precalculus over the summer

[Janeway]

Hi! My son would like to redo precalculus. Also, he likely knows a portion of it. He took it last school year at a school but he says the class was not very good. I posted about this early in the year when the teacher was still on the first chapter three months in, or something like that. Point is, he wants to redo, or at least learn what was missed. I ,personally, would like for him to like math. He used to like it and now he does not after having this teacher. I do not want to spend tons and tons of money, but am willing to spend some.

 

I used Derek Owens in the past and was happy. But I hear others love Dr D a lot. Even a good textbook might be good. It should not be something where he has to answer to someone as I want him to be able to skip ahead over things he already has mastered. A very good review workbook is good too. Also, we already have the SAT Subject Test review guide for Math 2, not sure if that makes a good review.  Maybe precalculus for Dummies? Or an actual textbook? I was seriously considering Dr D except they don't have summer classes. I am unsure if Khan Academy is very good.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Janeway

[EKS]

Derek Owens Precalculus is excellent.  

[gstharr]

Today is last day of Thinkwell sale at Homeschoolbuyercoop (next sale will be in couple of months or so).  You can get pre-calc for about $70.  I just purchased calc to start over the summer. 

[freesia]

What about Aleks?  It's online and tests what you know and you work on what you don't know.  I used it with ds at the end of his pre-calculus year because I was concerned he wasn't as solid as I'd like.  You pay by the month.

https://www.aleks.com/

[Mona]

If you are looking for free videos like Khan then you might be interested in the Dana Mosely videos for Pre-Calc with Limits book. They are available free here: http://www.collinmath.org/PRECALCULUS/Precalc-Videos.html

[MamaSprout]

4 hours ago, Mona said:

If you are looking for free videos like Khan then you might be interested in the Dana Mosely videos for Pre-Calc with Limits book. They are available free here: http://www.collinmath.org/PRECALCULUS/Precalc-Videos.html

I've used and liked this. However, I've had resources like this disappear or get put behind a password protected wall when they get posted here and a thousand people go look at it at once. ETA: the content here is similar (newer edition of same book) and there are notetaking guides and teacher helps: http://www.larsonprecalculus.com/pcwl4e/

Edited May 24, 2019 by MamaSprout

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

If he is interested in really doing an intensive, community colleges usually offer some math classes during Summer Session. My son took Calc 1 that way and he actually really loved it.  She happened to be an absolutely amazing teacher though, with thick packets of logically organized homework packets and study guides, an amazing syllabus, answered emails quickly, and on top of all of that was a great teacher.  So....YMMV but my son really loved doing math so intensively.  He went four days per week for 7 weeks. 🙂

Just a thought 🙂 Make sure to use Rate my Professor if you go this route.

[katilac]

On 5/24/2019 at 8:52 AM, freesia said:

What about Aleks?  It's online and tests what you know and you work on what you don't know.  I used it with ds at the end of his pre-calculus year because I was concerned he wasn't as solid as I'd like.  You pay by the month.

https://www.aleks.com/

I was coming to recommend this as well. The initial assessment is very useful and can save lots of time. You can switch courses whenever you want (although it will make you do the assessment for the new course). So, if he finishes precalc and still has a couple of weeks left in the month he paid for, he could always get a little preview of calculus. 

The current free trial is 3 hours spread over two days to give you an idea of how it works.