Math and Chemistry Connections

The connection between mathematics skills and chemistry course success was examined by analyzing data from Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) software initial assessment for CHEM 1250, General Chemistry I, and final course grades from fall of 2009 and 2011. These years were chosen to evaluate the effect of a mathematics prerequisite of MATH 1220, College Algebra II. In 2011, after the prerequisite was in place, students had mastered significantly more of the mathematics topics on the initial ALEKS assessment, but there was not a significant change in final course grade