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Foerster Algebra 2 to AoPS Precalc?


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D did Foerster Alg I then went to Aops Intro to Algebra 2nd 1/2 of book which is Algebra II.

She then started AoPS Intermediate Algebra, she got to chaprter 8 and keep saying that it was

not sticking. She felt like she was not learning and needed more problems to work.

 

So we back tracked to Foerster Algebra/Trig book. Now she is working through the

chapter test.

 

For my D and only my D, I do not think she would have been able to go from

 

Foerster Alg II/Trig to AoPS precal.....But I have never seen the AoPS precal book.

 

We do have the Foerster Precal text.

 

I dont know if we should go to Foerster Precal book then AoPS Intermediate text or back to Aops

Intermediate after this Alg 2 review with Foerster.

 

 

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Foerster to AoPS will be a tough jump. Because precalculus can be done very quickly, I might suggest doing a "regular" precalculus one semester, then doing the AoPS precalculus text in the second semester. There will not be that much overlap (believe it or not), and where it occurs, the extra depth will be very worthwhile.

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But which PreCalc before AoPS? It looks like the Sullivan and Larson books overlap substantially with what Foerster Alg 2 covers (and not necessarily in greater depth). I'm looking around b/c I've looked at the Foerster PreCalc and I don't care for the approach. Maybe test through something like Sullivan until she hits something she doesn't know? Alcumus?

 

I do have Brown on my shelf, but I'd like to have something somewhat self-teaching or with support available in case I decide I'm done teaching math. :o) Much as I like the books in that series, I do think they are better when taught.

 

She's pretty strong in math, but doesn't necessarily need AoPS. She isn't really a fan of online classes, either. We're still a year or two out on this, but it's nice know where we are headed.

 

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There's a lot of overlap because most students need the additional review, repetition, and deepening in a precalculus class before they move to calculus. 

 

For what it's worth, Aops precalculus isn't going to have most of the algebra topics from a standard precalculus class -- they're in the intermediate algebra text instead. There's someone who has a schedule for a combined version of intermediate algebra/precalculus skipping the additional topics that aren't in a standard class. But I question whether aops would be a good fit based on your description of her. I don't really have a good rec instead though that's self-teaching and doesn't involve online or video lectures. 

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Video lectures are great actually. She does prefer a textbook along side. That's why I'm bummed about the Foerster precalc. She works through the book and grabs a video when she gets stuck. I watch the videos so I know what she's doing in case I need to teach something on the fly, but she does it mostly on her own.

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There's a lot of overlap because most students need the additional review, repetition, and deepening in a precalculus class before they move to calculus.

 Sing it, kiana! Precalculus is valuable, even after a good alg2 class. It should spend lots of times on function concepts instead of just algebraic methods.

 

For what it's worth, Aops precalculus isn't going to have most of the algebra topics from a standard precalculus class -- they're in the intermediate algebra text instead. There's someone who has a schedule for a combined version of intermediate algebra/precalculus skipping the additional topics that aren't in a standard class. But I question whether aops would be a good fit based on your description of her. I don't really have a good rec instead though that's self-teaching and doesn't involve online or video lectures.

 Here's the schedule (see post #5) that I made up a few years ago to help someone on the boards.

 

Video lectures are great actually. She does prefer a textbook along side. That's why I'm bummed about the Foerster precalc. She works through the book and grabs a video when she gets stuck. I watch the videos so I know what she's doing in case I need to teach something on the fly, but she does it mostly on her own.

Have you looked at Chalkdust? Their package includes a textbook and videos.

 

ETA: I see kiana just suggested Chalkdust, too. You might want to search momsinthegarden's old posts; they used Chalkdust successfully for their kids.

Edited by Kathy in Richmond
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But which PreCalc before AoPS? It looks like the Sullivan and Larson books overlap substantially with what Foerster Alg 2 covers (and not necessarily in greater depth). I'm looking around b/c I've looked at the Foerster PreCalc and I don't care for the approach. Maybe test through something like Sullivan until she hits something she doesn't know? Alcumus?

 

I do have Brown on my shelf, but I'd like to have something somewhat self-teaching or with support available in case I decide I'm done teaching math. :o) Much as I like the books in that series, I do think they are better when taught.

 

She's pretty strong in math, but doesn't necessarily need AoPS. She isn't really a fan of online classes, either. We're still a year or two out on this, but it's nice know where we are headed.

 

Not big fans of Foerster's approach here, either.  Too many gimmicky techniques.

