Which is easier? College Algebra or Statistics?

Question

I've taken both classes and maintained an A average in high school Algebra, and A/B+ in AP Statistics.

Although I made good grades, I HATE MATH (lol), so which would be more beneficial for me to take in college?

Thanks for answers. :D

Answer 1

Statistics is more useful as it can be applied to almost any major. Personally, I think it's easier than College Algebra.



Algebra in college has nothing to do with high school algebra. In the science department, algebra is all about proofs, matrices, vectors, dimensions, etc.



Statistics, which you might already know from AP, is all about distributions, estimators, proving hypothesis, and minimal proofs based upon expectations and variances. I find stats easier and a lot more applicable.



Just a heads up, proofs are always the bane of every math/stats student in college. Stats has a lot less, so stats>algebra.

Answer 2

I almost gave you the wrong answer. Back when I was in undergrad, a Algebra course in College would probably have been about Group Theory, Ring Theory etc (which wouldn't really tend to apply to Statistics), or maybe some Linear Algebra. I was surprised to find out what that phase means, now, when I did a Google search under the term. It is what was covered in high school algebra, back when I was a high school student. Even Introductory Statistics, on the other hand, has Calculus as one of its prerequisites, or should. Unless the Statistics course has been seriously watered down, do not, please do not take it until you've learned the basic techniques of Algebra. How are you going to learn and understand the material when you can't even follow the proofs in the book?

Answer 3

I was never very interested in math until I took statistics. It is easier to see how the math is applied in real life. If you get a good calculator with statistical functions, that helps, too. Before class starts, work your way through the calculator's instruction book and you'll have a head start.

Answer 4

Statistics. If you ever get into any sort of experimental research, you have to use statistics to prove/disprove your theories.



I'm a computer programmer, and I've never run into a problem where I had to know algebra....

Answer 5

I would say Algebra is easier, but Stat is probably more useful

Answer 6

algebra