Julie Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 For those who have used Jacobs Algebra, what text did you use prior? I bought a copy I found for a bargain and think it would be great for my daughter, she just began Chalkdust Pre Alg, not sure how that is going to work. Just wondering what another pre Jacobs text might be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 MUS Zeta, Singapore 5B, and the Key to Algebra book on signed numbers. The first 5 or 6 chapters of Jacobs have all of the prealgebra necessary for a strong math student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 Kia, thanks so much, she just finished Singapore 6B, so maybe I will ditch the Chalkdust and have her do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 My middle dd did Singapore 6B, one month of aleks pre-algebra (hated it), and Math Smart Junior before she started Algebra. Singapore 6B prepared her fully for algebra, so she really didn't need to do anything else before starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhg Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Veritas Press suggests Jacobs in high school and Saxon beforehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Thanks everyone! Angie, I noticed you have kido doing Kinetic Books Alg. 2, you are the one who turned me onto this. My son is doing Alg. 1 right now. Since you have moved on to 2 I assume you must have been pleased with 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home4school Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Where do you go after Jacob's? There's not a level 2, right? Thanks, Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Kim, I am not certain, but I think Angie went to Kinetic Books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Where do you go after Jacob's? There's not a level 2, right? Thanks, Kim We're doing Foerster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home4school Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 There not being a level 2 is what scares me about Jacob's. Too much math program jumping in the early years has me paranoid about trying to go into another program. They just all cover things at such different paces. Good luck with your decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 There not being a level 2 is what scares me about Jacob's. Too much math program jumping in the early years has me paranoid about trying to go into another program. They just all cover things at such different paces. Good luck with your decision! The difference is that the algebra sequence is pretty well defined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home4school Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 The difference is that the algebra sequence is pretty well defined. The impression I have gotten from reading reviews here is that its just as hard to change in the middle with algebra programs. Going from say Saxon to CD, or MUS to TT, since some aren't as rigorous or just follow their own unique sequence. I had just gotten the idea that even the algebra programs' scope and sequences were vastly different. I have a son doing CD prealgebra now, but I'm not sure if we can stick it out with CD all the way through. He's not "mathy" (don't tell PaintedLady I used that word :lol:). I'm debating on starting Algebra I with MUS or Saxon or a million others I think of and sticking it out. I'm just so afraid of picking the wrong program and then the "change" would be just like in elementary, this not covered, that not covered, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 I see your point. However, I do budget in the fact that a pre algebra might be grand and the algebra might be lacking.....there is a thread going on right now with folks having trouble with CD Algebra, which gives me pause given the expense of it. DS has done CD pre algebra, and DD was working on it, but Jacobs just seems more her style, not sure what we would do next...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greensa Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 My not very strong in math daughter just finished Jacob's Algebra, so we're just now starting Alg II (deciding to do an Alg I, Alg II, then Geometry & Trig sequence). When we looked at books, including Lial, Foerster, Dolciani, & LoF, she went to Foerster as the most like Jacob's and wants to work through it for Algebra II. Since Jacob himself apparently (according to the forum:)) recommends Foerster after his Algebra I text, I take that as a second opinion that it will follow well. I'll let you know at the end of the year (which will be too late for you, sorry:tongue_smilie:). Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 My dd loved KB Algebra I. She was disappointed to have to stop KB for one year to do geometry. We did Jacobs Geometry last year. KB is supposed to release their geometry program next month. My dd and I are both hoping that KB will release Precalculus or Trigonometry for next schoolyear. I don't actually know if they're working on either one, but I sure would like to use it if they get it produced in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 My oldest used Jacobs Algebra. My middle used both Jacobs and Kinetic Books for a full year because she couldn't decide which she liked better. The immediate feedback in Kinetic Books freaked her out at first. She's Aspie and gets emotionally attached to her answers. She generally does better to have some time in between working a problem and finding out that she's done it wrong. With KB, she found out immediately and that sent her into a tailspin several times. After using KB Algebra I chapter 1, she wanted to try out Jacobs Algebra (which I already owned). She did the 1st chapter in Jacobs and then wanted to try KB again. She ended up switching back and forth at the end of each chapter for a full schoolyear. She liked the instruction in KB, but the fact that it was on the computer bothered her and the immediate feedback bothered her too. She liked Jacobs too, especially as a change of pace from KB. After a full year of doing both programs, she got to a point where she covered exponents in Jacobs before getting to them in KB (I think Jacobs had exponents in chapter 8 while KB had them in chapter 9). She thought she knew what she was doing, but she got confused about when to add/subtract exponents and when to multiply/divide exponents and ended up doing one full lesson wrong. That was when she decided that immediate feedback really wasn't such a bad thing. She decided to switch back to KB until she reached the end of exponents in that program before going back to Jacobs, but she never ended up going back to Jacobs at all. Since my oldest worked all the way through Jacobs and my middle worked all the way through Kinetic Books, I can assure you that KB has absolutely everything that's in Jacobs and then goes just a little bit further. Anybody who did Jacobs for Algebra could go right into KB for Algebra II with no problems though. My oldest used KB Algebra II while it was still in beta and enjoyed it (well, she enjoyed it more than any previous math she'd ever had). She did Jacobs for Algebra I because KB didn't exist yet when she was at that level. She didn't have any problems transitioning from Jacobs Algebra to Jacobs Geometry to Kinetic Books Algebra II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted September 25, 2010 Author Share Posted September 25, 2010 AngieW thank you so much, you have been a very helpful for me as I have embarked on upper level math. I really appreciate you posting your experiences and wisdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The impression I have gotten from reading reviews here is that its just as hard to change in the middle with algebra programs. Going from say Saxon to CD, or MUS to TT, since some aren't as rigorous or just follow their own unique sequence. I had just gotten the idea that even the algebra programs' scope and sequences were vastly different. The algebra sequence is fairly standard *if* you use standard texts. TT, MUS, and Saxon all fall under the category of nonstandard. However, it is straightforward to compare Jacobs, Foerster, Chalkdust (which uses a standard text), and Lial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.