Precalculus and Calculus suggestions

[Guest skhoyt]

What are some of you using for precalculus and calculus? I have a son who will be in 11th grade next year. He does well with math and is probably heading into a science major - likely Chemistry. He has done Jacobs Algebra, MUS Algebra II, and Jacobs Geometry. I'm confident with math, almost finished a math major, but like to have complete solutions to streamline my time, and facilitate my son checking his own work. What do you suggest?

 

Thanks,

Sharon

[Brenda in MA]

Chalkdust. It's pricey, but has complete solution manuals and excellent DVD instruction.

 

Brenda

[April in CA]

Hi Sharon,

My older son is finishing up Chalk Dust Pre-Calculus with the DVDs by Dana Mosely. It has been a great course for him, and it really challenged him. He is now officially BEYOND ME in math (has been for a while!) and corrects his own work with the solutions manual. He is a very honest young man, so I never worry about him fudging. If he makes a mistake he corrects it and works to understanding. It has been a great course for him, and if we had time, I would get the CD Calculus course for him. However, I am going to order Thinkwell Calculus for him since we only have time for a semester of calculus before he graduates. He can use the Thinkwell course over the summer as well and he will still have access to the lectures on-line when he goes to college in the Fall.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

April

[Chris in VA]

Love Chalkdust, but ds in public school is having success in pre-calculus/trig with Lial's. It's pretty clear, and I think you can get a solutions manual, too--

IDK how it would be self-taught, tho.

(I'd go with CD if I had to do it at home...)

[EKS]

We will be going with Chalk Dust, as I need that level of support.

[Teachin'Mine]

Has anyone used Saxon Calculus? We've been using them - currently Algebra II - but I haven't heard any reviews on their Calculus course. So far, it's been easy to learn from the textbook and the solutions manual is very easy to follow as well.

[Guest skhoyt]

Chalkdust looks good, but I can't stomach spending that much for one year of math - the price is outrageous! I will take a look at Lial's.

 

Sharon

[AngieW in Texas]

I'm using the same textbook that Chalkdust uses, but am using the cheaper videos from Houghton-Mifflin. The cheaper videos were just $25, but some of them haven't worked. My dd prefers to learn directly from the textbook, so she only watches the videos when she doesn't understand the text. Out of the 10 videos she has attempted to watch so far, 3 have not worked. I can teach it to her when the video doesn't work, so that hasn't been a problem. I just wanted to warn you that the cheaper videos don't always work.

[Grace is Sufficient]

I'm using the same textbook that Chalkdust uses, but am using the cheaper videos from Houghton-Mifflin. The cheaper videos were just $25, but some of them haven't worked. My dd prefers to learn directly from the textbook, so she only watches the videos when she doesn't understand the text. Out of the 10 videos she has attempted to watch so far, 3 have not worked. I can teach it to her when the video doesn't work, so that hasn't been a problem. I just wanted to warn you that the cheaper videos don't always work.

 

That's been my problem! But I can't teach it when the videos don't work, and we didn't really like the accompanying text, so after months of frustration we changed to LOF Trig. I have NO idea what we'll do next year, so I'm watching this thread with interest.

 

Debbie

[creekland]

For what it's worth, I still like Teaching Textbooks for Pre-Calc and my son has done well using it last year then transitioning to Chalkdust for Calc this year. We too bought the cheaper version discs - and have one of the group that doesn't work. It bugged, me, but now that I see others having multiple problems, I don't mind as much I suppose. :glare:

 

Then, don't forget the free on-line resource - Khan Academy. Since I prefer NOT to teach my son except when he really doesn't get something (I'm definitely a proponent of independent learning), I have him check his own videos, the book, and Khan Academy before he comes to me. He hasn't had to come to me yet... and has done well on the tests.

 

Here's the link to Khan:

 

http://www.khanacademy.org/

 

Khan is great for math and science... many levels.

[Carmen_and_Company]

We used Chalkdust DVDs with Foerster's Calculus & Osebee & Zorn's Calculus. For Calculus II & III, Taz took via dual enrollment during 11th grade. We also had several of the Larson texts if Taz needed to read a different approach or teaching method.