 

I think you can go with just about any classic text - whatever is most available and has the most appealing style - and do just fine.  Particularly so if you intend to do the AoPS book after.  We've had good success with Swokowski's books, but also with some no-name books found at the local Half Price store.  Precalculus hasn't changed much in the last 50 years.

 

The AoPS text spends lots of additional time on functions not covered as thoroughly in most precalc texts, which is fantastic for students expecting to do anything more than business calculus.

 

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I don't mean to hijack the thread.   Non math mom here.

 

 

I wanted to ask about aops intermediate algebra, does it have the advanced functions ya'll are talking about?

 

I want D to complete it but don't think we will have time for AoPS precal before she hits Calc in high school.

 

I surely want her to able to go beyond business calc in college.

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My ds went from the first half of Foerster's alg 2 into the intermediate alg book and stuck with AoPS through the BC exam.

 

That was a great choice.  Great choice.

 

If I were to consider shorting precalculus or shorting calculus, I'd take precisely the route described here.  I still might throw in the second precalc text in the middle of the two AoPS texts, because functional analysis is simply THAT important going forward, particularly for STEM degrees. 

 

Probably the worst choice would be to try to cram calculus in without a strong foundation.  There's absolutely no need to take calculus in high school unless one was expecting to do something like earn three undergraduate degrees in four years.  Even then, I'd say "take a summer course or two," and not skimp on the functional analysis.

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That was a great choice.  Great choice.

 

If I were to consider shorting precalculus or shorting calculus, I'd take precisely the route described here.  I still might throw in the second precalc text in the middle of the two AoPS texts, because functional analysis is simply THAT important going forward, particularly for STEM degrees. 

 

Probably the worst choice would be to try to cram calculus in without a strong foundation.  There's absolutely no need to take calculus in high school unless one was expecting to do something like earn three undergraduate degrees in four years.  Even then, I'd say "take a summer course or two," and not skimp on the functional analysis.

 

Yeah... no hurry here. Even with a full year of precalculus, she's going to hit her first calc class early in high school. She disliked Beast Academy so much I haven't attempted any of the other books with her. She greatly prefers the problem solving sections in Foerster to the regular sections, though, so I'm considering giving AoPS a spin again when she's older.

 

Right now, though, she has little tolerance for anything that feels extraneous, which is why I'm not considering AoPS sooner. She's working through most of the regular Foerster sections in about 45 minutes a day unless she wanders off to pet the cat (although occasionally she'll need to work an hour). I think that's about her limit. She has things to do, projects to make, things to draw....

 

I do see her doing calc beyond business calc in college, so it looks like precalculus will turn out to be an important class for her.

Edited by elladarcy
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I don't mean to hijack the thread.   Non math mom here.

 

 

I wanted to ask about aops intermediate algebra, does it have the advanced functions ya'll are talking about?

 

I want D to complete it but don't think we will have time for AoPS precal before she hits Calc in high school.

 

I surely want her to able to go beyond business calc in college.

 

Not a hijack. I think this is important and overlooked. Dd's older brother who is in the bright-but-not-gifted category got bit by this because of his mediocre PS math sequence. He was prepared for Calc 1, but hit a serious wall after that. Smart kid, but completely unprepared.

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My D is a public school kid in 8th grade taking geometry at school. 

At home "afterschooling"  doing what I posted earlier.

 

So My thinking is that she will not have time to do AoPS precal afterschool before she hit precal in 10th grade.

I am hoping she will get through AoPS Intermediate before precal in 10th grade. 

I think public school homework and afterschool clubs will get too busy to really dedicate much time into "afterschool" math. 

 

Right now it is doable because she has minimal homework and no activities. 

 

So the question for me is should she go to Foerster precal after she finishes doing all the Foerster Alg II chapter test then go to Aops Intermediate Alg. 

Will the precal help with Aops Intermediate Alg?? 

 

Thank you all!

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My D is a public school kid in 8th grade taking geometry at school. 

At home "afterschooling"  doing what I posted earlier.

 

So My thinking is that she will not have time to do AoPS precal afterschool before she hit precal in 10th grade.

I am hoping she will get through AoPS Intermediate before precal in 10th grade. 

I think public school homework and afterschool clubs will get too busy to really dedicate much time into "afterschool" math. 

 

Right now it is doable because she has minimal homework and no activities. 

 

So the question for me is should she go to Foerster precal after she finishes doing all the Foerster Alg II chapter test then go to Aops Intermediate Alg. 

Will the precal help with Aops Intermediate Alg?? 

 

Thank you all!

 

Foerster precal then AoPS intemediate algebra would be a little out of order.  Better to go straight to AoPS intermediate algebra, then AoPS precal.  Either that, or stick with Foerster, if it's what works for you.

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