Jacob's Geometry 3rd edition?

[LuvingLife]

I am trying to choose between two different geometry courses. Either Harold Jacobs or Teaching Textbooks.

 

Is Harold Jacobs 3rd edition better than the second, or the same? Also with TT, is the material "lite" or just as good as HJ?

 

I am leaning more towards HJ, but what edition should I choose?:confused:

[Sunshine State Sue]

I'm no expert. We'll be using HJ 3rd ed next year. From reading the boards, TT is not considered as rigorous as HJ. Here is one thread about the 2nd/3rd edition differences:

Jacobs Geometry 2nd or 3rd edition?

 

HTH!

[EKS]

I have used all three texts.

 

Jacobs 2nd and 3rd editions are very different. The most obvious difference is that the 3rd is in full color. The next most obvious difference is that the problems in the 2nd edition look like problems in a traditional geometry text, with the figures being line drawings of shapes and several proofs included in each problem set. The 3rd does not have either of these things. The figures are frequently a picture of something in the real world with line drawings of shapes sometimes imposed on them. This is because many of the problems have a real world overlay that must be mentally removed to get at what you're supposed to do with the math. Some people find this easy to do, but others, like my son (who is generally pretty good at math), find it difficult especially when the math is something he's just learned. The other thing about the 3rd edition is that there are far fewer proofs in the exercises. Also, the 3rd editions has a solutions manual whereas the 2nd only has answers.

 

We started out with the 3rd edition, went to the 2nd edition, which probably would have been fine if I had been more confident with helping with geometry, and ended up in TT because it had more support in terms of teaching and solutions. TT and both editions of Jacobs compare very well in terms of topics and depth. Jacobs assumed more algebra knowledge on the part of the student than TT, probably because TT Algebra I doesn't go as far as Jacobs Elementary Algebra. This doesn't really affect the geometry taught, however. Each problem set in TT has at least two proofs, and many times these proofs are tricky.

 

I think my son got a solid geometry education from TT. It covers what Jacobs does. When, after he had bombed a test towards the end of TT, we did the equivalent chapter in Jacobs 2nd, he had *no* trouble with it at all because he knew all the material (from TT) that Jacobs assumed had been learned in the preceding ten chapters.

 

So, I would say that Jacobs is a somewhat more difficult book and worthy of an honors designation (it is used in our local high school for honors geometry). However, TT is a solid geometry course and is not in a league with their algebra sequence.

Edited May 30, 2010 by EKS

[LuvingLife]

I am debating on whether I should use TT, or Harold Jacobs 3rd edition. I could probably do both, but it's mostly up to my mom to decide whether I use TT or HJ, LOL.

 

I have looked at samples of the 2nd and 3rd edition of HJ, and they both seem pretty good, but which one teaches the concepts better. My mom isn't strong in high school math, but she said she would get a tutor if I needed one.

 

Right now, TT seems like the best option, and maybe supplement with HJ, or do it during the summer, HJ's 2nd edition is so hard to find! Do you have a link to the and edition?

 

Oh and the link for the Jacobs curriculum helped!:001_smile: