Given that I just dropped an F-Bomb...

On my chemistry final,
would someone be so kind as to explain
to me the differences between the two branches
of mathematics known as Pre-Calculus and Calculus, respectively?

Pre-calc comes before Calculus, hence the name.  Seriously, it's just all the math stuff you need to be good at before you get to derivatives and integrals.  Algebra, rational expressions, number concepts (integers, irrationals, reals).

in pre-calc, we did trigonometry.
in calculus, we did calculus.

>>3

Why not just call it trigonometry then?

Because there's rational equations too.

Fart Bomb ?

wats it to do with chemistry.

>>6
>>7
He failed, you morons. Just like you have.

What >>2 said. It's basically the intro material that you need a grasp of before getting to the real stuff.

>>1
pre-calculus = useless
calculus = you won't suck dick for a living when you leave college

Is there any way to grasp Calculus without going through pre-calculus?  Like a freshman level pre-Calculus that explains the big picture first?

you really need to have a solid grasp on polynomials before you can attempt calculus, and should have at least have a reasonable understanding of trig.

as for the basics of calculus, I can sum the concept up in a few sentences:
you have a function.
you can find a function for it's slope by taking the derivitive
you can find the area under it by taking the integral
these can be streched and rearranged, and have a profound impact on science and engeneering
that's about as far as you can go conceptually without actually taking a class.  most of the difficulty is not actually the derivitive and integral part, it's applying special rules to get them in annoying cases.

hi, i suck at math, i get Ds and Cs in all my math classes. but along came calculus and now i have highest grade in calculus with 109%. OH SHI-!

>>8
still doesn't explain why you would wanna pick up calc when you failed chem.

because math is FUNdamental?

OP here--should I expect to fail Physics too?

>>16
Physics is hard, math easy.

>>17
Not really. Physics is rather intuitive if you teach it right.

most people who are good at calc are good at chem. most people who are good at chem however, aren't necessarily good at calc.
i suggest a weiner subject like human biol.

calculus is when you start using derivative and integrals.
The dictionary definition is: "The branch of mathematics that deals with limits and the differentiation and integration of functions of one or more variables."

The only thing you really need to know is how to solve systems of equations from pre-calc.  trig & other stuff are helpful but optional