Mathematics Frequently Asked Questions

Get placement into the best Math course for you.

Students who are new to Edmonds College will need to take a Math placement test to determine where to start on the Math course pathways.  To schedule a placement test contact the Testing and Assessment Services department. If you recently took a math course at a Washington public high school, you may be able to get placement based on your transcipts. There are other ways to place such as AP test scores, SAT scores, other college courses and more! See this page for more information about alternative assessments. 

Decide on your goals and consult with the university you are wanting to transfer to.

Once you have determined your goals and consulted with your transfer university, we can help you get into the right classes. See this document with placement information for more information.  Here are some common pathways:

STEM-track: Math 141, 142, 151, 152, 153, 200 series

Note: Not all STEM majors need the full-sequence. Consult with your advisor.

BUSINESS-track: Math 140 or 141, Math 148, Math 146

Note #1: It is fine to take Math 146 prior to Math 148 but the recommended order is Math 148 and then Math 146.

Note #2: Students who are not business majors also may take the business-track courses. For instance, some healthcare programs just need a precalculus and a calculus course so students often opt for Math 140 and Math 148 instead of Math 141,142,151. This is only one example -- it is vital that you consult with your advisor and transfer university.

Note #3: Some universities require Math 140 and will not allow substitution of Math 141. Consult with your advisor and transfer university.

Note #4: Some top-tier universities and universities in other states require the STEM-track calculus for business majors. If that is the case, a student would need to take Math 141,142,151,152 and 153. Consult with your advisor and transfer university.

Liberal Arts track: Math 107 or Math 146 typically are taken to satisfy the math requirement. However, consult with your transfer university advisor to confirm.

This answer to this is really dependent on your goals and your placement. See above.

If you think you are in the wrong class, you should email the math department co-chairs at mathdepartment@edmonds.edu. We can help you determine what your options are. However, it's important that you do this early in the quarter and at the start of your math sequence. In general, once you have completed a math course, your options are reduced.

Each college has its own unique system for numbering courses. To see how Edmonds College courses match up with UW courses, check out the UW course equivalency guide. If you don't see your course listed or if you have trouble interpreting the tables, it's probably best to consult with an advisor.

Yes….you can take any combination of 200-level math classes (254, 271 and 272) at the same time. They all have the prerequisite of Math 153.

If you have misplaced or no longer have your original syllabus, you can search our Sample Syllabi. Most students can use a generic syllabus for the course when completing a transcript review in the transfer process and will not need a syllabus from the specific quarter and instructor of the class. If you need more assistance locating a syllabus, please contact the Math Department co-chairs at mathdepartment@edmonds.edu.

First, contact the instructor for the course. If you don’t hear back within 24 hours or if it is between quarters (faculty are not working between quarters) please contact the STEM department staff at stem@edmonds.edu.

No. We first encourage students to seek help from their instructor and to use the STEM Study Room or Learning Support Center. The Learning Support Center may have a list of tutors.

There are multiple ways to place into math courses. Some of the ways you get placement include the following: your high school transcript, SBAC score, SAT/ACT/PSAT score, score on Math Placement test, and more. The Testing and Assessment Center helps students determine their initial placement.

However, the first question you should ask yourself is: What is my goal? Sometimes the placement you get by going through the process in the Testing and Assessment Center doesn’t put you on the right pathway and you may need to take the Math Placement Test to get placement on the correct math course path. Also, sometimes by taking the Math Placement Test you can start at a higher level course than if you use another method of placement. See the answer to “Where do I start?” in the FAQ.

Maybe. It depends on your math placement. If you have placed lower than the prerequisite course you will need to meet the prerequisite. For instance if your placement is Math 87 and the prerequisite for Math 146 is a 2.5 or better in Math 87, you will need to take Math 87. However, if you place into Math 97 or Math 141 or higher, you can take Math 146 without taking the prerequisite class.

BUS 130 is included in a number of certificates but it doesn’t get you into the general math pathway. If you think you may want to continue studying beyond the certificate, you may want to take Math 47 (Math 41-44). If you do end up taking BUS 130 and end up wanting to continue, you will need to take the Math Placement test to determine where you can start in the math pathway.

There is not a direct path from BUS 130 into the math pathway. You will need to take the Math Placement test to determine which class to take.

Students registered in the Math Center classes (Math 41-44, 71-74, 81-84 and 93-94) work with their instructor to develop a plan and schedule of work for the quarter. Students may register for between 2-5 credits of one course in any quarter.  Also, credits may be added or dropped through the 7th week of the quarter. The instructor and the student aides are there to help you learn the material, but your pace and progress in the courses in the Math Center are determined by the pace at which you work. Students who want to move at a slower pace or faster pace should consider taking classes in the Math Center. The materials and assessments are very similar to what you have in the more traditional classes.

Students who want to be led through the material by an instructor and who intend to get through the full 5-CR course in one quarter should choose the instructor-led sections. These classes are numbered Math 47, 77, 87 and 97. The instructor sets a pace that makes sure you finish the course in one quarter. Many of the instructor-led sections include instructor lectures for part of the class and part of the class where students work together on problem solving. However, with remote instruction, there is more variation in how class time is used.

See the Academic Foundations page for more information regarding precollege instruction and policies.

You should register for the remaining credits in the Math Center. It is important to pay attention to the timeline. Math 41-44, Math 71-74, and Math 81-84 must be completed within one calendar year. Math 93/94 must be completed in two consecutive quarters. If you take a quarter off from math (with the exception of summer quarter) you will need to restart the sequence. (See the Academic Foundations Math page for more information)

While we do not have a separate planning sheet for a Mathematics Major, students can use the Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA DTA) sheet or they can use one of the AS planning sheets. Students are encouraged to complete the following mathematics courses before transferring to a university: Math 141-142-151-152-153-254-271 and 272. Students may also want to take Statistics (Math 146) before transferring. (See the Careers in Math page for more information)