Grade 12 Mathematics Curriculum Summary (U.S.)

Course Path	Target Students	Purpose
Precalculus	College-bound, STEM-track students	Prepares for Calculus in college or AP Calculus in high school
Statistics	Students interested in social sciences, business, or medicine	Builds data interpretation and probability reasoning skills
AP Courses	High-achieving students (e.g., AP Calculus AB, BC, AP Stats)	College credit, deeper analytical reasoning
Math for College Readiness / Consumer Math	Non-STEM students needing graduation math credit	Prepares for life math skills or placement tests

We’ll focus primarily on Precalculus, the most common senior-year math course for STEM-aligned students.

Domain	Topics Covered
Functions & Graphs	– Behavior of functions (increasing, decreasing, domain, range)

Even/odd functions
Polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and piecewise functions |
| Trigonometry | – Unit circle and radian measure
Graph sine, cosine, tangent functions
Trigonometric identities, laws of sines and cosines
Inverse trig functions |
| Complex Numbers | – Operations with complex numbers
Polar and rectangular forms
De Moivre’s Theorem (in advanced sections) |
| Vectors & Parametric Equations | – Vector operations
Modeling motion with parametric equations (optional but common in honors courses) |
| Matrices | – Matrix operations
Solving systems using matrices (including inverse matrices) |
| Conic Sections | – Ellipses, parabolas, hyperbolas
Graphing and solving conic equations |
| Limits & Intro to Calculus | – Concept of a limit (informal)
Rate of change
Area under curve (very basic integral intro, if offered) |

Publisher	Curriculum	Features
Big Ideas Math – Precalculus	Combines function, trig, and real-world modeling
Precalculus with Limits (Larson)	Widely used in U.S. high schools and colleges; rigorous, comprehensive
CPM Precalculus	Group discovery-based, exploratory approach
Illustrative Mathematics (Grade 12 units)	Function transformations, statistics modeling, and advanced algebra concepts
OpenStax Precalculus	Free, college-level, open-source textbook
Khan Academy / Desmos / GeoGebra	Powerful tools for graphing and exploring trigonometry and conics visually

Type	Description
Formative Assessments	Problem-solving tasks, practice sets, quizzes (weekly or bi-weekly)
Summative Unit Tests	Focus on functions, trig, conics, matrices, and advanced modeling
Final Exam	Often cumulative and may serve as preparation for college placement exams or AP exams
College Placement Readiness	SAT Math, ACT Math, or TSIA2 (Texas), Accuplacer, etc., may be emphasized in final grading or preparation

Tool	Purpose
Graphing Calculators (TI-84, TI-Nspire)	Graph, analyze, and solve functions including trig, exponential, and rational
Desmos / GeoGebra	Visualize transformations, conics, trigonometry, and parametrics
Unit Circle & Trig Tables	Learn radian values, reference angles, and trig identities
Matrices with Calculators	Solve systems, model networks, encode messages (encryption basics)
Digital Tools	Khan Academy, CK-12, DeltaMath, Mathspace, IXL, and EdReady

State	Notes
California	Precalculus is a recommended 4th-year math; SBAC testing ends in Grade 11; Precalc not state-tested
Texas	Offers Precalculus or Math Models in Grade 12; TSIA2 used for college placement
Florida	Uses Math for College Algebra or Precalculus Honors for advanced seniors
New York	Precalculus or AP Calculus often offered after Algebra II; Regents testing ends at Algebra II
Illinois	Grade 12 offerings vary: Consumer Math, College Algebra, Stats, or Precalculus

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