So are all you AoPS-loving parents great at math?

[rbk mama]

My DS (11) is doing AoPS algebra this year and it is very challenging for him, and slow-going. He did about half of Foerster's last year and we switched this year only because I stumbled upon AoPS while researching our Geometry options. He says he prefers AoPS to Foersters (which was easy for him) because the latter was boring. Frankly I think part of what he likes is overall less writing, since there are fewer problems. I have mixed feelings about AoPS because 1) it is so slow-going and I wonder if its worth it to take this long.... I know, laying a good foundation in algebra and geometry is essential and we have time since he's so young, but still; and 2)*I* am challenged by these problems too! I worry about being able to help him as he progresses. So I'm curious if the homeschooling parents out there using AoPS are math-gifted (I know their kids probably are?) and if that is almost a requirement. OK maybe I am also a bit spoiled as I have three other kids and thus far DS has done his math entirely independently, just getting me occasionally if he was stuck. I did Calc 2 way, way back, but when I sit down to help him -- yikes, it takes a while to figure these gems out! :tongue_smilie:

[Deniseibase]

I'm not. I barely passed Alg I, the SECOND time I took it. I've gotten better at math since then, thank goodness, but still struggle. But, my DD is only in the AoPS Pre-Algebra right now, so I can't really address how to cope when the kid gets beyond my ability. I'm kinda figuring by then she'll be taking the online classes with AoPS and they can help her out.

[8filltheheart]

I am fine w/math until alg 2. I can do alg 2, but I have to think about what I am doing. :tongue_smilie:

 

My AoPS loving ds passed me in the beginning of 8th grade. I couldn't do his math now even if I tried for hrs. I am utterly clueless.

[MBM]

I have taken math through calculus in college only because it was required. That's it. Dh is very mathematical.

 

My son has taught himself math using AoPS so that he can avoid his dad's torturous, long-winded explanations. :D Toward the end of some of the books, ds has had to spend days on a single problem, but he likes that. He'd do math all day long if he could. But he can't.

 

Next year he'd like to try AoPS's WOOT. woot-woot!

 

We also like the books put out by Titu Andreescu and his math colleagues.

[rbk mama]

I am fine w/math until alg 2. I can do alg 2, but I have to think about what I am doing. :tongue_smilie:

 

My AoPS loving ds passed me in the beginning of 8th grade. I couldn't do his math now even if I tried for hrs. I am utterly clueless.

 

I have taken math through calculus in college only because it was required. That's it. Dh is very mathematical.

My son has taught himself math using AoPS so that he can avoid his dad's torturous, long-winded explanations. :D Toward the end of some of the books, ds has had to spend days on a single problem, but he likes that. He'd do math all day long if he could. But he can't.

Next year he'd like to try AoPS's WOOT. woot-woot!

We also like the books put out by Titu Andreescu and his math colleagues.

 

So what do you do when he is stuck? Or is the solutions manual usually sufficient for him? For us, sometimes even the solutions manual has not been clear enough. Though this has only happened once or twice so far. A few times I've just told him to look in the sm himself because honestly I didn't feel like figuring it out myself! :tongue_smilie:

[MBM]

So what do you do when he is stuck? Or is the solutions manual usually sufficient for him? For us, sometimes even the solutions manual has not been clear enough. Though this has only happened once or twice so far. A few times I've just told him to look in the sm himself because honestly I didn't feel like figuring it out myself! :tongue_smilie:

 

Neither my husband nor I even know where he's at most of the time. We usually know which chapter he's working on, but that's about it.

 

When ds gets really stuck, which he does, he'll sit and think about it and move on, still thinking about that problem. The answer or an inkling of an answer often just comes to him while riding in the car or whatever, and then he jots it down and tries it out later. He has to let things percolate in his mind. I actually think working on AoPS in bits and pieces throughout the day works better than long slog sessions. (He goes to school and fits AoPS in the nooks and crannies of his day.) So, definitely take breaks.

 

Also, your son is 11 and is new to AoPS. Going slow, experiencing some frustration is all par for course especially in the beginning. As he moves along and slowly figures things out, he'll get better. Btw, I don't think my son has found any AoPS book to be easier than the former ones.

 

Another hint: ask questions on the AoPS forum. Students are encouraged to help each other, and they do.

 

HTH. :)

[regentrude]

Both DH and I are theoretical physicists, so, yes, we are rather good at math and will be ahead of them until after calc 3 and diff eq. This said: some of the challenge problems have us puzzle quite a bit. Last year for geometry, it took each of us over an hour to work a particularly hard problem (we HAD to work it our ourselves, we did NOT want to consult the solution manual, LOL. There is something extremely rewarding in finally getting the answer.).

Our kids work independently for the lesson problems and the practice, but often need some help on the challenge problems. We have the solution manuals so they can check that their work was correct after they have completed their assignment. When they get stuck, they usually ask us, but sometimes get help from the manual.

[onaclairadeluna]

So what do you do when he is stuck? Or is the solutions manual usually sufficient for him? For us, sometimes even the solutions manual has not been clear enough. Though this has only happened once or twice so far. A few times I've just told him to look in the sm himself because honestly I didn't feel like figuring it out myself! :tongue_smilie:

 

I am pretty mathy and I have a math degree. Once I worked as a math tutor in a math lab and at least 50% of my students came in with stats questions. Since I never had a stats class, I had to improvise. I'd ask the student to tell me everything they knew about the problem. 9 times out of 10 the student would catch their mistake themselves. Once and awhile, I'd find the mistake for them. I think most parents even if you are not particularly gifted at math can do this with most high school level math. Honestly most math students don't need someone's "help" they just need to be able to bounce ideas off of someone. "Tell me about what you are doing in math..."

 

AOPS is designed to be self teaching so I haven't had to use my math skills too much to help my son. The solutions manual gives better explanations than I could most of the time. (We call it the "oracle")

 

I tend to try to not help my son because I want him to be able to do the work on his own. Often he'll go through the book doing only one or two challenge problems and then go back and do the rest. My son learns much better when he figures stuff out on his own. We talk about math all the time but I don't give him too much help.

 

AOPS algebra is really more than a typical Algebra one class so don't fret if it is taking longer than you expect. Also at 11 you really have plenty of time. It is something to be savored and appreciated like a great cup of tea.

[8filltheheart]

Neither my husband nor I even know where he's at most of the time. We usually know which chapter he's working on, but that's about it.

 

When ds gets really stuck, which he does, he'll sit and think about it and move on, still thinking about that problem. The answer or an inkling of an answer often just comes to him while riding in the car or whatever, and then he jots it down and tries it out later. He has to let things percolate in his mind. I actually think working on AoPS in bits and pieces throughout the day works better than long slog sessions. (He goes to school and fits AoPS in the nooks and crannies of his day.) So, definitely take breaks.

 

Also, your son is 11 and is new to AoPS. Going slow, experiencing some frustration is all par for course especially in the beginning. As he moves along and slowly figures things out, he'll get better. Btw, I don't think my son has found any AoPS book to be easier than the former ones.

 

Another hint: ask questions on the AoPS forum. Students are encouraged to help each other, and they do.

 

HTH. :)

 

This is our ds's experience exactly. He will go for long walks just to think about a math problem. He will jot down notes on possible solutions that come to him in the middle of doing something else.

 

FWIW, it is why I am not as big of a fan of the online classes as I probably should be. Ds has taken several and loved them--but AoPS problems are meant to be savored and pondered. True math lovers get a thrill out of finally arriving at a solution.

 

The pace of the online classes is fast. When he was in middle school it wasn't so much of an issue b/c he could slack at other things to spend more time on math. But, now that he is in high school, his heavy load is, well, heavy. He can't complete a course a break-neck speed and derive the pleasure from the challenge. Working independently at his own pace has suited him more.

 

As far as when he can't figure something out, I'm not sure what he does. He is friends with a phD in math and online w/lots of other math geeks. Whether he seeks input from them or from the SM, I don't know. I do know that he loves what does in AoPS and that he thoroughly understands it. I can't ask more than that! I took cal in college and made an A and I never understood anything that I was doing!!!

[Belacqua]

Yes, I am! Wait...you did say "hopelessly innumerate and barely able to add fractions," didn't you?

 

No. I am not great at math. :) Just ask my high school precalc teacher who probably has nightmares to this day about my convoluted reasoning. The kid surpassed me years ago, which is why I'm so profoundly grateful for AoPS.

