What are your opinions on Mathematics: A Human Endeavor by Jacobs?

[lewelma]

I am doing some long term planning for my younger son, and I am considering using this book in the future because of the wonderful topics and investigations. I am curious about a few things:

 

What is your opinion of this book?

How long did it take you to get through?

How did you use sets 1, 2, and 3? There are a lot of problems, but not a lot of overlap.

Did you do the "problems for further exploration"? They are listed as lesson 1 - 6, did you spend 6 days on them?

Is the workbook worth the price?

Is there a cheap answer key? (I found some very expensive teacher's editions!)

 

Thanks for any input!

 

Ruth in NZ

[Jean in Newcastle]

We did this book and enjoyed it. We goofed though and tried to do every single set so it took us over a year to get through it. From what I know of Jacobs now, I would focus on set 2, with an occasional set 1 if it is a hard chapter that needs more review and an occasional set 3 for extra credit. We did not use the workbook. I did have the teacher's guide.

[EKS]

We did MHE between Algebra I and geometry. If I had it to do over again, I'd do it before Algebra I. You can get through the book in a semester if you do one section per day.

[Jean in Newcastle]

We did MHE between Algebra I and geometry. If I had it to do over again, I'd do it before Algebra I. You can get through the book in a semester if you do one section per day.

 

Yes, we did it before Algebra 1 and it worked out well.

[Heathermomster]

Ok..What level math book is this? Is it pre-algebra? How does it compare with Basic College Math by Lials? Is one preferred over the other?

[EKS]

Ok..What level math book is this? Is it pre-algebra? How does it compare with Basic College Math by Lials? Is one preferred over the other?

 

It's not really a particular level. Its goal is to introduce students to the beauty of math. It is totally different from BCM. The goal of BCM is to remediate arithmetic and prealgebra deficiencies in adults. It is a no nonsense, straightforward math book. MHE assumes that students don't know (or remember) basic algebra, but its goal is to inspire students. BCM starts with addition (from what I remember) and marches systematically through ending up with solving basic algebraic equations (again, from what I remember). MHE starts with a chapter on inductive and deductive reasoning, then moves to a chapter on number sequences, a chapter on various types of functions (*very* introductory), another on large numbers and logarithms, and so forth.

 

I would use BCM with a child who needs to brush up on the basics. I'd use MHE with a child who gets the basics and would benefit from a more inspirational approach.

[crazyforlatin]

I just requested this book from the library to look at the font size. I have younger child who would be interested in MHE, but one of the reviews on amazon.com complained about the font size. Ruth, I would have to buy the workbook because DD has a difficult time copying problems over to graph paper. She even writes in her AOPS Pre-A book. That workbook is sure expensive, more than a used copy of MHE.

[EKS]

I just requested this book from the library to look at the font size. I have younger child who would be interested in MHE, but one of the reviews on amazon.com complained about the font size. Ruth, I would have to buy the workbook because DD has a difficult time copying problems over to graph paper. She even writes in her AOPS Pre-A book. That workbook is sure expensive, more than a used copy of MHE.

 

 

The font is about the size of 11 point Times New Roman.

 

Just a heads up on the workbook--The workbook is written so that the text is required, meaning that there are spaces to write the answers but the questions aren't in the workbook. It isn't all like this in that there are some places where things have been transferred. Also, for graphs, they say to "use graph paper." They also have extra problems, which were met with much disgruntlement. I won't use the workbook again.

 

I am currently considering using MHE with my younger son. He also has issues with copying problems. If I do end up using it with him, I will probably make the lessons interactive with me and a whiteboard rather than copy problems for him. I have no issue with this because the intent of the book is not learning a set of skills for which independent practice is important.

[lewelma]

the intent of the book is not learning a set of skills for which independent practice is important.

 

This is the conclusion I have come up with. Fascinating approach, really. I have never seen a math textbook like it.

[lewelma]

I just requested this book from the library to look at the font size. I have younger child who would be interested in MHE, but one of the reviews on amazon.com complained about the font size. Ruth, I would have to buy the workbook because DD has a difficult time copying problems over to graph paper. She even writes in her AOPS Pre-A book. That workbook is sure expensive, more than a used copy of MHE.

 

The font size seems fine to me. There is a lot of white space in the book, and the paragraphs only run half way across the page, so there is 2 or 3 inches of white space on the outer edge of each page. AoPS preA is a wider book, so the paragraphs are almost 2 times as wide.

 

I never thought about it, but I bet you could just write your answers in this white space given that the textbook is so cheap and the workbook both expensive and not completely useful.

[crazyforlatin]

Thanks Kai and Ruth, so no workbook for us, given that DD will attempt to write in any math textbook.

 

So if I don't get the workbook, then I don't really need the updated version of the textbook which is about $30. I could just get an older version for $10. Oh, in fact, I should just request the other versions from the library as well. If I lose the books, I would have to pay $200 per book, which is why I try to avoid inter library requests.