Jacobs Elementary Algebra or Foerster Algebra 1?

[dovrar]

Jacobs Elementary Algebra vs Foerster Algebra 1. Which do you prefer and why?

[Brad S]

We used Jacobs but I'd probably use Foerster or Dolciani/Brown if we were to do it again since the problems seem more real world.

[SilverMoon]

I own and like both. I think Forester is a bit stronger and the word problems are better. Jacobs is a great text too and very accessible. Depends on the kid I suppose. My rising 8th is interested in Jacobs just because it has real comics in it... lol

[Janeway]

I have used both. I like Jacobs best, but they are both great. Go with the style you like best. Jacobs is a little more wordy. But the pages are all clear in both. The explanations are clear. Foersters covers a portion on algebra 2 in the book, as does Jacobs, so neither book needs to be completed. Most home schoolers seem to complete the entire book. When I say I like Jacobs best, I mean just by a hair. I feel they are both of equal quality. It is harder to get Jacobs so if you cannot get it, you won't be doing wrong to get Foersters.

[Janeway]

One thing about Foerster having stronger word problems, this is really just stronger by a little bit, if at all. Jacobs has challenge problems. 

[Sunshine State Sue]

We used Foerster's and it was terrific.  FWIW, I'll post my review below.

 

I have no experience with Jacob's Algebra, but we had to abandon Jacob's Geometry because we could not make heads or tails of it (and I have a degree in math).  Among other reasons, it is verbose.  We prefer clear and concise.

 

We used Foerster’s Algebra in 8^th grade after completing MUS Algebra (easy) and LoF Algebra (challenging).  With 20/20 hindsight, I wish I had done something different for 7^th grade, perhaps MUS Algebra and Patty Paper Geometry.  I was able to obtain the 1999 student book and 1999 teacher book used.  I purchased the solutions manual new through Prentice Hall.

 

Pros:

• Clear, easy to understand explanations
• Explicit, step-by-step working through problems
• Sufficient practice and continual review of concepts
• Clear building upon and relationships between concepts
• Explicit demonstration of how to apply concepts to word problems
• Challenging, real-life word problems
• Solutions manual provides worked out solutions for every problem
• Solid preparation for ACT/SAT, sciences, college level math
• Amusing names in many word problems:  Moe Delaune, Mary Thon, Fran Tick, etc.
• Math Without Borders DVDs available

 

Cons:

• None

 

Here is an example from Foerster’s Chapter 6 on the Quadratic Formula:

In Foerster's Chapter 6 they teach the quadratic formula. That's

x = [-b +- sqrt(b2-4ac)]/2a

(not easy to type here)
Within this chapter, they teach the vertical motion formula: d = rt - 5t(squared)
They have a section with 12 problems. The TM says to take 2 days to do these problems, but only do 3 problems a day. Here is the first one:
Football problem - A football is kicked into the air with an initial upward velocity of 25 meters per second (m/sec).
a. Calculate it's height after 2 seconds; 3 seconds
b. When will it be 20 meters above the ground?
c. Copy the diagram. Show the answers to part (a) in relationship to the 20 meters of part b.
d. When will the ball hit the ground?

 

We used 1999 student and teacher text. The solution manual was from the publisher and it had no date on it.  It worked fine.

 

student 020132458X

teacher 0201324598

solution 0201861003

 

FWIW - I have a degree in math and ds is math-oriented.

[dovrar]

Sue in St. Pete,

 

Did you find that you really needed the teacher's manual or could you have done without it?

 

Thanks so much for the detailed answer!  ; )

[Sunshine State Sue]

Many people do without the teacher's manual and only use the solutions manual.  I like all the help I can get.  :w00t:

[JadeOrchidSong]

Ds13 used both. In fact, he started with Jacobs and did 2/3 when it became very hard for him. We stopped for the summer. Then he used Teaching Textbook Algebra 1 and finished it this Jan. I gave him Foester algebra 1 to solidify and complete the school year. Some word problems are really hard, but I like it that they are real world problems.

Ds11.5 finished Dolciani prealgebra and did well. He will take TT algebra 1 followed by Foerster.

I like Foerster better for its clear concise lessons with plenty of examples and lots of exercises. I do not need the TM. I just teach the lessons myself, do the examples with him and have dc do the exercises by himself. I will then check the answer and ask him to correct his mistakes and also explain to him the why for the mistakes.

So ds13 did 3 algebra 1 and ds11 will do 2 algebra 1. Ds13 is not mathy and ds11 is average. So I would like them to have solid grasp of algebra 1 by going through two programs.

If I could do it over again with ds13, I would just let him do TT and foerster. I am glad ds11 will be able to go this route.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Something reminded me that (following 8FillTheHeart's advice), I had ds do the evens or the odds for each lesson, but ALL the word problems.  Can't say he loved it, but when he got to (dual enrollment) CC, he was way ahead of the rest of the class...

[...................]

My son used Jacob's for the last few months of Alg 1...

 

Things we liked:

Non distracting, clutter free pages

Even the textbook size and shape was friendly

Occasional comics

Friendly explanations

Some interesting challenge problems

 

Things we did not like:

-There are TOO FEW EXAMPLES in this text.  YOu get a lot of words, full of verbose (although interesting) introductions, but yout get two, or sometimes even only ONE worked example.  

-Problems then pop up that do not follow the example at all (not just word problems but even regular practice problems) and it seems to expect the student to make the intuitive jump from the one example, to many other types of similar problems that are quite different, enough so that even with the answer, we had trouble working backward

- Word problems seemed kinda weird, aka they sometimes didn't seem to be likely to be encountered in real life...even for an engineer, etc.

 

Personally, this is one math book where I just don't get the love affair.  

[JadeOrchidSong]

If you have a young student doing algebra 1, I recommend Jacobs. Ds13 started it when he was 10.5. The first 1/3 is like prealgebra, reviewing and solidifying foundational skills. If your dc is more mature, Foerster is a good choice.

One thing I strongly like about Jacobs is how it teaches factoring or dividing. I don't know how to post a picture of a sample page. Sorry.

[MEmama]

DS started Jacobs at 11 and mostly had no problems with it. With the exception of simultaneous equations and another one or two sticking points he was able to primarily self teach using just the text. Because he was young when he started and had a few other struggles to work through (ahem, showing your work), we opted to take 2 years. It didn't take quite that long and he was able to get a jumpstart on geometry last year, but it was an excellent decision.

 

For a younger student especially I absolutely recommend Jacobs. It's solid and written to the student. We didn't encounter any issues that others have mentioned. There was no question we would continue with Jacobs for geometry.