Advanced Functions, Calculus, or Data Management? Picking Grade 12 math
The three Grade 12 university maths do different jobs, and they're not interchangeable. Which ones you need comes down to where you're applying. Here's the plain-English version.
Course selection brings a lot of guessing, so let me make it simple. Ontario has three Grade 12 university-level maths, and they each do a different job.
The three courses
- Advanced Functions (MHF4U). Polynomial, rational, exponential, log, and trig functions. This is the backbone course, and it's basically required before (or alongside) Calculus.
- Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U). Derivatives, optimization, and 3D vectors. Needed for most engineering, physical science, and math programs.
- Data Management (MDM4U). Probability, statistics, and a big culminating project. Great for business, social sciences, life sciences, and a lot of commerce programs.
Match them to where you're headed
Roughly:
- Engineering, physics, computer science, math: Advanced Functions and Calculus, almost always. Lots of programs list both.
- Life sciences and health: usually Advanced Functions, sometimes Calculus too, and Data Management is often welcome.
- Business and commerce: often Advanced Functions plus Data Management, and some competitive programs also want Calculus.
- Social sciences and arts: Data Management is often enough, but check each program.
The honest answer is to read the admission requirements for the actual programs you're looking at, on each university's own site. They vary more than people expect and they change year to year. If reading them makes your eyes glaze over, bring the list to a session and we'll map your courses to your shortlist in about twenty minutes.
One scheduling note. Because Advanced Functions sits underneath Calculus, taking it first (or at the same time) makes Calculus way less painful. The students who try Calculus cold usually don't struggle with calculus itself, they struggle with the function algebra underneath it.