[Guest skhoyt]

Debbie,

What is LOF?

Sharon

[Grace is Sufficient]

Debbie,

What is LOF?

Sharon

 

It stands for Life of Fred. It's strengths are that it is self-teaching and more enjoyable than most math curricula. It's biggest weakness is that most of the answers are not worked-out solutions, which we need. It also doesn't use a graphing calculator, so we will try to fill in that gap before SATs in May.

 

Here's the website for more info.

 

HTH

Debbie

[In The Great White North]

'm using the same textbook that Chalkdust uses, but am using the cheaper videos from Houghton-Mifflin. The cheaper videos were just $25, but some of them haven't worked. My dd prefers to learn directly from the textbook, so she only watches the videos when she doesn't understand the text. Out of the 10 videos she has attempted to watch so far, 3 have not worked. I can teach it to her when the video doesn't work, so that hasn't been a problem. I just wanted to warn you that the cheaper videos don't always work.

 

I got the Houghton-Mifflin DVD's off ebay and haven't had a problem. Ds doesn't like to watch them though. He learns most of it out of teh Foerster book, and asks questions when he gets stuck.

[SusanAR]

Chalkdust looks good, but I can't stomach spending that much for one year of math - the price is outrageous! I will take a look at Lial's.

 

Sharon

 

I'm sure there will be several of us selling our CD set at the end of the year ;);)

[plansrme]

Yes, CD new is expensive, but if you subtract out the resale value, the one-year "rental" fee isn't bad at all. I have seen CD pre-calc and calc, used, for $400 or more.

 

I know, still tough to shell that out up front, but it holds its value.

 

Terri

[Alyce]

Ds used Lial's for Alg 2 and he and I both like the format so that's what we'll be using for Pre-Calculus at least. The book is pretty thorough in teaching the concept, has lots of practice and has complete solutions in the solutions guide. Jann in Tx recommended it to me and like I said we have been pretty happy with the program.

[CherylG]

Hi Sharon,

My older son is finishing up Chalk Dust Pre-Calculus with the DVDs by Dana Mosely. It has been a great course for him, and it really challenged him. He is now officially BEYOND ME in math (has been for a while!) and corrects his own work with the solutions manual. He is a very honest young man, so I never worry about him fudging. If he makes a mistake he corrects it and works to understanding. It has been a great course for him, and if we had time, I would get the CD Calculus course for him. However, I am going to order Thinkwell Calculus for him since we only have time for a semester of calculus before he graduates. He can use the Thinkwell course over the summer as well and he will still have access to the lectures on-line when he goes to college in the Fall.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

April

My son is getting almost 100% on each quiz but literally failing the tests. I still cannot figure out what is wrong. Just our experience.

[April in CA]

Thanks for the heads up of this, Cheryl! Does your son feel that there is enough practice to understand the concepts? Are the tests lots harder than the practice problems? Thaks for any insights!

Blessings,

April

[choirfarm]

Hi

 

This is our first year with Chalkdust (Prealgebra and Geometry). My sons love it. I have only ever bought it used. I found a VCR copy of the entire Geometry curriculum with textbooks for 40 bucks at our curriculum sale several years ago. Last year, I found a complete set of Prealgebra curriculum for 75 dollars. I bought a combined Algebra I and II course through the wonderful ISBN posts by Pongo I think through Amazon.. then a couple of months ago I found a Chalkdust complete set for Pre-Calculus for 75 dollars at our curriculum store that has started selling on consignment. So look around at area curriculum sales and I have been having GREAT luck on Amazon using their used sections for several things.

 

Christine

[Guest Psalm 34:3]

Hi all - this is my first post. Dd1 is in Alg 2 (Chicago Math) but I think I've ruled out their 2 year pre-calc option. She is fairly mathy, generally works on her own and is a visual learner.

I have been reading up on the information here. I am interested in Lial & Chalkdust / (Larson Precalculus With Limits: A Graphing Approach). I don't think the video component will be that important, but I think it would be a nice back up to have. I was originally looking for feedback on Ask Dr. Callahan, but I didn't see many parents who loved that curriculum. If these questions have been answered elsewhere, please feel free to let me know the link. :tongue_smilie:

 

Here are some of my questions:

1) How would you compare Lial & Chalkdust? Is it primarily a matter of preference or are they suited to different types of learners?

