11 year old-how to fill "gaps" in math-HELP

[pjssully]

Hi-- My 11 year old daughter is very bright but seems to have some "holes" in math--such as percents, interest, probability and a little geometry stuff. She used HOrzions through 1/2 of sixth grade and then did Teaching Textbooks Pre Algebra last year. I thought she was doing well, i was getting good marks on her tests, yet she doesn't remember or know how to do some of the simple things i think she needs to know before moving on to Algebra 1. We talked about it today since she has done a few weeks of Algebra 1 and suggested using Saxon 1/2 or Saxon 8/7 to just "fill the gaps" Well, she had a fit--she hates Saxon and i think she feels bad about having to go back to other math. Is there anyway i can assure myself that she has learned what she needs before going into the higher math? Any suggestions--please!!!!

thanks

pam

[8filltheheart]

I would suggest looking in to the Key to series and targeting the specific areas of weakness. I would not worry about probability, though. It will be addressed in algebra. Nor would I worry about interest in isolation. It is a function of understanding percentages.

[angela in ohio]

I would finish the 6th grade Horizons and then get her a good solid 7th grade math textbook and work all of the way through it before starting Algebra.

[forty-two]

Lial's Basic College Math is another choice.

 

But if you are reasonable at this level of math (and you think she is ready overall for algebra - you know these are her only holes), you could just make up a few problems each day, and help her work through them.

 

For example, percent problems usually follow a pattern of base x %change = new amt. So you could start off with very straightforward problems, helping her get the basic idea of translating the word problem into a correct eq:

The pencil is $1 at full price. On sale it is 25% off. How much do you save? What is the sale price?

On sale the pencil is $.75. At full price it is $1. The sale price is what percentage of the full price? The full price is what percentage of the sale price? The sale price is what percentage off the full price?

 

Then a bit more complex:

Jenny was 6lbs at birth. If her brother was 25% heavier when he was born, what did he weigh at birth? If he was 25% lighter than Jenny when he was born, then what did he weigh?

 

Eventually problems like:

There are 25% more boys than girls at the school. If there are 500 students total, how many of each gender are there?

 

I'd use easy numbers until she has a good grasp on the concepts. I also find it helpful to ask every variation you can think of with one set of numbers - it helps to see the relationship between all the parts.

 

With geometry, isn't it mostly just perimeter, area, and volume calculations at this level? Is it that she doesn't know the formulas? Or that she can't apply them to more complex problems?

 

I wouldn't worry much about interest or probability, personally.