Math Coming soon
Algebra 2 Path
A diagnostic that will find where each student’s understanding of functions, polynomials and exponentials breaks down, and build the path to precalculus.
The problem
Where Algebra 2 breaks down
Algebra 2 asks students to use everything from Algebra 1 at once. Trouble with exponential functions can start with exponent rules; trouble with polynomials can start with factoring.
- A low unit score hides which earlier skill is missing.
- Gaps left in Algebra 2 follow students into precalculus and beyond.
- Whole-class review rarely matches what each student needs.
Inside the Path
What the Algebra 2 Path covers
The Algebra 2 Path will cover the Common Core high school standards that extend Algebra 1: polynomial and rational expressions and functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, radicals and complex numbers, and building and transforming functions, with modeling throughout.
Where students get stuck
Students often stumble when they apply exponent rules to sums, as if the square of a sum were the sum of the squares, when they treat a logarithm as multiplication rather than an exponent, or when they lose track of how a transformation moves a graph. These gaps usually connect back to factoring, exponent rules and function notation from Algebra 1.
What it does for you
What this Path will do
For teachers
Will tag each wrong answer to the misconception behind it, and students will practice from their own gap.
More for teachersFor school leaders
Will give students in Algebra 2 a skill path that starts at each student’s own gap.
More for school leadersFor districts
Will keep one diagnostic method from Algebra Readiness through Algebra 2.
More for districtsHow it works
How the Path will work
Diagnose
An adaptive diagnostic will move through the Algebra 2 standards, asking only the questions that tell it something new.
Trace
Answers will be traced back through Algebra 1 and earlier skills to the point where understanding stops.
Rebuild
Students will get a skill path that starts at their gap and builds forward.
Standards
Will be built on published standards
Common Core high school math standards
The Algebra 2 Path will be built on the Common Core high school math standards.
The science
The method behind every Path
Item Response Theory
Each student’s ability is estimated from their answers, and each next question is the one expected to tell the most.
Prerequisite maps
Standards are mapped as a graph of which skills build on which, so a gap can be traced to where it starts.
Misconception tagging
Wrong answer choices are written to reveal specific misconceptions, from a controlled catalog.
Research
The research behind this Path
These published studies are about how students learn, not about SubjectPath itself.
Siegler and colleagues found that elementary students’ knowledge of fractions and division predicted their algebra knowledge and overall math achievement in high school, even after accounting for other math knowledge, general ability and family background.
Siegler et al. (2012)Booth and Newton found evidence that middle school students’ understanding of fraction size was related to their readiness for algebra, more so than their understanding of whole-number size.
Booth & Newton (2012)
Help shape the Algebra 2 Path
Tell us about your courses and students, and which of your classes the Algebra 2 Path would serve. We’d like to hear what it should do first.
Tell us you’re interestedFrequently asked questions
- Who will it be for?
- Students taking Algebra 2, and students preparing for it.
- When will it be available?
- We don’t publish dates. Tell us about your timeline and we’ll talk it through.
- Can we help shape it?
- Yes. Tell us about your courses and students. We’d like to hear what you need from it.
Talk to us about the Algebra 2 Path
See Algebra Readiness in a demo today, and tell us what you need from this Path.