What to get for Algebra 1?

[Kathie in VA]

Along with deciding which Algebra 1 program to purchase, I'm also wondering if I should get a teacher's guide with it. Right now we are just finnishing up Lial's BCM. I typically just read the lesson to them or sometimes they will go ahead and read it themselves. We'll do a couple of the sample problems check understanding and off they go to do the odd problems. When I move my kids up to Algebra, do I need a teachers edition or can I teach straight from the student texts as usual? (or does this depend on the text chosen?)

 

ME: I'm not an expert in math but I did minor in math in college, so at least Algebra shouldn't be totally foreign.

 

DD(15): doesn't love math but realizes she needs to learn it as she wants to become a medical Doctor.

 

DS(13): just a few chapters behind her in BCM. He's likely to become an engineer, like his dad. Not sure if I'll put both in the same Algebra book (but that would probably be easiest for me)

 

Texts that I'm considering:

Lial's Alegra 1 - my 15yo dd already likes how BCM is working for her, so keeping with the same author might be a good idea.

 

Jacobs Alegra 1 - I think the higher verbal approach might be helpful for her and the humor can't hurt. Then again the verbal approach might backfire... sometimes it's hard to predict for her. This is also the text used in one of the local co-ops, so if we decide to join that class for accountability we will already have the right book.

 

Foersters Alegra 1 - This may be a good counter to Jacobs, directly to the point... might be right for both kids.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Kathie in VA

[newbie]

Jacobs is awful. My dd hates it. And I cant help; her either, b/c it makes no sense.

[Ruth in Canada]

and we're happily using his geometry book. I think it really depends on the kid.

 

I did get the teacher's manuals--not to help me teach, but to make checking work faster.

[Orthodox6]

Our "math-y" son used Foerster's and excelled with it. I later read on the Internet that this textbook often is used in public school honors math classes. The textbook would have "bombed" with our less math-inclined son, though.

 

At the high school level, I incline toward purchasing teacher volume, and any solution manuals available. The more "support" the merrier !

 

I can't call Jacobs "awful"; will say only that it "fits" some, and does not "fit" others. The geometry text (3rd ed.) was great !

[EKS]

We found Jacobs Algebra to be fabulous. Jacobs Geometry was another story.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest did well with Jacobs Algebra. My middle used Jacobs along with Kinetic Books for a full year, but then decided to use just Kinetic Books because she liked that approach better.

 

My oldest did well with Jacobs Geometry, 2nd edition. My middle dd is using 3rd edition. I like 3rd edition better than 2nd, but I do like both.

[Jann in TX]

BCM flows nicely into Lial's Intro. Algebra. The student text and POSSIBLY the student's solution manual is all you really need--but I do like having my 'own' text--so if you can find an inexpensive teacher's edition it is nice to have--BUT the teaching is all in the student text. Intro is a SOLID Algebra 1 course.

 

Foerster's and Lial's texts were written to the same conceptual standards. Foerster's student texts do not have the extended teaching lessons that Lial's has--so it is more teacher intensive.

 

I have students using Lial's for Algebra 2 (Intermediate Algebra) who used Foerster's for Algebra 1. They had no problems switching over--and their Algebra 1 skills were solid. They do prefer the way Lial teaches word problems (a chart method).

 

Jacobs is hit or miss (for Algebra and Geometry). It is not that Jacobs is 'wordy' --it is more of the logic and progression that he teaches with is sometimes hard for MANY students to follow. Jacobs Geometry 3rd edition is 'discovery based' learning--even in the homework sets--and my current classes are split 50-50 on his methods (I'm having to supplement for half of my students). Jacobs 2nd edition fits 'more' students... but I still prefer a more traditional program to teach from.

[langfam]

Big vote for Foerster's for a child who is self-motivated.

We're not fans of Jacob's.

With my non-mathy son who's doing Geometry this year, we are using Lial's Intro. Algebra for a bout 15mins everyday as review and it's working out nicely. The layout is excellent. I'm sure you are already aware of this having done BCM.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Are you able to get any of these through your library or inter-library loan?

