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Information for Students, Families and Teachers Algebra 2/Math 3 or its equivalent is the highest-level math course required for graduation. The other three math credits must be high school level courses.

The level of difficulty increases with Algebra 2. It is a level above Algebra 1, and it is an advanced version of the concepts that students learned there. Students who have completed Algebra 1 are better prepared to tackle the more advanced concepts covered in Algebra 2.

Let's begin with the “why” question. Geometry is simpler than algebra 2. 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.

Some schools may offer Algebra I in either 9th/10th grade OR 11th/12th grade, but not both. Nonetheless, it is important that students have access to Algebra I sometime in their high school career.

Let's begin with the “why” question. Geometry is simpler than algebra 2. 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.

Students typically learn Algebra II in 11th grade. An Algebra II curriculum usually builds on knowledge and skills that are gained in Algebra I and reinforced in Geometry, including relationships between quantities through equations and inequalities, graphing of functions, and trigonometry.

In addition, Algebra 2 is the first math class in a student's math career that introduces topics that are more complex and less concrete, like complex numbers or logarithms, which makes Algebra 2 harder to grasp than other math classes whose concepts are more straight forward and easier to visualize.