Do I need a strong background in trig to learn calculus?
Trig and Cal are totally separate. Calculus is a new crazy math. You have to be able to understand equations and how to graph them for Calculus. I would suggest a strong background in Algebra 2 over Trig for Cal. Cal is very similar to basic physics, I would recommend taking both of these classes together and it will help you out. You can look over some books at the book store to get you started for Calculus, but it is usually confusing to start out on your own, unless you are really good at learning from books. I would recommend getting a tutor for about two hours to cover the basics of calculus and the theory behind it. If you feel comfortable with learning it then you shouldnt have an issue. But a tutor would be better help than a book unless you learn very well from them.