 

They are all good. I think you have a good understanding of the differences. We are using Foerster's. I am so impressed with it. I love the incredible word problems and how they take the students through them step-by-step. I have the student text, teacher manual, and solutions manual. With 20/20 hindsight, I don't know that the teacher manual was necessary, but I agree with Orthodox6, the more support the better.

[Storm Bay]

Given that your dd is already doing well with Lial's BCM, I'd vote for Lial's over Jacob's. My dd liked Lial's and hated Jacob's. We have a Foerster's, but I really haven't examined it thoroughly or used it as it's more of a reference book since my eldest learns Algebra by reading the textbook (takes after her mother that way.) She was young enough that she did Algebra 1 twice, though, so we found some other favourite, but of your list based on what you said about your dd I'd go with the Lial's for her. Get the one Jann in TX recommends for Lial's users, though, because not knowing the difference we bought the other one and it wasn't as well suited for what we needed.

[Kathie in VA]

Thanks for all the helpful advice! Our library doesn't have any of these. I might consider inter library loan, but it might take too long. I have found used copies on Amazon, so I might just get copies of both Lial's and Foersters for us to review.

 

Lial's Introductory Algebra

Does this have answers to the odd problems and the tests right in the text, like BCM does? :bigear:

# Paperback: 784 pages

# Publisher: Addison Wesley; 8th edition (January 28, 2005)

# Language: English

# ISBN-10: 0321279212

# ISBN-13: 978-0321279217

 

Lial's solution manual for Introductory Algebra

I'm not sure we really need this, but it's cheap enough to get just in case.

# Paperback: 402 pages

# Publisher: Addison Wesley; 8 edition (July 8, 2005)

# Language: English

# ISBN-10: 0321285808

# ISBN-13: 978-0321285805

 

Foersters text -1994 but I can't figure out of this is the Student or Teachers Ed. :confused: The info they give is:

# Hardcover: 721 pages

# Publisher: Addison-Wesley; 3rd edition (January 1994)

# Language: English

# ISBN-10: 0201860945

# ISBN-13: 978-0201860948

 

I may not bother with Jacobs. The used copies on Amazon go for about $30 each compared to the above texts going for about $3 to $8 plus shipping. Strange since the Jacobs text is older (1979). :001_huh:

 

Thanks again!

:bigear:

[Kareni]

I may not bother with Jacobs. The used copies on Amazon go for about $30 each compared to the above texts going for about $3 to $8 plus shipping. Strange since the Jacobs text is older (1979). :001_huh:

 

 

 

I believe that Jacobs' Algebra has never been reissued in a second edition; therefore, the older copies have held their value. (Unlike, for example, his Geometry which is now in its third edition.)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[langfam]

This is what I have:

TE:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0201860953/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

 

Student text:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0201860945/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

 

 

I actually haven't needed the TE because I have the solutions manual bought directly from the publisher.

Edited February 23, 2010 by langfam

[Stacy in NJ]

We read the lesson together, work sample problems, do the odd problems.

 

Foerster's had been wonderful for us. The actual written explanation of the lesson is very to the point. The examples really illustrate the concept. The problems for working build in complexity.

 

I'm very math weak and usually view the Math Without Boarders DVD for the next week's lesson the weekend before so that I can help with any questions. We really are learning alot and enjoying Foerster's. I also love the way the lessons and chapters build on each other, so logically and really beautifully.

 

HTH, Stacy

 

ETA: We don't use a teachers manual. We have only the textbook and the solutions manual.

[Stacy in NJ]

Foersters text -1994 but I can't figure out of this is the Student or Teachers Ed. :confused: The info they give is:

# Hardcover: 721 pages

# Publisher: Addison-Wesley; 3rd edition (January 1994)

# Language: English

# ISBN-10: 0201860945

# ISBN-13: 978-0201860948

 

 

 

This is the student's edition, and the text I'm currently using. You can get it used via abebooks.com or amazon really cheap. The answers to the odd numbered problems are in the back of the book. The solution manual is available from another publisher (can't remember the name). You can probably do a search here to find it or a google search. I think I paid about $30 for the solution manual.

[Sunshine State Sue]

The solution manual is available from another publisher (can't remember the name). You can probably do a search here to find it or a google search. I think I paid about $30 for the solution manual.

