Why does PLTW have a math requirement for students enrolled in its program?

By taking the highest level of college preparatory mathematics they are capable of successfully handling in all four years of high school, students will develop a solid background in math skills and concepts, will be prepared to take each level of the PLTW program, be prepared to succeed in the entry level mathematics course in college, avoid regression between high school and college by taking math each year of high school, and will have a solid background for engineering/technology.

The first year math course taught at a two-year college for a student enrolled in an AAS degree program in engineering technology is equal to high school pre-calculus. At a four-year engineering college, the typical first year math course is calculus. Therefore, if a student is not academically ready to take these courses, he/she will have difficulty at the two-year or the four-year college level.

PLTW provides the following samples of college preparatory mathematics sequences for students enrolled in the PLTW program. Schools may have other appropriate examples.

In a few states, an integrated math curriculum is utilized. Instead of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 with Trigonometry, students in these states would take Integrated Math Course 1, Integrated Math Course 2, Integrated Math Course 3.  

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