Yes, but what US schools call "pre-algebra" is largely review of earlier material, with a few random concepts tacked on such as how to factor natural numbers.

Yes, but what US schools call "pre-algebra" is largely review of earlier material, with a few random concepts tacked on such as how to factor natural numbers. It's nothing like the comprehensive introduction to algebraic thinking that the reference above talks about, that, to reiterate, is extremely widespread outside the US (barring a few places where the negative influence of US- Ed School fads was especially strong - the reference talks about this, as well).