 

I agree that the classes go by quickly. The kids chew on the practice problems for days, though. The forums are active and contentious and collegial and make me so envious we never had such a thing when we were kids.

 

And MBM, I can wholeheartedly recommend WOOT. It's costly, but I'd say it is worth every single dollar.

[rbk mama]

Neither my husband nor I even know where he's at most of the time. We usually know which chapter he's working on, but that's about it.

 

When ds gets really stuck, which he does, he'll sit and think about it and move on, still thinking about that problem. The answer or an inkling of an answer often just comes to him while riding in the car or whatever, and then he jots it down and tries it out later. He has to let things percolate in his mind. I actually think working on AoPS in bits and pieces throughout the day works better than long slog sessions. (He goes to school and fits AoPS in the nooks and crannies of his day.) So, definitely take breaks.

 

Also, your son is 11 and is new to AoPS. Going slow, experiencing some frustration is all par for course especially in the beginning. As he moves along and slowly figures things out, he'll get better. Btw, I don't think my son has found any AoPS book to be easier than the former ones.

 

Another hint: ask questions on the AoPS forum. Students are encouraged to help each other, and they do.

 

HTH. :)

 

Thank you for this encouragement. And I also appreciate hearing from you and others that I can hand things over to DS and not feel obligated to follow along with him! :D :hurray:

 

Both DH and I are theoretical physicists, so, yes, we are rather good at math and will be ahead of them until after calc 3 and diff eq. This said: some of the challenge problems have us puzzle quite a bit. Last year for geometry, it took each of us over an hour to work a particularly hard problem (we HAD to work it our ourselves, we did NOT want to consult the solution manual, LOL. There is something extremely rewarding in finally getting the answer.).

Our kids work independently for the lesson problems and the practice, but often need some help on the challenge problems. We have the solution manuals so they can check that their work was correct after they have completed their assignment. When they get stuck, they usually ask us, but sometimes get help from the manual.

 

This is our ds's experience exactly. He will go for long walks just to think about a math problem. He will jot down notes on possible solutions that come to him in the middle of doing something else.

 

FWIW, it is why I am not as big of a fan of the online classes as I probably should be. Ds has taken several and loved them--but AoPS problems are meant to be savored and pondered. True math lovers get a thrill out of finally arriving at a solution.

 

The pace of the online classes is fast. When he was in middle school it wasn't so much of an issue b/c he could slack at other things to spend more time on math. But, now that he is in high school, his heavy load is, well, heavy. He can't complete a course a break-neck speed and derive the pleasure from the challenge. Working independently at his own pace has suited him more.

 

As far as when he can't figure something out, I'm not sure what he does. He is friends with a phD in math and online w/lots of other math geeks. Whether he seeks input from them or from the SM, I don't know. I do know that he loves what does in AoPS and that he thoroughly understands it. I can't ask more than that! I took cal in college and made an A and I never understood anything that I was doing!!!

 

I am pretty mathy and I have a math degree. Once I worked as a math tutor in a math lab and at least 50% of my students came in with stats questions. Since I never had a stats class, I had to improvise. I'd ask the student to tell me everything they knew about the problem. 9 times out of 10 the student would catch their mistake themselves. Once and awhile, I'd find the mistake for them. I think most parents even if you are not particularly gifted at math can do this with most high school level math. Honestly most math students don't need someone's "help" they just need to be able to bounce ideas off of someone. "Tell me about what you are doing in math..."

 

AOPS is designed to be self teaching so I haven't had to use my math skills too much to help my son. The solutions manual gives better explanations than I could most of the time. (We call it the "oracle")

 

"Oracle"-I love it! So will DS; he's hearing this tomorrow. :D

 

I tend to try to not help my son because I want him to be able to do the work on his own. Often he'll go through the book doing only one or two challenge problems and then go back and do the rest. My son learns much better when he figures stuff out on his own. We talk about math all the time but I don't give him too much help.

 

AOPS algebra is really more than a typical Algebra one class so don't fret if it is taking longer than you expect. Also at 11 you really have plenty of time. It is something to be savored and appreciated like a great cup of tea.

