LanaTron Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 My ds is using LoF Advanced Algebra. He is good at math, but not "genius," and he's done well with the LoF series. I was and am good at math. It wasn't what I studied in college, but so far, I've been able to help him on the few topics where he needed help. Today he was doing Proofs by Math Induction. I've never seen this stuff in my life, and although after working through some of the problems with him, I have a basic grasp of what's going on, but I don't fully understand why we are doing the steps. These problems are HARD. I started looking at what was coming up next, and there are other things I have never heard of in my life. I pulled up on the web the TOC for Lial's Intermediate Algebra, which dd14 will do when she gets to Alg 2, and it has all the stuff I remember from alg 2, but not some of the topics in LoF Advanced Algebra. I'm thinking that if some of these topics aren't normally covered in Algebra 2, I'll give ds credit for attempting to understand them and struggling with them, but if he doesn't master them, that will be okay. Here are the topics of concern: Proofs by Math Induction Linear Programming Arithmetic Progressions Geometric Sequences Sum of a Geometric Progression Permutation of n Things Taken r at a Time Combination of n Things Taken r at a Time We hit one of these "questionable" topics earlier: determinants. I went to Kahn Academy for help with that, and we managed to get a decent grasp of what was going on. But I just don't have hours and hours to spend on these higher math topics, even though I'd love to. I do have other kids to teach, and ds has other subjects that need his attention. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Geometric Sequences Sum of a Geometric Progression Permutation of n Things Taken r at a Time Combination of n Things Taken r at a Time These look more like topics in Probability & Statistics to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martha in GA Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Doliciani oovered all of those topics except proofs by math induction and linear programming (I'm not sure what that is) in Algebra 2. It also looks like we will revisit those topics in Pre-calculus with the Larson book. HTH. Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 hmmm...so that would lead me to believe that some series put it in algebra 2, and some put it in pre-calc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 thanks for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsidian Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 .Proofs by Math Induction Linear Programming Arithmetic Progressions Geometric Sequences Sum of a Geometric Progression Permutation of n Things Taken r at a Time Combination of n Things Taken r at a Time All of those topics are in AoPS' algebra books. Some of the topics are in the Intro to Algebra book, some in the Intermediate Algebra book, and some in both books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 But isn't AoPS for advanced math people? So, not necessarily a "typical" algebra 2 course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsidian Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 (edited) But isn't AoPS for advanced math people? So, not necessarily a "typical" algebra 2 course? Yes, however much of the difficulty of AoPS is the depth and not necessarily different topics (although they do cover topics outside the normal scope). For example, within sequences and series, they cover arithmetic sequences and series, geometric sequences and series, telescoping sequences and series, recursive series, Sigma notation, and nested sums, plus a few other topics. ETA: Sequences, series, and induction definitely are difficult. Those three chapters are considered among the most difficult in Intermediate Algebra. Edited September 22, 2011 by STEM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 okay, thanks. That helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 So, I decide to check on some of these topics at Kahn Academy, and on the front page is a new video on Proofs by Induction--the exact topic we got stumped on today! lol I guess we'll make it through this. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsidian Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 So, I decide to check on some of these topics at Kahn Academy, and on the front page is a new video on Proofs by Induction--the exact topic we got stumped on today! lol I guess we'll make it through this. :-) How perfect.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Kinetic Books has all of them in their Algebra II. They are also in Larson's Precalculus and Lial's Precalculus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cave canem Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I studied these topics in my high school algebra II class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Hmm...interesting and reinforces what I said before about some series having it in Alg. 2, others in Pre-Calc. At any rate, I'm feeling more confident today. He did the final problem of the proof by induction "Your Turn to Play" on his own today, although he forgot to watch the Kahn Academy video first. He was looking at a problem we did together yesterday to help him remember the steps. And after I watched the KA video, I had a little better grasp of what we were doing and why, so I think ds will get it even better than I once he watches the videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Yeah, it is possible that I have had some of these topics, but just don't remember at all. I did go through Calculus 1, which I took first semester of college (fall of 1987), but those topics are drawing total blanks for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 FWIW, I didn't have any of those in high school either. They were definitely in college. But ds did do them in Foerster's also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I'm thinking that if some of these topics aren't normally covered in Algebra 2, I'll give ds credit for attempting to understand them and struggling with them, but if he doesn't master them, that will be okay. Here are the topics of concern: Proofs by Math Induction Linear Programming Arithmetic Progressions Geometric Sequences Sum of a Geometric Progression Permutation of n Things Taken r at a Time Combination of n Things Taken r at a Time I remember doing all but Linear Programming in High school. Inductive proofs are hard to understand, I'll give you that, but they do show an important part of math. I wouldn't group the rest of these subjects together with proofs, though. The last two, permutation and combinations are (IMHO) lots of fun, interesting, and come up in the real world again and again, especially if you like playing board games with dice or card games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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