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I teach a programming class and one of the 'easy' things I ask about is- "Have you taken algebra?"

All but 1 person had taken algebra, and with that I start into variables and functions.

So yes, people learn competent math skills in high school.

Knowing what functions and variables are is below high school level, and I'd say it'd be comparative to knowing basic greetings in a foreign language. I doubt that many students who don't go on to study math after high school remember what's taught in courses at or past the Algebra 2 level.

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