 

Hmmm... so here is another question. What if he doesn't seem to "love it?" I mean, he complains about how long it takes him. His main interests are in his latest science questions and chess (OK this month its just chess). When I asked him if he'd like to go back to Foerster's he said no (boring), and when I mentioned him complaining about how long AoPS is taking him he was like, "I complain about everything. Never mind that." :glare: He is good at math, no question. But I don't know that he loves it.

[onaclairadeluna]

Hmmm... so here is another question. What if he doesn't seem to "love it?" I mean, he complains about how long it takes him. His main interests are in his latest science questions and chess (OK this month its just chess). When I asked him if he'd like to go back to Foerster's he said no (boring), and when I mentioned him complaining about how long AoPS is taking him he was like, "I complain about everything. Never mind that." :glare: He is good at math, no question. But I don't know that he loves it.

 

How long has he been working at AoPS? You might need to give it a little bit of time. How long do you have him work on math? Are you making him work on all the challenge problems. My son worked through the algebra book twice. First without challenge problems and then just challenge problems. With the geometry book he has tackled about half the challenge problems. (I am sure he'll go back and think about them later.)

 

I was really good at math as a kid and didn't love it, so I have some sympathy. I would have much rather had a text like AoPS than my regular text. Perhaps it would have kindled more interest for me. I do like math but though I have a degree my son tells me "I am not a mathematician."

 

IRL I am a band teacher. It really is ok to be great in math and not love it. (OK, I love it a little...) I am not sure all kids who are great at math and don't love it would be better off with AOPS but I am pretty sure it would have been a good fit for me as a kid.

[Deniseibase]

Thank you for this thread, and thank you especially for you 'been there done that' AoPS parents who are saying frustration is normal, give it some time, etc. I am getting such mixed signals from DD right now that I was starting to doubt if it would work out. She gets mad at having to explain things with WORDS, and gets mad when they show a solution for a problem that isn't the same approach as she used to get to the solution (what do you do about that? I've been making her re-do it, because I figure if she's doing straight as straight arithmetic when they have just spent pages showing her a new technique, she's not really going to learn the new technique if she doesn't do the practice problems that way too, but is that what you would do?). And we've slowed WAY down now that we are in Ch 2. BUT she's understanding things well enough, at least well enough to do them that way when told to, and this morning she looked at the problem set we are working on and said "Yay, challenge problems!" when she saw some of them were starred. Obviously it's only been a few weeks, so I was planning on giving it some more time and seeing how it goes, but reading that other parents have seen frustration too makes me feel better about taking a wait and see approach.

[onaclairadeluna]

She gets mad at having to explain things with WORDS, and gets mad when they show a solution for a problem that isn't the same approach as she used to get to the solution (what do you do about that? I've been making her re-do it, because I figure if she's doing straight as straight arithmetic when they have just spent pages showing her a new technique, she's not really going to learn the new technique if she doesn't do the practice problems that way too, but is that what you would do?).

 

When my son would have a different solution from the book I would praise him for coming up with a different solution. I would challenge him to try to understand the solution in the book and then decide which one he likes better. Math is kind of like art. Different is usually good and the more different styles that you can appreciate the better your art will be.

 

AOPS isn't so much about learning techniques as it is about learning how to think and analyze. Encourage your DD to think about how the authors of the book did the problem and then compare it to her own solution. She might like her way better. She might even have a better way. But even if it's not, it's ok if she likes it better. It's kind of like if a child copies a Vangogh and likes her picture better...you know I am not going to try to get this child to like the Vangogh better, even if it is a masterpiece. It's ok. You learn from the masters but you want to develop your own style.

[Deniseibase]

When my son would have a different solution from the book I would praise him for coming up with a different solution. I would challenge him to try to understand the solution in the book and then decide which one he likes better. Math is kind of like art. Different is usually good and the more different styles that you can appreciate the better your art will be.

 

AOPS isn't so much about learning techniques as it is about learning how to think and analyze. Encourage your DD to think about how the authors of the book did the problem and then compare it to her own solution. She might like her way better. She might even have a better way. But even if it's not, it's ok if she likes it better. It's kind of like if a child copies a Vangogh and likes her picture better...you know I am not going to try to get this child to like the Vangogh better, even if it is a masterpiece. It's ok. You learn from the masters but you want to develop your own style.

