Dmmetler Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 DD9 seems to sometimes need a couple of easier, more obvious problems to handle first when she has an idea for AOPS, but isn't entirely sure how to go about it. Does anyone have a good, either free or cheap source that would make it easy to find these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 How about vintage Dolciani? Structure/Method algebra 1 from the '70's for <$6 including shipping...http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Algebra-Structure-Method-Book/dp/0395142555/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413222421&sr=8-3&keywords=dolciani+algebra This is the book I used for algebra 1 in the mid/late 80's... it is ultra classic. Plenty of easier, obvious problems in the earlier problem sets. Some harder challenges like the basic AoPS problems in the later problem sets. Nothing as hard as the AoPS Challenge problems except maybe the "For Experts" supplements in the text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Are you talking about working through the lesson problems or the exercises? I would stick with the lesson problems in the book. If you are looking for practice exercises, a regular text should have plenty - I would pick up a Dolciani (either the "Algebra 1" or "Algebra Structure and Method Book 1" circa late 80s, early 90s simply for ease of use; I would not bother with the basic/remedial versions of the same era; note that "Course 1" is *not* what you want, as that is middle school) or Foerster. The Jacobs exercises are set up a little differently, involving their own little bit of guided discovery, so I think that would be more difficult to choose extra practice from than the other books; alternatively it could be a good choice if the AoPS lesson itself proves to be too big of a bite to chew on a particular topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Mep? google 'topic wanted' & Site:www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 We have an ancient Saxon Algebra 1. It is great for stacks of problems. I also have a Holt (or perhaps Glencoe) old Algebra book that provides more mixed practice problems than the Saxon style. I use these because they are more like the sorts of problems DS is going to see on standardized testing. If you have a public school nearby or know any public school teachers, you can often get old mathbooks for free. The publisher cuts off the corner so they cannot be resold and gives them out as samples. Amazon has them for crazy cheap (under ten bucks) as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 There are also some great truly vintage texts on project gutenberg and archive.org. They don't tend to have any teaching but do have good straight forward problems. For instance Boyden's "A First Book in Algebra"[1] from 1895 on project gutenberg is good. It is probably more in line with AoPS pre-A but there are plenty of other texts available... searching there or on WTM could get you come good recs. [1] http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13309 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 What I've noticed is that sometimes she needs a couple of simpler problems to solidify what the lesson problems are telling her, before she really "gets" it, even if she gets the lesson problems right. It's like she's discovered it, but isn't confident in it. I'm thinking that having an extra set that she can do a few extra problems in between the lesson problems and the problem set might be the right choice. She has lots of algebra resource books, but they tend to be things that are more explanation and less just problems to work. I definitely think there's a difference between Pre-Algebra, where most of the concepts weren't new, but the difficulty was greater, and Algebra 1, where she's starting to get into concepts she hasn't worked with much if at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 What I've noticed is that sometimes she needs a couple of simpler problems to solidify what the lesson problems are telling her, before she really "gets" it, even if she gets the lesson problems right. It's like she's discovered it, but isn't confident in it. I'm thinking that having an extra set that she can do a few extra problems in between the lesson problems and the problem set might be the right choice. She has lots of algebra resource books, but they tend to be things that are more explanation and less just problems to work. I definitely think there's a difference between Pre-Algebra, where most of the concepts weren't new, but the difficulty was greater, and Algebra 1, where she's starting to get into concepts she hasn't worked with much if at all. The older Dolciani books have a set of Oral Exercises before some of the problem sets to try to solidify that understanding. That is then followed by a straightforward A set, a harder B set, and a harder challenge C set. Not all sections have an oral set to solidiy understanding or a C set to challenge kids, but that is the general structure. MEP is free and has lots of problems. Unless, you are using the special or express workbooks, everything is very straight forward. MEP 7+ is completely different in feel from the elementary program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Why not the good-old Schaum's? Lots and lots of basic problems and solutions, for very little $. Any beginning algebra text would be ok, but if you want AoPS to drive the theory, you should be cautious about competing methodologies during concept formation. We have used Schaum's and Martin-Gay without conflict, but Saxon was no bueno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I think pretty much any developmental college book or Schaum's ought to work fine for a supplemental source of problems. Schaum's has the difference that you have all the worked solutions, which can be great if your student is mature enough to ignore the solutions or if you copy the problems yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 I may actually still have Schaum's around here. I know I had them when I was in grad school and having to write math activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.