2) I have read the links about Chalkdust for less $$ (such as isbn: 0618851860) It sounds like these dvds are also done by Dana Moesly, is that correct?

3) Dd2 is in Algebra currently, and I am also looking for a Geometry text for her next year. So I'm hoping to choose a curriculum that we can use from Geometry through Calculus.

 

If you have other suggestions or facets to consider, please also share those.

 

Thanks ~

[74Heaven]

That's been my problem! But I can't teach it when the videos don't work, and we didn't really like the accompanying text, so after months of frustration we changed to LOF Trig. I have NO idea what we'll do next year, so I'm watching this thread with interest.

 

Debbie

 

I've seen this complaint before about the videos not working. We have hte same videos from Houghton-Mifflin and we are onlyu on the 3rd DVD (I think) and so far, no problems???? I'm kind of wondering if we will based on what I've read.

 

But why don't you or other Houghton-Mifflin (sp?) owners return the DVDs if they don't work? Wouldn't H-F replace them?

 

Curious, LJ

[KnitWit]

I've used Chalkdust from Basic Math on up.

 

I mentally divide the cost by 6 and it's easier to swallow! LOL! ALSO, many of our friends are paying tutors in addition to the purchase of their books/DVD's...when I added up their cost, CD is CHEAP!

 

I guess it just depends on the way you look at it. :)

 

We are very happy with Chalkdust. My eldest is finishing Pre-Cal and has an A. She helps tutor her friends...which tells me *she gets it*.

[Janice H]

I've seen this complaint before about the videos not working. We have hte same videos from Houghton-Mifflin and we are onlyu on the 3rd DVD (I think) and so far, no problems???? I'm kind of wondering if we will based on what I've read.

 

But why don't you or other Houghton-Mifflin (sp?) owners return the DVDs if they don't work? Wouldn't H-F replace them?

 

H-M has a 30 day return policy; so far the 3 precalc dvd's we watched work ok. I had good intentions of running the dvd's one after the other and glancing at them periodically to see if they were ok, but didn't get around to it within the 30 day period. I don't know how responsive they would be to an individual who sweetly and winsomely asked for replacements after the first month. Maybe someone here knows.

[Janice H]

I don't think the video component will be that important, but I think it would be a nice back up to have. I was originally looking for feedback on Ask Dr. Callahan, but I didn't see many parents who loved that curriculum.

Dear Psalm,

 

I almost went with Ask Dr. Callahan for precalc, but decided against it when I read how authors Barnett et al explained some of the material. It turned out I am using a few books for precalc; some concepts are better explained to me by different writers. As a spine we use an older Bittinger text that I found out about on a physics forum.

 

What I do like about Dr. C. is he offers a syllabus, specifies problems and has tests. That's why I think I will go ahead and use him for calc I. Dd is probably neither a future engineer nor mathematician; for us, Dr. C. is the expert on a basic calc I course using the Stewart text. And if I can't answer dd's questions, Dr. C will. We are growing weary of math crowding out foreign language and reading his/lit.

 

If the book is your primary source for precalc, Lial would be a fine choice. We used Lial for Alg II/Intermediate. Regarding the Larson precalc book, it does many things well. In general, it seems to go better with a teacher. It asks the student to explore many concepts w/a grapher but does not continue the conversation and discuss the discoveries the student should have make. Lial is probably more likely to lead the student through the whole thinking process.

 

For geometry we used the Chakerian text which Math Without Borders uses. I would use the text again. Not many (any?) here have reported on it.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Janice

[cshell]

Have you all looked at the DIVE CD...for Calculus...you use them with Saxon.?

We have used them & plan on continuing....Dr. Shoreman is GREAT!!!

( along with the Saxon Solution Manual...of course:iagree:)

 

Let me know if anyone has tried The DIVE CD for Calculus...

Thanks.

 

 

By the time we get to Calculus....we may also do it at a CC.