................... Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) My dd 8th grade is finishing up Algebra 1 at Mathnasium in June(she took their high school Algebra track not advanced 8th grade) and I've also given her the Saxon Algebra Final just to see where she's at and she did great. She got about an 85 which is great considering it's only February and she has at least 3 months left of Algebra 1. She plans to pursue a math major in college for teaching math and has been holding steady with that idea for almost two years now. I think it would be a very rewarding and interesting career for her, as well as providing an income to support herself and her horse (an expensive hobby) when she grows up. I think she needs a little more in the way of problem-solving...I don't think Mathnasium really has enough word problems, but most of the word problem books on amazon seem very annoying. (inane problems, SAT focused, don't include good explanations etc.) Is there something like Zacarro's, that is realistic and fun, without being an entire program? Also, it has to have complete solutions in everyday language for every problem because I can't help her. EDITED to add: Her brother can help her now and then but he's busy so I wouldn't want him to have to help her every day :) Ideas are appreciated! PS She loved Zaccarro's Challenge Math so that's why I mention that as a starting point. Edited February 15, 2018 by Calming Tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Foerster's has excellent real world word problems. The solutions are not explained, but they are presented as solutions, not just answers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Could she used Real World Algebra or one of Zaccaro's other books? I feel like he has another that's meant to be harder than RWA. Like Foerster's, Dolciani also has a ton of great word problems throughout the text the C (and sometimes the B) level ones are genuinely challenging. It has the same issue as Foerster's though in that I don't think there's a solutions guide, at least not an easy to find one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Next time that you go to a book store, take a deeper look at the math sections in various test-prep books. Math test-prep books can be a good way to get "tricky" problems for the 5th-10th grade range. The math problems in the SAT/ACT prep books can usually be solved using 5th-8th grade level mathematics, but are designed to LOOK harder than they are at first glance. The GRE prep books have some fun problems in them too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 How about Math Olympiad problems? I'm guessing the middle school level would be most appropriate for her, and the book has full solutions. If that's too easy, you can have her work through old AMC 8s. the AoPS site I linked also includes full solutions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Here are some things we liked: -Problem-Solving through Recreational Mathematics (Averbach & Chein; pub. Dover) -various books from the MSRI Mathematical Circles Library from the AMS bookstore (some are for younger kids, but some would be an appropriate level for you, I think) I'm sorry, the site is not letting me link this evening. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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