 

I get what you are saying, but I'm not sure that applies just yet. For instance, one of the problems we did recently was evaluate 901 squared. They had JUST - literally on the previous line - shown how 8 squared was the same as 7 squared + 2(7) + 1. But she tried to solve the problem by straight arithmetic, multiplying 901 X 901. So, I think maybe not quite the same as being creative about a problem, y'know? Or would you still consider that ok? I can't figure out if I'm being too rigid or not!! :)

[onaclairadeluna]

I get what you are saying, but I'm not sure that applies just yet. For instance, one of the problems we did recently was evaluate 901 squared. They had JUST - literally on the previous line - shown how 8 squared was the same as 7 squared + 2(7) + 1. But she tried to solve the problem by straight arithmetic, multiplying 901 X 901.

 

OK, I see. Hmm...I am not sure what I would do here. Is she having a hard time seeing why their algorithm works? What if you tried drawing this on graph paper? It might help her visualize it. A big 8x8 square with a 7x7 square inside with the 1x7 rectangles and the little one unit square in the corner. YKWIM?

[wapiti]

I get what you are saying, but I'm not sure that applies just yet. For instance, one of the problems we did recently was evaluate 901 squared. They had JUST - literally on the previous line - shown how 8 squared was the same as 7 squared + 2(7) + 1. But she tried to solve the problem by straight arithmetic, multiplying 901 X 901. So, I think maybe not quite the same as being creative about a problem, y'know? Or would you still consider that ok? I can't figure out if I'm being too rigid or not!! :)

What happens if you remind her to look at what she just learned about numbers, and to ask herself whether that might help her solve the problem easier? (maybe if you could hover nearby, until you can see that she's using what the lesson taught?)

 

We just started today, and yes, at first my dd also wanted to add up the numbers without regard for what we had just learned. But once I reminded her, she thought for a moment, and then there was this big, "Ohhhhh! I see what I can do...." (Still, I had to remind her to stop and think until like the 4th problem :glare:)

[Deniseibase]

OK, I see. Hmm...I am not sure what I would do here. Is she having a hard time seeing why their algorithm works? What if you tried drawing this on graph paper? It might help her visualize it. A big 8x8 square with a 7x7 square inside with the 1x7 rectangles and the little one unit square in the corner. YKWIM?

 

That's exactly what they had in the book, right above the 901 squared problem. And she SEEMED to understand it, but now I'm wondering if she really did. She DID re-draw the picture on her paper, and labeled the parts to show how it was broken out. And when I asked her why she didn't do it that way for 901 squared, she just said she didn't know...maybe it's puberty!! :D

[Deniseibase]

What happens if you remind her to look at what she just learned about numbers, and to ask herself whether that might help her solve the problem easier? (maybe if you could hover nearby, until you can see that she's using what the lesson taught?)

 

We just started today, and yes, at first my dd also wanted to add up the numbers without regard for what we had just learned. But once I reminded her, she thought for a moment, and then there was this big, "Ohhhhh! I see what I can do...." (Still, I had to remind her to stop and think until like the 4th problem :glare:)

 

I will try that tomorrow, thanks!!

[regentrude]

What if he doesn't seem to "love it?" I mean, he complains about how long it takes him. His main interests are in his latest science questions and chess (OK this month its just chess). When I asked him if he'd like to go back to Foerster's he said no (boring), and when I mentioned him complaining about how long AoPS is taking him he was like, "I complain about everything. Never mind that." :glare: He is good at math, no question. But I don't know that he loves it.

 

That's a shame - because without love, he gets only half the fun.

How much time does he spend on math? I would make sure to keep sessions to not more than one hour (unless the student is driven and ambitious and does not want to stop - like my DD). DS 12 today worked two challenge problems on complex numbers, took 40 minutes, that was it.

 

Are you on the algebra book? Make sure he understands that he does not have to cover the whole book in one school year. My very math loving DD took 200+ hours to complete Intro to algebra; my son will stretch it over 6th and 7th grade.

We did NOT make a schedule, we just let the kids work on math every day, and progress at whatever rate worked for them. So, maybe you can keep his lessons shorter?

[joannqn]

So what do you do when he is stuck? Or is the solutions manual usually sufficient for him? For us, sometimes even the solutions manual has not been clear enough.

