ajfries Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 This falls solidly under self education. I've decided to go back to college and would like to brush up on math before I take my placement test. Any recommendations for an Algebra 1 curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Are you solid on pre-algebra as well? A lot of errors my students make in algebra are traced to pre-algebra. What test are you preparing for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Introductory Algebra by Lial, et al. It's a remedial college text and is written to the student. Older editions cheap on Amazon. Answers to odd problems in the back, but there are also student solutions manuals. Be sure the title, cover, and year of publication match. If you need pre-algebra, too, Lial has that, as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 7 hours ago, kiana said: Are you solid on pre-algebra as well? A lot of errors my students make in algebra are traced to pre-algebra. What test are you preparing for? That's a good point. Going over pre-algebra as well wouldn't hurt. I'd just like to brush up on things before my math placement test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Yes, I mean do you know what they use for placement? Is it accuplacer? The reason I was asking was that accuplacer has a preparation app that explains things as well, if it's a "brush up" you need rather than intensive teaching. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 58 minutes ago, kiana said: Yes, I mean do you know what they use for placement? Is it accuplacer? The reason I was asking was that accuplacer has a preparation app that explains things as well, if it's a "brush up" you need rather than intensive teaching. I'm not sure what they use, but I'll look into accuplacer either way 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Okay. One of the newer books in the college math market is called "developmental mathematics" -- designed for accelerated and combination developmental mathematics courses, it is called "developmental mathematics: basic mathematics and algebra". It is basically a combination text for carrying you from pre-algebra up through intermediate algebra. I think it would be great for someone in your situation. The disadvantage is that it's going to be slightly more expensive because it's a newer format -- but I think the all-in-one approach would be right for you. I'd use it in a diagnostic-prescriptive manner -- test yourself, then work problems. If you have trouble finding one of those, beginning + intermediate algebra or introductory + intermediate algebra is an old version of similar combo texts that won't have quite as much pre-algebra, but should be totally workable. Lial has a version of the above, but so do many others. You don't need to restrict yourself -- pretty much any major publisher's will work. Martin-Gay is one of the ones a lot of my friends like to teach out of, though I haven't used it. I would buy the student solutions manual FIRST, then the text. People often list the wrong edition, especially for the solutions manual, and you want them to match. That way if someone accidentally sends the wrong edition, you can get the matching text. If you need to check a solution for a computational problem and you don't have the solutions manual, Wolfram Alpha is really nice. In a more electronic approach, Khan Academy is good for brushing up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Thank you so much kiana! That is incredibly helpful! I think Developmental Mathematics is exactly what I'm looking for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 If you want something that will assess you and then work only on topics you need to master, take a look at ALEKS online. $20/month, assessment at the beginning and then periodically, you can switch courses as needed. It can be much quicker than working through a text, particularly if you are not confident in assessing your own skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 I would try to see what the school you'll be attending uses for their placement test. Mine used ALEKS and they had helps online so I could get used to not only the content but the format. I also used Khan Academy to help me prepare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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