Basic College Math (Lials) ?

[KerriF]

I've been reading old posts on the boards about pre-algebra and I'm wondering if Basic College Math Lials would be the correct text for a 7th grader starting pre algebra? :confused:

 

Also if anyone has any insight of going into BCM from having completed MUS through Zeta?

 

Thanks for your help. My head is spinning :lol:

 

Kerri :)

[Trish]

I just noticed that there is a Lial's book on Amazon called Pre-Algebra And Introductory Algebra. Has anyone used this?

 

I'm trying to decide between algebra and pre-algebra for next year. Would something like this allow me to have my cake and solve it too?

[AngieW in Texas]

My youngest is using MUS prealgebra right now, but if I could get her to use a computer-based program, she would be in Kinetic Books Prealgebra. I'm going to try to convince her to try KB Prealgebra after she finishes MUs prealgebra.

[jcross222]

I purchased the BCM book used on Amazon and intend to use it along with the Lial's Pre-Alg book next year for pre-algebra with my 7th graders. We have used MUS though Zeta,finishing it up in another month or so.

It looks like there will be quite a bit of review in BCM, so I decided to move through it in approx. 1 semester and then go to the Pre-algebra book for the second half of the year, skipping any significant redundencies. I figure that should take us into the summer before 8th grade.

 

In 8th grade then we will use the Introductory Algebra book for a years worth of algebra.

 

Both the BCM book and the Pre-Alg book have diagnostic pretests at the beginning of the book that you can use to see if there are any areas that are needing special attention. Also, in my opinion, the BCM seems to have simpler problems and math vocabulary (i.e. numbers versus integers) than the pre-alg book so I feel that my twin 7th graders will speed through it faster. It has 10 chapters that I think are not unreasonable to cover in 1 semester as a grand review of material learned over the years with MUS.

We will then take the Pre-alg text as it goes as it definitely reads more like an Algebra text to me.

 

I hope this helps you. Also, I bought all 3 texts used on amazon or alibris for fewer than $10 each. I don't think much changes from edition to edition other than some minor layout differences.:001_smile: