Hi Kathy, Does it cover only single variable calculus or both single and multi-variables? Steward has so many versions for Calculus. Some have over 1300 pages and some less than 900 pages. I just wonder if one covers both single and multi-variables and the other covers only single? Modern calculus books nowadays are over 1000 pages. I tempt to agree that seems too much for me. For I believe math language is accurate and concise. Thanks, Liem

Hi Kathy, Stewart has a couple of Calculus books (Calculus, Concepts and Contexts, Transcendental). Which one are you using for tutoring that you like? Thanks, Liem

I know that Biology has been changed a lot. However, for teaching HS or 1st year college, do we need the most updated textbook? For what I know, one of the top HSs in Houston, Texas, they use 6th edition Biology by Campbell (Daddy campbell) for their AP Biology classes. If you don't mind getting the older editions, you can get 5th edition for Concepts and Connections by Campbell for $15 (we got ours in very good condition, no writing and high lights, no CD in 2009 for $10) or 6th edition for $30 from Amazon marketplace. Best regards, Liem

Thank for your comments. You are right to say that telling Foerster is a drill type of math is a gross. We would like to clarify a little bit. Foerster is a very good book for Algebra. In fact we got it from recommendation of a trusted reviewer from Amazon, before we know and got the Dolciani one based on the reviews and recommendation of this forum. Between 2 books, we just like the way the Dolciani book is written and presented. It is concise but efficient as a good math book is written (for pure math). So we use it to learn the math concepts. The Foerster is also good . It also covers proofs and it has more problems for drills and word problems. But the way it presents the concepts is not quite concise as the way we like, So we use it for more extra exercises as drills. It is the same to Algebra of AoPS. It is vigorous and very challenging. However, the style of presenting the concepts IMHO, is not as concise to our like. It is just our preference. Best regards, Liem

Dolciani has a Pre-Algebra (60s-70s) and Structure and Method 8 that cover Pre-Algebra material. The Structure and Methods 8 covers more than the PreAlgrbra book. Liem

We have Foerster, Dolciani (1965), and Intro of Algebra of AoPS. So far, we have used only 2 books: Foerster and Dolciani. We find Foester is more for drills and application math. Dolciani is about right. It does not have a lot of drills as Foerster, but it is concise and balance between drill (A type), word problems (B type) and some times get the kids get a touch of pure math (proofs) (type C). We have not spent time for AoPS yet. We hope some moms here can give us more insights to the book. From what we scan through, the presentation is not as concise, easy to read as Dolciani, but the problems are more interesting and more puzzled than Dolciani. So now we mainly use Dolciani for learning the math concepts, for it is concise and clear (as written in pure math books). We use Foerster for extra drills. We plan to go back AoPS on-line class, after we cover most of the important math concepts in Dolciani. We love to hear comments and suggestions. Liem

As I understand, Campbell has "Biology: Exploring Life". It is for high school. The Campbell Concepts and Connections are for non-major college level. Campbell Biology is for bio major. So I think Biology Exploring Life is a good introduction to biology and a good stepping stone for Concept and Connections/or Biology (Daddy Campbell). The order of the chapters of the 3 books are similar, but the depth of the material are different.

From what I learn from this site (from Jane NC, Kathy Richmon, Blue Hen ...), if you kids love math and you and your kids have time, here is what I would like to do: -Dolciani for Math concepts. The great thing of Dolciani is that it comes to the point. It is very concise and it has problems that build a great Math foundation/proof skill (esp problems belong to category C). -AofPS is for more challenging and difficult problems. If you want easier or application problems, Foerster is good. -Gelfand's books are good supplements too. Liem

Hi Jane, Thank you very much for the info. I have Dolciani Modern Algebra (I don't have the 60s edition, but the 1975). I will check it out. Really appreciate your help. Liem

Hi Jane, Would you please let me know what is the good book to study operations of irrational numbers like squareroot(a*b) = squareroot(a) * squareroot(b). I think it belongs to pre-algebra, but I can't find the topic in 5th grade Math or Singapore. Thanks, Liem

Are the online quizzes much diffrerent than the questions at the end of each chapters? How do you like the Exploring Life? What grade do you use it? BTW, sometimes you can find TE of the textbook on Amazon and Ebay.

Which text do you think is better: Conceptual Chemistry and Spectrum Chemistry? Have you had a chance to compare either of them to Introduction to Chemistry by Zumdalh? Thanks, dragon_horse

I am surprised to hear that. I know that kids that cannot get directly into UT Austin from HS, have to go to UT SA to get good GPA to transfer back UT Austin. UT Austin and A&M used to be ranked top twenty in Engineering schools. You are right about deregulation of public college/university tuition, which occurred a few years ago. Average expense (Texas residents) in Texas universities is 20K/year nowadays. For out-of-state, it must be higher.

Ditto to Rice in Houston. It is one the best deals in the nation for a private school. I heard good things from Trinity in San Antonio. If you want to stay in Texas, go to engineering fields, and do not mind of public schools and crowded schools, UT Austin or A&M are good choices.

Thank you Kathy for all the information about AP Physics. It is invaluable to me. I do some more search of Physics Resnick, Halliday & Krane. Here is what I found from Amazon: -The 4th Ed Volume 2 Extended (ISBN-13: 978-0471548041) has 688 pages, the same number of pages the 5th Ed Volume2, but different publsihers and 10 years between 2 editions. I don't know how much difference in the contents of the 2 editions, but the price of the 4th is basically your shipping. -The 4th Ed Volume1 (ISBN-13: 978-0471804581) has 656 pages, in compare the 624 pages in the 5th Ed. The 3rd edition is a different story. They are only 400 pages for each volume. So I think the 4th Ed is much closer to the 5th Ed. For the price, I went head and ordered the 4th Ed for now. I will know more when I receive the books. All the info that I quote is here based on Amazon info (sometimes they are not quite accurate). Hope it help for people who are in buget and who need the books for reference. Best regards, dragon_horse