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Survey of Math book as PreAlgebra Alternative


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If you have a kid who is strong in elementary level math and has a lot of interest in the subject but for whatever reason you want to broaden the exposure instead of shoot straight through Algebra, have you done a survey of mathematics type course? Which book did you use? I am planning on easing them into formal Algebra this summer now that we have finally, finally selected a book--and made my summer schedule!--but the first several topics are not new to them so we will have time to do other things, plus I don't want to feed them a strict diet of Algebra for a year.

 

I'm looking for a book that has clear explanations written to the student, lots of examples, applications, problem sets, reviews. Chapter summaries are a bonus. So long as the book is written to the student, we shouldn't need a teachers manual or answer key, but if there is a students solution manual available, that will be nice. Personally I'm okay at math myself, I've just never taken a math class for non majors but I do have experience in the topics that are often covered (logic, number theory, algebra, calculus, business math etc) so I'm hopeful that I can figure it out alongside of the kids.

 

I would like to add in something to round out their exposure to mathematics at this point, especially since they are now saying that they might want to major in math, I'd like to give them a broader view of math and I think a Survey of Mathematics type book, might make a good starting point but I have no idea which ones to look at.

 

Just as a note: AOPS is out at this point It just won't be a good fit for the boys. But if there is a good college, highschool or even middle school level survey of math type book then I would love to find it.


 

 (Survey of Math = Liberal Arts Math = Math for Non Majors).

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Two things to consider:

 

Jacobs Mathematics: A Human Endeavor

Larson Math and You (available free online at http://www.math.andyou.com/)

 

I would prefer the Jacobs but you can mix and match units -- the Jacobs is more of a math appreciation class and the Larson is more of a quantitative literacy course.

 

I'd also consider it worthwhile to include statistical literacy in the form of How to Lie with Statistics.

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Two things to consider:

 

Jacobs Mathematics: A Human Endeavor

Why do I always forget about this book? I keep meaning to hunt down a copy...I had one that got lent out and never returned.

Do you recommend the student workbooks? Will 1 text book and 2 workbooks be okay, or should each boy have their own textbook?

 

Larson Math and You (available free online at http://www.math.andyou.com/)

Thanks for this, free fits our budget perfectly. I'll be taking a closer look at this over the next month or so.

I would prefer the Jacobs but you can mix and match units -- the Jacobs is more of a math appreciation class and the Larson is more of a quantitative literacy course.

Wow, I feel dumb to ask, but what is the difference between math appreciation and quantitative literacy?

If I had to guess, I'd say QL is more about competency at performing calculations and understanding the results of your calculations and how they apply to the situation, while math appreciation is about enjoying the beauty of math, is that it?

I'd also consider it worthwhile to include statistical literacy in the form of How to Lie with Statistics.

 

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Quantitative literacy is more like consumer math and understanding real-world applications It's not necessarily so much about performing calculations but understanding the results of other's calculations as well. You'll notice that chapters 2, 4, 5, 6 are heavily focused around financial math. And yeah, math appreciation is more about the beauty of math. There are a lot of really interesting things in math that students don't get to see because our curriculum is focused so heavily around taking people to calculus.

 

I haven't taught out of the Jacobs so I have no idea about the workbooks.

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Starbird and Burger's Heart of Mathematics is also very fun. (The site is not letting me link, for some reason, but I see used copies on Amazon for $1.20!)

 

There's also Herr and Johnson's Crossing the River with Dogs; your boys might like that one.

 

ETA: Have you seen the Bonnie Averbach/Orin Chein book Problem Solving Through Recreational Mathematics?  That's another very good book, originally written for a math for nonmajors course, with some fun (and sophisticated!) topics.  It's published by Dover (Dover has a great math catalogue--worth a look!).

 

You might enjoy other recreational math stuff, too--Martin Gardner, Ivan Moscovich, and so on...

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