Springboard Algebra 1 Answers (2024)

FAQs

How many students fail algebra 1? ›

Among the students who took Algebra I in ninth grade and were included in the analysis of math course progression, 82% passed both semesters in their ninth grade year and 18% did not.

Study Hard

Complete all of your assigned homework. You can also consider working on the extra practice problems in your textbook. The more algebra problems you solve, the better prepared you'll be for your exams. Give yourself enough time to work on homework and to prepare for exams.

Study Effectively

Make sure you're completing your assigned readings and all the practice problems your instructor gives you. It's a good idea to work on some of the unassigned problems in your book, as well, especially if you're having trouble understanding a particular type of problem and to get more practice.

Algebra I is the single most failed course in American high schools. Thirty-three percent of students in California, for example, took Algebra I at least twice during their high school careers. And students of color or those experiencing poverty are overrepresented in this group.

Algebra is overwhelming for many students because it's the first math class they take where they must wrestle with variables, abstract concepts, and creative problem solving. And there's often not enough done in the classroom to connect Algebra to their everyday lives and explain why it's worth understanding.

Calculus is the hardest mathematics subject and only a small percentage of students reach Calculus in high school or anywhere else. Linear algebra is a part of abstract algebra in vector space. However, it is more concrete with matrices, hence less abstract and easier to understand.

So if you want to look at these three courses in order of difficulty, it would be algebra 1, geometry, then algebra 2. Geometry does not use any math more complicated than the concepts learned in algebra 1.

Historically speaking, Algebra 1 has been reserved for ninth or tenth grade, and research indicates the majority of students still wait until high school for this course. About a quarter of the nation's eighth graders took Algebra 1 in the 2015-2016 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

College Algebra is not difficult if you've taken Pre-Algebra and Algebra in the past and done well. However, if you haven't done well, or it's a been a while since you've taken Pre-Algebra and Algebra, College Algebra will be difficult.

Do colleges look at algebra 1? ›

Colleges certainly recognize Algebra 1 as a high school-level course, even when completed in middle school. In fact, advancing through Algebra 1 before high school is a great stepping stone and it shows that you're ready for higher-level math courses.

In California, where standards call for Algebra I in grade 8, a 2011 EdSource report shows that nearly one-third of those who took the course—or 80,000 students—scored “below basic” or “far below basic.” In districts across the country, failure rates for Algebra I vary but run as high as 40 or 50 percent... cf.

Nationally, only around 50% of students pass college algebra, with even fewer students who are Black, Latinx, and Native. Serving as a gatekeeper course for students seeking a degree in STEM, algebra can serve as a barrier for some BIPOC students.

Realizing that the average CS1 failure rate has decreased from 33% in 2006/07 to 28% in 2018, and that the average US failure rate in college algebra is 42–50%, we conclude that the CS1 failure rate is not alarmingly high.

Skipping Algebra 2 is generally not recommended because the concepts you learn in Algebra 2 serve as the foundation for many other math courses, like pre-calculus and calculus, as well as some science courses.

The concepts and skills taught in Algebra 1 – solving for different variables, graphing functions, etc. – can be fairly complex at first. Before taking Algebra 1, there are several prerequisite skills students should have experience with to ensure success.

However, for many students, Algebra 1 will be quite a difficult challenge. In Algebra 1, there are dozens of quickly-moving topics and skills that build on each other as the curriculum progresses. Having strong arithmetic skills is an incredibly important prerequisite for gaining confidence in an Algebra 1 course.