Using Lial's Basic College Math for Pre-Algebra

[happymom]

I didn't get much response from the high school board so I thought I'd ask here.

 

We have been using BCM this year. My dd just finished chapter 6. Here are some questions I've had lately:

 

1. Do you let your kids use calculators with the problems that have the calculator symbol. I didn't let my daughter use one until this last chapter. It was really slowing her down not to use it.

 

2. Do you have your kids memorize all formulas? My daughter had trouble keeping all of the formulas straight in chapter 6 (percents). I let her copy the formulas she couldn't remember on a card to use for the chapter test. How important is it that she memorize these?

 

3. I'm using BCM for Pre-Algebra. What exactly is covered in most Pre-Algebra texts and how does it compare to BCM. Does my daughter need to complete all of chapter 9 (Basic Algebra) before starting Algebra in the fall. I've been looking through some Table of Contents for Algebra Texts and it looks like much of this will be repeated. Is that typical to teach the concepts both years? It doesn't look like we will finish the BCM this year if we go at the pace we are going. Are there sections I could skip? Could I have my dd do fewer problems (She does all odd right now) My dd has made A's on all chapter tests so far. These are the chapters we have left- Measurement, Geometry, Basic Algebra, Statistics.

[Susan in SoCal]

We're using BCM this year. And yes, I've let my son use the calculator on the problems marked with a calculator. Fwiw, Chapter 6 is the chapter that took ds the longest to complete (and was filled with more than usual frustration - mostly, I think, because of the large number and lengthiness of the computations, not necessarily because the content was so much more difficult). Also, re: C.6, you might find that you have plenty of time to finish the book this year. After C.6., my son quickly moved thru the next few chapters (measurement was especially quick). C.6 was just a tough chapter for us. And took a long time. Did I say that already? ;)

 

Yes, I've had ds memorize the formulas for the "tests." Just because. Although, he's currently taking the final review (we're using it as a whole book test), and for that, I'm letting him refer back to geometry formulas, if need be. Geometry isn't what I'm primarily wanting him to master from this text, so I'm not as concerned if he's memorized everything.

 

In my mind, pre-Algebra is a class that reviews all concepts that have come before (ie. basic facts, fractions, decimals, percentages) and takes the application of them to a higher level. And, I think, most pre-algebra courses will include a "first taste" of algebra as an intro. If your daughter never finished the chapters on geometry, algebra & statistics, it certainly wouldn't keep her from being able to begin algebra next year (yes, the info is repeated ... just like most elementary texts, new information is lightly introduced at the end that will be revisited in the next year's math text). But, that said, those last chapters do give a nice introduction, a "first taste", if you will, of concepts yet to come. And really, the last chapters move faster than that pesky sixth chapter!! :-)

[Jackie in NE]

I can't exactly answer your questions since dd is only on chapter 2, but I just wanted to say that we are also using BCM as pre-algebra. I have my daughter do the odd problems of the chapter review in order to identify any problem areas. If clarification is needed on a certain topic, we go to that section and I teach it, then we do the exercises for that section. Once we've covered the problem areas, we do the odd problems on the chapter review, and then if all is well, we do the odd problems of the chapter test. So far, so good. I plan for dd to finish BCM over the summer, and then move into Algebra I next year.

 

An aside: I was listening to a guy on NPR the other day.... a math scholar speaking on the topic of the US being behind the rest of the world in math and science. He stated that in order to be on a par with the rest of the world, a U.S. student needs to be doing advanced math in high school (trig and calculus), which means that algebra must be covered in middle school, which means that fractions must be mastered by the 6th grade. I was pleased to see that with my average math students, we are on track to at least tackle these things in a timely manner.

 

Cheers, Jackie