 

I'm only a week into our first AoPS book, and I'm running into the same problem here. The solutions manual is just as confusing if I don't have a basic understanding of the work to begin with, so I've made it my goal to work along with him in math. Relearning math is something I've want to do for a long time, though. I did run into a problem this week where I got to the step before the ultimate solution, and I still don't completely understand how they got from there to the end. It is hard!

 

Also, your son is 11 and is new to AoPS. Going slow, experiencing some frustration is all par for course especially in the beginning. As he moves along and slowly figures things out, he'll get better. Btw, I don't think my son has found any AoPS book to be easier than the former ones.

 

Another hint: ask questions on the AoPS forum. Students are encouraged to help each other, and they do.

 

I'm hoping it gets better! My hesitation about using the forum is that neither DS nor I know Latex, so how are we suppose to participate on the forum. Of course, we could scrap some of our school work to study and learn Latex, but that's not really an option that I like.

 

I get what you are saying, but I'm not sure that applies just yet. For instance, one of the problems we did recently was evaluate 901 squared. They had JUST - literally on the previous line - shown how 8 squared was the same as 7 squared + 2(7) + 1. But she tried to solve the problem by straight arithmetic, multiplying 901 X 901. So, I think maybe not quite the same as being creative about a problem, y'know? Or would you still consider that ok? I can't figure out if I'm being too rigid or not!! :)

 

DS does the same thing. I go back and show him the pattern, hoping he'll start to see these things on his own.

[rbk mama]

That's a shame - because without love, he gets only half the fun.

How much time does he spend on math? I would make sure to keep sessions to not more than one hour (unless the student is driven and ambitious and does not want to stop - like my DD). DS 12 today worked two challenge problems on complex numbers, took 40 minutes, that was it.

 

Are you on the algebra book? Make sure he understands that he does not have to cover the whole book in one school year. My very math loving DD took 200+ hours to complete Intro to algebra; my son will stretch it over 6th and 7th grade.

We did NOT make a schedule, we just let the kids work on math every day, and progress at whatever rate worked for them. So, maybe you can keep his lessons shorter?

 

Yes, it is a shame; I wish he loved it. :( But he doesn't. We are on the Intro to Algebra book. Right now I tell him to work for an hour, and he sets a timer. I wonder if I removed that requirement of one hour, if maybe he would feel differently about the whole thing. I don't know how I came up with that amount -- just seemed reasonable for 6th grade. I think I can't get away with no time requirement, since he really would choose to not do math at all then! But maybe we could try less and see how that goes. Oh, and *I* needed to hear that he doesn't need to finish in one year. :001_rolleyes:

[regentrude]

Right now I tell him to work for an hour, and he sets a timer. I wonder if I removed that requirement of one hour, if maybe he would feel differently about the whole thing. I don't know how I came up with that amount -- just seemed reasonable for 6th grade. I think I can't get away with no time requirement, since he really would choose to not do math at all then! But maybe we could try less and see how that goes. Oh, and *I* needed to hear that he doesn't need to finish in one year. :001_rolleyes:

 

Can you be involved in his math lesson? Sometimes a time limit is not a good idea, because that may leave you hanging mid-problem, or start a new section for just a little bit. We do aim for the hour, but only if the breakdown of the material works out this way.

The problems are quite challenging at times, and require work at high concentration - so maybe an hour is too much for your 6th grader (I don't know your son, of course). I would sit with him and see how things go; break off when his concentration starts to go - which is usually obvious because they then suddenly make lots of computational errors, sign mistakes etc.

 

It may help if you both approach this extremely relaxed: keep in mind that if he finishes half(!) the book, he will still be three years ahead of the standard ps schedule (alg 1 in 9th) and 2 years ahead of the courses for the better students (alg 1 in 8th). So, the way I do math with my son is: completely no pressure. You have ALL the time your kid needs. Even if he can only work for 30 minutes in one sitting - you are in absolutely no hurry.

[kiana]

I'm hoping it gets better! My hesitation about using the forum is that neither DS nor I know Latex, so how are we suppose to participate on the forum. Of course, we could scrap some of our school work to study and learn Latex, but that's not really an option that I like.

 

I am learning right now, actually. I downloaded TeXnicCenter and after I got it running it's pretty user-friendly. It's got buttons to click on like Word's equation editor that will enter the command you need into the document, so if you forget the command for something you can just hunt for the picture instead of looking it up in a table. It's not taking that much extra time.

