mom31257 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Our state lists Algebra 3 as an option for the required 4th math credit. I have a friend who's dd has completed Algebra 2 through TT (I think the old version) and struggled a little toward the end. She doesn't want to do Pre-calculus. Statistics is an option as well, but she's hoping for a course that would just keep the algebra skills in her until going to a local college and doing the minimal math there required. What would be a good, affordable curricula? I will make myself available to her if she needs tutoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Any college algebra text will work for that -- if she wants more of a course Chalkdust, Thinkwell, or TabletClass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'd use Lial's College Algebra. And the Student solutions manual. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad S Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I would definitely do statistics in that situation. Statistics will help to read a newspaper, help understand medical treatments, help to understand investing, and help to understand modern daily life in general. An excellent text is Starnes, Yates, and Moore. It says it's for AP, but it's pretty clear and straightforward -- IMO, easier than much of algebra 3 and it will probably seem more relevant to the student. A lot of school math textbooks in the past 20 years for middle school and high school have some basics of data analysis if the student hasn't had that, as perhaps a gentle introduction. There are also some free online videos which go through the Starnes, et al book section by section if any section is difficult to understand. As a good, free way to keep up on basic algebra skills, and perhaps make a little bit of progress, KhanAcademy.org could be used together with the statistics book. (Unless it's recently changed, statistics is the weak part of Khan Academy, and I would not recommend it.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I agree that Statistics is much more practical for someone not wanting to move far in math. In reality, it's practical for everyone no matter what you want to do in life. (Way more practical than algebra 3 for a non-math person). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The only reason that I'd do algebra instead is because she'll need to take a placement test and math at college. If she struggled with algebra 2, not doing algebra for a year may cause her to place into beginning or intermediate algebra, which would necessitate taking non-credit courses towards a degree. I would agree about statistics being more practical in general. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveswife Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 My daughter did Thinking Mathematically by Blitzer after Algebra II for her third math credit (she did not do math her senior year). She really liked it, did just fine on the math section of the SAT, and tested into pre-calc at her university (she does not need calculus for her degree). She liked the variety of topics, and also felt it helped her to understand the concepts of math better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 College algebra *is* precalculus--it's precalculus without the trig. Derek Owens Algebra II is sort of like a pre-precalculus course. ETA: I should mention that the DO course goes beyond what is covered in the Lial Intermediate Algebra book and does maybe 1/3-1/2 of what is done in both Lial Precalculus and DO's own precalculus course. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 College algebra *is* precalculus--it's precalculus without the trig. Derek Owens Algebra II is sort of like a pre-precalculus course. Yes, it is the algebra part, but that's customarily what a PS algebra 3 course will do -- either that or simply select chapters from a precalculus text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Yes, it is the algebra part, but that's customarily what a PS algebra 3 course will do -- either that or simply select chapters from a precalculus text. I just wanted to be sure that the OP knew that college algebra wasn't a stepping stone to precalculus, but actually a subset of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Does she have to declare which class she is taking ahead of time? If so, is there wiggle room to change it mid-year? Because my tendency would be to move on to TT precalculus as the main text. It sounds like she did fair to middling with their Algebra 2, and most other titles are going to be more difficult, with less step-by-step teaching. The algebra topics will bring her past 40% of the book. She can go in two directions from there to make up a full credit: she may find that she can do enough of the additional topics and trig to just go ahead and do precalc, or she may prefer to add in supplementary materials and stay focused on algebra skills for algebra 3. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Our state lists Algebra 3 as an option for the required 4th math credit. I have a friend who's dd has completed Algebra 2 through TT (I think the old version) and struggled a little toward the end. She doesn't want to do Pre-calculus. Statistics is an option as well, but she's hoping for a course that would just keep the algebra skills in her until going to a local college and doing the minimal math there required. Does said state have a general description for "Algebra 3"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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