Precalculus options for a strong math student

[Brigid in NC]

First -- I have surfed the threads. :001_smile: So I know there has been a lot of discussion about this. I just would like to confirm what I have read, and get suggestions about Precalculus options for our situation.

 

My very-strong-in-math ds (just got a 65 on his PSAT as a 10th grader) has had a disasterous first semester with a Potter's School precalc class, and we have determined that the text and approach are just not working for him. So we are trying to plot another course (the beauty of homeschooling).

 

What would you recommend for a very capable and advanced math student, who has always sailed through math and (previously) loved it? He will probably go to into a math-intensive field (like engineering or physics), and we plan for him to take Calc classes at the local CC when he is old enough.

 

The one caveat -- mom is not a math person. So there needs to be enough explanation or a great solutions manual, so that it is homeschool-friendly for us.

 

Any advice would be so appreciated!

~Brigid

Edited December 6, 2009 by Brigid in NC

[Catherine]

He used Lial's precalculus text along with the student's solutions manual. Though I had my doubts about Lial's to be honest, he is sailing through PC calculus. I think Lial's prepared him very well.

[MomsintheGarden]

While I can't say what would be the absolute best for your son, Chalkdust has worked so far for my mathy students.

 

Ds did CD for Geometry-Calculus I. He got a 5 on the Calc AB AP exam. He is now a sophomore at VA Tech. He started out as a CS major and was asked to double major in math because of his grades in his math classes. He has taken 2 math classes each semester, and feels CD was great prep.

 

Dd has done CD for Alg. I - Calculus I (now she's doing Calc II with it) and feels it has been a great fit for her as well. She plans to major in biochemistry, which is not so math intensive as Ds's major, but is glad for the foundation.

 

If your ds does CD Precalc, be aware that it is a time consuming program. Both my ds and dd took a bit more than a year to finish it.

 

GardenMom

[StephanieZ]

thinkwell?

[Kimm in WA]

I second Chalkdust pre-Calc. My ds used it last year in 10th grade. This year he is taking classes at the CC and, because he went straight into the Engineering transfer degree program, is taking College Algebra & Trigonometry (at the advice of posters her and friends IRL to get a good foundation at the CC even though he already took these two courses, which is the same as Pre-Calc). He took the College Alg. class over the summer and is just finishing up the Trig, and he sailed through the courses w/o problem. In fact, the teacher remarked that on the last test my son got 100 and he, the teacher (who takes his own tests while the students take it) got a 97. LOL

 

My son totally did Chalkdust Pre-Calc on his own. The only "problem" we had was when it came to me grading his tests I would often grade things wrong that weren't, based on how it was solved and showed in the TM. Not a big deal, as we got great support from Dana Mosely, who would say how much partial credit should be given or if it was full credit and just an alternate way of solving the problem.

 

HTH,

Kimm

[Brigid in NC]

Thank you all. I am going to look at these suggestions. It's good to hear the endorsement of Chalkdust, because otherwise I would hesitate to invest the $.

 

I pulled my ds from his online class officially today, so we are going to take a two week break from math, and use the Christmas break to regroup and assess the alternatives.

 

Thank you for sharing what has worked for you.

~Brigid :)