I bought the Foerster solutions manual new from Prentice Hall. It cost $43.

 

ISBN: 0-201-86100-3

no date on it!

[Alyce]

Most of us use 6th or 7th edition because they are easy to find. I don't have my introductory one anymore but Amazon does have it. It's the one with the Windmill on it. I looked at the one you mention but am not sure if it's the same series or not. Jann in TX has said that the newer editions haven't changed much except the order of the problems. You can probably find the 7th edition book and solutions manual for about $25.

My son uses Lial's and excels with it. If you're already using the BCM then you know how it's laid out and since your child is doing so well I wouldn't change. We used the Intermediate book last year and he's doing so well we are now using the Pre-Calculus book. I haven't seen the others you mention but can highly recommend Lials. Just keep in mind that the older editions are good too and of course cheaper.

[Kathie in VA]

Okay. Jacobs I think I can borrow from a friend. I think I'm going to get both Lial's and Foersters. I've found them both used really cheap so getting them both to compare is affordable. I even found the solutions bk for Lial's really cheap so I'll get that (just so I won't need it;)). Now it would probably be wise to get the solutions manual for Foersters (at least for an even comparison) but I can only find it from the publisher... which means it is probably for the latest edition. The used editions I'm finding are 1994, 1999, 2006, etc. I'm not sure which edition is better but shouldn't the edition of the text and the solution manual match? I wonder where all the older edition solution manuals are ... or maybe they didn't have them before?

:bigear:

[jananc]

Lial's worked really well for my ds, who is in geometry now (Jacobs) but will return to Lial's next year for Alg 2. My dd is using BCM and will use Lial's next year for alg 1.

 

I do have the solutions manual. I used it a lot towards the end of the year. Not sure if I really needed it or if I just got too lazy to think the problems through for myself, but I was glad i had it!

[Sunshine State Sue]

Now it would probably be wise to get the solutions manual for Foersters (at least for an even comparison) but I can only find it from the publisher... which means it is probably for the latest edition. The used editions I'm finding are 1994, 1999, 2006, etc. I'm not sure which edition is better but shouldn't the edition of the text and the solution manual match? I wonder where all the older edition solution manuals are ... or maybe they didn't have them before?

:bigear:

I have no idea where the old solutions manuals are. I bought new from the publisher and it works fine with my 1999 student and teacher book.

[Nissi]

Dc. are using Foerster's Algebra I and II. I ordered the TE and Solutions Manual from Pearson directly. Math without Borders DVDs for both these texts are very useful.

HTH!

[langfam]

The Foerster's I have is 1994 and the solutions manual I bought from the publishers matches up. I believe all the editions you mentioned are the same. I have an older 1988 copy and that one is different.

[rhrice3]

I would recommend Chalkdust highly. I have had two children go through Chalkdust - ds who is exceptional/gifted in math and dd who is way above average but a totally different learner than her brother. They both went on to take Geometry and Alg II with Chalkdust. My ds went on to take Pre-cal and cal in public hs which were the same books as the Chalkdust books (he appreciated the DVD's even more after a so-so teacher).

 

I think this program can work for different learners, and it offers numerous problems for those that need extra help or those that just need to be challenged.

 

Good luck

RRice

[Ma Bear Up North]

We found that BJU algebra ( 2nd ed)was very good. You might not know if your children are college bound, but if you go with a program that is not as tough, you;ll regret it later. The teacher books are a good idea since they give examples, answers & suggestions for further resources. Further, I suggest that you not worry about getting it done in a certain amount of time, but make sure every lesson is understood well. Hope that helps.

[Kathie in VA]

Thank you all for your help and patience. I finally hit the send button(s). I got Lial's text and solutions manuals used from Amazon for about $2.00 each plus $3.99each in shipping. I got Foerster's text used from Abebooks for about $5 including shipping and I got the Foerster's solution manual from Pearsons (via Oasis) for $42. So all in all not bad on the wallet. Hopefully my kids will really take to one of these. (and a friend does have Jacobs Algebra that we could borrow to view).

 

Now to wait for their arrival! .. and to push the kids to get done with the pre-algebra so they can check out the new books ;)

 

--Blessings,

Kathie