Algebra review for SAT?

[beachnut]

My DS took Algebra 1 in 7th grade and is taking Algebra 2 in 9th grade. He won't take the SAT until 11th grade, which means he'll need some kind of review of algebra before he takes the SAT. What is the best way to review these math concepts? (He is a B student in an honors class, so he does well, but math's not his thing. Not my thing either, so I'll be of no help in the review process.) I know about Khan Academy, so that's always an option. But I was considering buying Life of Fred or Art of Problem Solving and having him work through the text in the summer before 11th grade. Good idea? Bad? Just stick with Khan Academy -- it's good enough? Other ideas? :confused:

[AngieW in Texas]

He'll get a lot of algebra review with Precalculus and with chemistry and algebra-based physics (like Giancoli's).

 

If he's doing Algebra 2 in 9th, then he'll be doing precalculus in 10th.

 

Another thing, I recommend getting the SAT blue book (that's the one with 10 released SAT tests inside) published by the college board. He should do a few of them as practice tests the summer before 11th grade and then concentrate on working through all the tests in the book and check to see why he missed each problem that he missed.

 

Studying the specific types of problems on the SAT is more likely to help him than going back to do a basic algebra review.

[Kathy in Richmond]

Another thing, I recommend getting the SAT blue book (that's the one with 10 released SAT tests inside) published by the college board. He should do a few of them as practice tests the summer before 11th grade and then concentrate on working through all the tests in the book and check to see why he missed each problem that he missed.

 

Studying the specific types of problems on the SAT is more likely to help him than going back to do a basic algebra review.

 

:iagree: SAT specific practice will do him more good than running through AoPS algebra over the summer (and I love AoPS algebra!).

 

Get the book Angie advised, and use the Khan Academy videos here to go over each and every problem he misses.

[beachnut]

Thank you both for the great advice and specific suggestions. I never took pre-calculus, so I had no idea that it included any algebra. (See? I told you math is not my thing.) You just saved me money buying unnecessary curriculum. :D I will stick to the SAT Blue Book for the practice tests, use Khan Academy videos and rely on DS's 10th grade pre-calc & chemistry classes for the appropriate algebra review. Thanks again!