Lial's Pre-calc -- how long should this take?

[GailV]

I found a couple of old threads that mentioned this is at least a 3 semester class. One is here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/219761-lials-precalculus/ and another here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/331812-lials-precalculus-do-you-assign-all-of-the-problems/

 

So, here we are, in April of high school year, still slogging through chapter 7 Trigonometric Identities and Equations. Still to come is 8 Applications of Trig, 9 Systems and Matrices, 10 Analytic Geometry, and 11 Further Topics in Algebra (including sequences and series, and basics of probability). This is the 3rd edition, for what it's worth.

 

Part of the issue is that dd has been lazy about getting the assignments done. Part is that she's been sick. I let it slide when she was prepping for the ACT, which she's taken twice this year.

 

Right now I'm looking for assurance that we're not actually 4 chapters behind; we're actually only 2 or 3 chapters behind since we couldn't be expected to finish the entire thing by now anyway.

 

Gah, let me know I shouldn't just throw in the towel and give up, or else lock her in her room until she gets it all done.

[EKS]

I have the 4th edition, which I am guessing is similar to (if not virtually identical to) the 3rd.

 

At a pace of two days per section, plus a day for review and a day for a chapter test, if you include the review chapter at the beginning, the book should take one solid school year of 180 days. Not doing the review chapter gives a little more wiggle room at 164 days.

 

I wouldn't throw in the towel or lock her up. I would try to eliminate whatever has been getting in the way of her going at a faster pace and not give a precalculus credit until the book is finished. If she has to work on it during the summer, she might be able to go at double speed (on a per day basis) if she doesn't have any other classes.