[onaclairadeluna]

Of course, we could scrap some of our school work to study and learn Latex, but that's not really an option that I like.

 

Most math can be typed as long as you know a few conventions. Times is written with an asterisk 2*3=6

 

You write exponents with this sign (above the 6 on your keyboard) ^

3^2=9

 

And a square root can be written

 

sqrt9=3

 

So you don't need to know full blown latex. It makes it look prettier but you can still communicate.

 

Also, you can ask here. I am sure people would be willing to help (or our kids).

[melmichigan]

Most math can be typed as long as you know a few conventions. Times is written with an asterisk 2*3=6

 

You write exponents with this sign (above the 6 on your keyboard) ^

3^2=9

 

And a square root can be written

 

sqrt9=3

 

So you don't need to know full blown latex. It makes it look prettier but you can still communicate.

 

Also, you can ask here. I am sure people would be willing to help (or our kids).

 

I printed the special syntax list from the alcumus introduction but it is difficult to get my mind around. I guess it will just take some time to get used to.

 

OP-I am not great at math, I only took through Calc in high school, but I'm really starting to like AoPS. I agreed to do any problems DD does for the semester, including Alcumus, so I am learning right along with my DD right now. I think that is helping a lot with her motivation. She is working problems in Alcumus that I know a few days ago she wouldn't have even attempted, she is spending more time on an individual problem than I have ever seen her spend, and is smiling and giggling when she gets something right. It's like a whole new child has emerged. I hope it continues as we move through the semester.

Edited September 3, 2011 by melmichigan

[rbk mama]

Can you be involved in his math lesson? Sometimes a time limit is not a good idea, because that may leave you hanging mid-problem, or start a new section for just a little bit. We do aim for the hour, but only if the breakdown of the material works out this way.

The problems are quite challenging at times, and require work at high concentration - so maybe an hour is too much for your 6th grader (I don't know your son, of course). I would sit with him and see how things go; break off when his concentration starts to go - which is usually obvious because they then suddenly make lots of computational errors, sign mistakes etc.

 

It may help if you both approach this extremely relaxed: keep in mind that if he finishes half(!) the book, he will still be three years ahead of the standard ps schedule (alg 1 in 9th) and 2 years ahead of the courses for the better students (alg 1 in 8th). So, the way I do math with my son is: completely no pressure. You have ALL the time your kid needs. Even if he can only work for 30 minutes in one sitting - you are in absolutely no hurry.

 

I thought he understood that the one hour is a general aim, and he can stop sooner if the sections work out that way - I'll double check. But anyway I'm thinking we do need to relax more on this, and that could make it more enjoyable for him. He may benefit from more of a range - 40 min. to an hour - depending on how the problems work out. Thanks for the encouragement about the time we have. :D

[rbk mama]

OP-I am not great at math, I only took through Calc in high school, but I'm really starting to like AoPS. I agreed to do any problems DD does for the semester, including Alcumus, so I am learning right along with my DD right now. I think that is helping a lot with her motivation. She is working problems in Alcumus that I know a few days ago she wouldn't have even attempted, she is spending more time on an individual problem than I have ever seen her spend, and is smiling and giggling when she gets something right. It's like a whole new child has emerged. I hope it continues as we move through the semester.

 

You are a great mom! My DS would LOVE if I did that -- do the same problems he is doing. I just. Can't. I just don't have the bandwidth for that right now. :tongue_smilie: But I thinks its really awesome you are doing that; I bet you are creating some wonderful memories for your DD.

[Tullia]

Wow the books sound fun. Maybe I'll buy one for myself. LOL

 

Ds bought several AoPS books to use on his own. I've moved the C&P book to my bookshelf on semi-permanent loan and do a couple of problems a day. It is so much fun. BTW, I :rofl: every time I see your "Find x...here it is." I sooo wanted to say something like that to my high school teacher, but didn't dare.

 

ETA: Didn't address the OP's question. In the case of dh a resounding yes. He uses math in his work and finds typical math curricula boring and trivial. In my case a tentative yes...in the past tense. My last formal math course was in the 1970's. I had an unpleasant surprise when ds hit algebra. I could still see the answers, but had totally forgotten the intermediate steps.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Martha in NM