lavender Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Ok, I am all ears. I need to pick a physics book and I have narrowed it down to these two. I need to have something self teaching with a solution manual for a student interested in possibly engineering or architecture. I love the graphics of Kinetics physics, the coverage in their table of contents, and that it is calculus based. My gripe is that I can't get the Kinetics people to sell me a solution manual, which could be a deal breaker if my kid gets stuck because I will not be much help. With Saxon Physics, I like that Dive will have lectures to all the lessons and a solution manual included. I think it teaches the calculus that is necessary to solve the problems. Not sure of the coverage of topics is as extensive as compared to Saxon. What to do? Help Please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I love the graphics of Kinetics physics, the coverage in their table of contents, and that it is calculus based. My gripe is that I can't get the Kinetics people to sell me a solution manual, which could be a deal breaker if my kid gets stuck because I will not be much help. With Saxon Physics, I like that Dive will have lectures to all the lessons and a solution manual included. I think it teaches the calculus that is necessary to solve the problems. Not sure of the coverage of topics is as extensive as compared to Saxon. I was under the impression that Saxon Physics is algebra based, not calculus based. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 If you register for a single course, you can purchase a solution's manual for KB from Kolbe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Saxon Physics doesn't have any calculus. It's all algebra based, but IMO should be used by strong math students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 If you register for a single course, you can purchase a solution's manual for KB from Kolbe. Yes, I checked out Kolbe, but they use the Priniciples Physics version, not the version for "Scientists and Engingeers".... And I kinda wanted this version. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 I was under the impression that Saxon Physics is algebra based, not calculus based. ??? You may be right about that, I wasn't completely certain as I only have second hand knowledge and have never worked though any of there problem sets. Someone at some point reported to me that it was, but that could be erroneous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Yes, I checked out Kolbe, but they use the Priniciples Physics version, not the version for "Scientists and Engingeers".... And I kinda wanted this version. :(My sr used th course back in8th grade, so my memories are definitely fuzzy. (In my life terms, that was a baby, a cross country move, a ds getting married and 2 grandbabies ago!!). ;) But, I think, you really need to verify, that there is in reality only 1program and that the distinction is sections and problems. I am almost 100% positive that that is the only distinction between conceptual and principles, but I am not so sure about scientists/engineers. If it is, then you would have access to answers to a large portion of the course. Eta: I just went on their website and the TOC and subsection contents for each program are viewable online. Just looking at those might answer whether or not it is worth even pursuing an actual answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 Ok so this is what I have found to compare. Here is the Kinetics Physics for Engineers TOC: http://www.kineticbooks.com/products/textbook/Physics%20for%20Scientists%20and%20Engineers/index.html And here is the TOC for Saxon Physics: http://www.exodusbooks.com/Samples/SAX/SaxPTOC.pdf They each look really different, but maybe just the order that topics are introduced? What you you guys think? WWYPick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Kinetic Principles is algebra based and the one for Scientists and Engineers is calculus based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Ok so this is what I have found to compare. Here is the Kinetics Physics for Engineers TOC: http://www.kineticbooks.com/products/textbook/Physics%20for%20Scientists%20and%20Engineers/index.html And here is the TOC for Saxon Physics: http://www.exodusbooks.com/Samples/SAX/SaxPTOC.pdf They each look really different, but maybe just the order that topics are introduced? What you you guys think? WWYPick? If it had to be between those two, there would be no question for me that I'd pick Kinetics. I dislike the disjointed way in which Saxon treats the material and prefer a more organic standard way of teaching (FWIW, I have been teaching physics at a university for 12 years) This said, the programs are really not comparable: you first need to decide what you want in a physics program. Has your student had enough calculus to take a calculus based physics course, and is that what he wants? I personally prefer to start a high school student with an algebra/trig based course and not right away with a calc based one for scientists and engineers, but I'd not choose Saxon for this purpose. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Here's another thread on Saxon physics: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/484323-saxon-physics/?hl=%2Bsaxon+%2Bphysics&do=findComment&comment=5140216 Saxon does have a little calculus (just polynomials), but is not really a calculus-based physics course. That said, I just couldn't get into the way that Saxon teaches physics. I haven't decided 100%, but I'm pretty sure we'll do one of the Hewitt Conceptual books for physics. We'd be ready for more, but we're doing multiple languages and plus I want to get in at least a semester of calculus. The math is more important to me that a tough physics course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 Thank you all very much, I really appreciate all the input. It has given me more to think about and consider. Such a tough thing to pick curricula for your student...keeping it interesting and engaging, but also academically solid...especially when the subject is not ( and never has been) appealing to the teacher. :) Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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