a huge fan of math. While the ACT is a little more math-heavy than the SAT, both tests cover concepts from math up to and including algebra 2 (but not beyond). Students who take Denison Algebra courses up through Algebra 2 will have learned all the topics needed for these tests, but it is always encouraged to have students do some extra prep to get used to the language and style of questions found on the SAT and ACT exams.

Students will open their consumable textbook to that day’s lesson. They will watch a short, clearly taught instructional video that has the exact notes on screen that the students have in their textbook. They can add additional notes, work example problems with the instructor, and then work a couple of problems at the end of the lesson to see if they understand the concept taught.

They will then complete the accompanying practice assignment (all assignments are less than 30 problems and are designed to strengthen skills, build confidence, and reduce math anxiety). Students or parents will then check the assignment with an easy-to-use Solutions Manual and correct any mistakes (this is where the best learning takes place). If needed, each assignment also has a solution video showing each problem worked and explained by the instructor.

No. While it sounds good to say “It’s all online! You don’t have to keep up with any books and everything is automatically graded!”, we have found the entirely online format to be less-than-ideal for most students, particularly ones who are struggling.

Having a physical book in their hands makes learning math much easier. Students are able to easily look back at their notes and assignments, which is essential in the learning process. When everything is online, including the assignments and problem answers, students’ work tends to be unorganized making it difficult for them to go back and review what they’ve learned. It is also very challenging to type math answers into a computer.

When students have to enter all of their answers online, they have to learn the technique for doing that in whatever software is being used, and this adds an unnecessary and often frustrating cognitive load on students. So, while there are some benefits for certain students to having everything online, we have found this to be difficult for students who are struggling with math.

Denison Algebra offers a discount for families with siblings taking the same course at the same time. Please contact [email protected] to receive a 40% discount off additional copies of a Denison Algebra course.