Math Readiness

What do you need?

There are basically three reasons you need to take a Math course at SMSU:

• It's required for your major. Check the catalog for major(s) you are considering for required math courses.
• It's a prerequisite for a class you need. Some courses require Math 110 - College Algebra, or equivalent high school preparation.
• You need to satisfy Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) requirements.

Are you ready?

• Check the online catalog for course prerequisites.  If you're not sure of your preparation, you might want to ask the professor who teaches the course.
• All math courses assume you can do arithmetic, including an understanding of fractions.
• Most courses assume you have some basic background in algebra.

Getting ready...

Many students feel unprepared for mathematics at the college level.  For some, it was always a weak subject.  For others, it's been too many years since the last math class.  If you don't feel ready, do something about it!

The Math Help Center tutors are happy to help students who need some review of basic math.  To help the tutors help you, it's useful to get a general idea of where you need the most work.  We're good at working with your questions, but we can't always ask the questions for you.

Here are some available resources for self-evaluation and review:

• Khan Academy - This world-wide Internet service is available at no cost.  You sign up using your Facebook or Twitter account.  If you like, you can designate the Math Lab Coordinator or other students as a coach so that we can check your progress.  The Academy contains many, many short video lessons by founder Sal Khan, covering everything from basic arithmetic to advanced college courses.  There are also practice questions so that you can master the material.  A content map charts your progress.
• Here is a table of current Khan Academy math subjects, and SMSU courses for which they are recommended.
  
  (Yes = recommended, Maybe = suggested, Course = contains material covered in the course.)