I’m trying to decide which math course I should take for 12th grade. By 12th grade, I would’ve completed AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC. I’m trying to choose the easier math course for 12th grade as I will already have 5 other AP courses (AP English 12, AP Govt & Politics, AP Comp. Science Principles, AP Spanish 5). Between AP Statistics and Discrete Math, which would be easier? I’ve head that AP Stat. is pretty easy but I wasn’t sure, since it’s an AP course.
AP Statistics is most likely going to be easier than Discrete Math, since it is targeted towards students who do not want to take calculus after completing Algebra, whereas Discrete Math (I’m pretty sure) is aimed for students who have completed advanced Calculus classes successfully.
I think Stats is pretty easy but I think most would say that you shouldn’t break up your higher level math momentum if your college major is one that will need higher level math.
My d19 is a math type of kid and is taking AP stats this year (as a 10th grader) as an elective accompanying PreCalc. So far she is finding the class enjoyable and easy. I would not have advised her to substitute it for Calc of any type though since she is interested in potential math heavy college majors. This is just for fun for her.
According to what I know, I personally would recommend the class which relates most to your major. For example, if you wanted to major in a language, film, arts, social studies, or something related to those majors, I would recommend AP Statistics. I also would recommend AP Statistics if you like Statistics. I like it a lot, so I am going to be a little biased, but my answer could be invalid because I do not know what you learn in Discrete Math. I would recommend Discrete Math, however, if you are more interested in the topics covered in Discrete Math. If there is something in Discrete Math that will benefit you more in your major than AP Statistics, I would also recommend Discrete Math for sure.
Discrete Math is useful for CS majors and can be taught on various levels. Colleges may also call it Discrete Structures or something else, and it may be in either the Math or CS department. Topics may include “propositional predicate logic, set theory, functions and relations, counting, mathematical induction and recursion” (that’s from a college course description). I have seen it offered with prerequisites of Alg II (as the high school course linked above) or more usually Calc AB or Linear Algebra.
I you already do some programming, Discrete Math will likely be easy for you. If not, AP Stats is probably easier. I’ve heard that AP Stats taught over a full year (some schools do it in one semester) is so easy as to be painfully boring. Of course, that all depends on the school and the teacher, of course.
