<p>I want to take reg. physics but the prerequisite for my school is you need a C or better in Trig and i havent taken trig yet. If they let me take it, should i take it without taking trig yet? Will it be to difficult to take it?
Another thing… I took chem. and the prerequistite was Algebra II and i havent even taken it and i did just fine(got an A).</p>
<p>Yes, you would need trig to take physics. When you resolve forces, for example, you need to use cos, sin, etc.</p>
<p>Trig needed for Chemistry? The most math I remember doing was balancing equations.</p>
<p>Really all you need to know for regular physics is basic trigonometric functions (finding angles and the lengths of triangles using sine, cosine, and tangent and their inverses), which is stuff you probably learned in geometry.</p>
<p>You will probably not be needing to know any formulas nor will you be verifying or proving trig identities or solving trigonometric equations or whatever other advanced topics you learn about in trig.</p>
<p>Thanx, I finished geometry last year and we did a unit on trig. so i know all the basic trig.(cos, tan, sin).
If my school lets me take physics I ill be glad to know you pretty much only need to know the basics.</p>
<p>CSIHSIS, trig is needed for physics, not chemistry.</p>
<p>I meant Algebra II 
They are taken in the same year so everyone calls it trig.</p>
<p>You really need a solid foundation in basic trigonometry. That’s because physics studies the motion of matter. And since most motion is not as simple as one dimensional motion, you need to use trigonometry extensively to figure out the components of motion. Same principle with force and torque. </p>
<p>Geometry covers many of the trigonometric principles you need to know, but you really need to familiarize yourself with them. You shouldn’t get stuck on a problem because you don’t know whether to use cos or sin or that you don’t know how to use the law of cosines. Either take trig before you take physics or go through an intensive review book to review your trig skills. </p>
<p>Physics isn’t like chemistry. Chemistry doesn’t inherently require much math. When you get into more advanced chem topics like electrochemistry, you need some calculus to understand how some equations are derived, but that is not necessary to use them. With physics, it’s different. Isaac Newton invented calculus (if you don’t belong to the Leibniz school) to do his physics work. Physics and math go hand in hand.</p>
<p>I’ll have to ask around my school what the class is like I guess… But i know if through the whole year we have to use it… Then ill probably not be up for it. Im taking Algebra II 1st semester and Trig. 2nd sem. Both block</p>
<p>You’ll have to use trig through most of the course. For instance, force can be applied at an angle in which case you would have to find the component in the direction of motion. Torque, similarly, could be applied at an angle to the lever arm. You’ll have interesting cases of trigonometry for kinetics down or up an incline. Rotational motion is usually described using more than one dimension.</p>
<p>Sounds complicated. If i took it, would it be realistic to get a B+ at least?</p>
<p>Randiey3</p>
<p>CSIHSIS, yes, Alg. II for Chemistry, because Alg. II is where we teach logarithms. You need to know logs for pH problems.</p>
<p>SOHCAHTOA stuff, mainly. The only trig identity I ever had to use was sinx/cosx=tanx, and that was for a sort of trick problem out of the book.
Not the kind of trig you’d probably do in a trig class.</p>
<p>Will it be hard to learn concepts and new things with more than just the basics? Could i just learn the trig stuff as i go along? </p>
<p>Randiey3</p>
<p>^I believe that is a “triangle identity” which is distinct from a trigonometric identity. Trig identities are the Pythagorean identities, angle sum/difference identities, product-to-sum and sum-to-product identity, and Lagrange’s identities.</p>
<p>Eh, I just learned it as a trig identity. It has trigonometric functions and it’s an identity, don’t see why it isn’t a trig identity.</p>
<p>Most of it you can do with the very basic trigonometry. And if you have a graphing calculator, I say all of it.</p>
<p>Exceptions include using the law of sines/cosines for vectors but components is much easier. Another is launching a projectile from a certain spot and hitting a target at a certain height and distance away and you get the launch speed and you need to find the angle–double angle identity which is rather simple to know though.</p>
<p>Thanx</p>
<p>Randiey3</p>
<p>For an introductory physics course, you shouldn’t need much more trig than the definitions of sine, cosine, tangent. It helps to know a few basic identities, such as sin^2 x + cos^2 x = 1. Even in my AP Physics C class, the only trig identity I had to recall for a problem was sin(x+y) = sin x cos y + sin y cos x.</p>