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Developmental Mathematics I (Pre-Algebra)

MAT0018C — MAT0018C
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0 credit hours 60 contact hours Prerequisites: Appropriate placement (PERT, SAT, ACT, or institutional placement test). Specific placement requirements vary by institution. Students with strong high-school mathematics backgrounds typically place beyond MAT0018C. v@Model.Guide.Version

Course Description

MAT0018C – Developmental Mathematics I is a developmental (below-college-level) mathematics course covering pre-algebra and the foundations needed for elementary algebra. Topics typically include arithmetic operations with whole numbers, integers, fractions, and decimals; ratio and proportion; percent; introductory geometry (measurement, perimeter, area, volume); introductory statistics (mean, median, mode, basic graph reading); and an introduction to algebraic concepts (variables, simple expressions, simple equations). The course prepares students for MAT0028C (Developmental Mathematics II / Elementary Algebra) or, where institutional pathway allows, directly for college-level mathematics.

The course sits within the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) under Mathematics > Developmental Mathematics and is offered at approximately 17 Florida public institutions. The 0xxx SCNS prefix indicates the course is below college level — credits do not count toward Associate or Bachelor's degrees in Florida public institutions, though courses may be assigned institutional credit (typically 4 institutional hours, used for tuition calculation, financial-aid full-time-status determination, and similar institutional purposes).

Important context: Under Florida Senate Bill 1720 (2013), students who entered Florida public high schools in 2003 or later and earned a standard Florida high-school diploma, or who served in active duty in the U.S. armed forces, are exempt from required developmental coursework in Florida public colleges. They may take MAT0018C voluntarily as preparation, or proceed directly to college-level mathematics (with appropriate placement) or to MAT0028C. Students placed into MAT0018C through institutional placement testing typically have substantial gaps in arithmetic and pre-algebra foundations that benefit from focused review. Students should consult an academic advisor about the most appropriate course given their math background, degree plan, and placement results.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of MAT0018C, students will be able to:

Optional Outcomes

Major Topics

Required Topics

Optional Topics

Resources & Tools

Career Pathways

MAT0018C is a developmental course preparing students for further mathematics. It does not directly prepare students for specific careers, but it opens doors by enabling progression through the mathematics sequence. Specific Florida pathways include:

Special Information

Florida Senate Bill 1720 and Developmental Math

Under Florida Senate Bill 1720 (2013), students entering Florida public high schools in 2003 or later who earned a standard Florida high-school diploma, or who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, are exempt from required developmental coursework at Florida College System institutions. These exempt students may:

Students placed into MAT0018C through institutional placement testing typically have substantial gaps in arithmetic and pre-algebra foundations. The honest assessment for most such students is that the foundational review provided by MAT0018C is genuinely useful — students who skip foundational review often struggle in subsequent mathematics. Students should consult an academic advisor about the most appropriate course given their math background, degree plan, and placement results.

Articulation and Transfer

MAT0018C does not transfer as college credit within the Florida public-college system, as the course is below college level. Some institutions assign 4 institutional credits for tuition calculation, financial-aid full-time-status determination, and similar purposes, but these credits do not count toward AA, AS, or BS degrees. Some institutions assign 0 institutional credits.

Prerequisites and Placement

MAT0018C is typically the entry-level mathematics course at Florida community colleges. Placement is typically determined by:

Students placing into MAT0018C typically had limited or interrupted high-school mathematics experience, or have been away from formal mathematics study for an extended period. Specific placement requirements vary by institution and may have changed in recent years; students should consult their institution's most current placement policies.

Course Format and Workload

MAT0018C is typically a 4-institutional-credit-hour course meeting 4–5 hours per week for 15 weeks (totaling approximately 60 contact hours; some institutions use 75-hour structures with longer weekly meetings). Many institutions offer the course in compressed (8-week), accelerated, mastery-based (ALEKS or Hawkes-driven), and traditional (16-week) formats. Expect: weekly textbook reading and homework practice; weekly online practice (where adopted); 4–6 unit exams; a comprehensive final exam. Out-of-class workload typically runs 6–10 hours per week — mathematics fluency requires substantial repeated practice.

Mastery and Self-Paced Formats

Many Florida institutions have moved toward mastery-based delivery of MAT0018C using ALEKS or Hawkes Learning. In these formats, students progress at their own pace through topics, demonstrating mastery before advancing. Mastery-based formats typically require the same total effort but distribute it differently across the term.

Approach to Math Anxiety and Study Skills

Students placed into MAT0018C frequently bring math anxiety from earlier mathematics experiences. The single most important factor in success is regular, consistent practice with productive use of support resources. Students who attempt to learn mathematics primarily through cramming before exams typically struggle. Students who attend tutoring, ask questions in class, complete homework on schedule, and seek help when stuck typically succeed. Florida community-college mathematics learning centers are specifically designed to support developmental-math students; using them is a sign of seriousness, not of weakness. Many successful Florida college students started in MAT0018C and progressed through the full mathematics sequence.

Course Code Variations

Florida institutions consistently use MAT0018C for this course; the title is typically "Pre-Algebra," "Basic Mathematics," "Developmental Mathematics I," or similar. The course is consistently below college level (0xxx SCNS prefix). Some institutions offer the lecture-only variant MAT0018 (without the "C" laboratory designation) — the laboratory component typically refers to a required computer-based learning component (often ALEKS-driven) rather than a science-style wet lab.

Generated May 6, 2026 · Updated May 6, 2026