Kit Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 Hello, I am newly retired and giving myself a classical education (finally!) I have decided to do some maths this year and I would dearly like to actually understand maths. I am fine with the basics, given paper and pencil, but i want to really learn to play confidently with numbers. I have tested into AoPS prealgrbra, but not tested out of it. However I took a look at the Beast academy tests, and there is loads I can't do in those! For example, I have no idea about probability at all and although I am fine with negative numbers, having learnt the rules, I dont know they 'why'. Much of the Beast Level 5 stuff has me stumped. Even in 4D there is a question "Write the prime factorisation of 1,350. Use exponents for repeated factors." And I have no idea what they are talking about! I dont need the answer, Im just pointing out that much of maths if a different language than the one i know. The question is, for an adult learner (no worries about graduations, colleges etc) should I work my way through the Beast series (I'm not much into cartoons....) or can I start at pre-algebra, which i did test into OK, and still be able to understand what they are talking about? Thank you. Quote
Jackie Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 There was a Facebook post from Beast Academy/AOPS folks a year or two ago. I’ll never be able to find it, as it was buried as a reply to a reply, but the gist was this: Beast Academy 5 and Prealgebra are very similar in content, differing mainly in style. The company was responding to a request to make a BA version of Prealgebra, and said they wouldn’t even know what to cover, since so much of Prealgebra was already covered in BA5. They recommend students still do Prealgebra after BA5 in order to have a gentler transition to the style of AOPS. As more evidence that BA5 and Prealgebra are substantially the same, my daughter wanted to get through Algebra sooner to make a specific deadline. She went directly from BA5 to Intro to Algebra with no problems. My vote would be to go directly to Prealgebra. 3 Quote
Kit Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 Thank you so much for your prompt replies. I’ll go ahead and order Prealgebra. Kit. Quote
mathnerd Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) I agree with PP. you will be fine with Aops prealgebra. In the meanwhile, take a look at Aops’s free online problem collection called “Alcumus”, which you could start in the prealgebra section. You could also spend some time watching Aops videos for prealgebra topics which my son likes a lot. Good luck! Edited January 28, 2020 by mathnerd Quote
Kit Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 10 minutes ago, mathnerd said: I agree with PP. you will be fine with Aops prealgebra. In the meanwhile, take a look at Aops’s free online problem collection called “Alcumus”, which you could start in the prealgebra section. You could also spend some time watching Aops videos for prealgebra topics which my son likes a lot. Good luck! Thank you for this, I’ll take a look. It will take a few weeks for the book to come as I am not in America. Quote
mathnerd Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 46 minutes ago, Kit said: Thank you for this, I’ll take a look. It will take a few weeks for the book to come as I am not in America. In that case, between Richard Rusczyk’s prealgebra videos on aops and the alcumus problems, you can get a head start. Quote
El... Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 I really enjoyed studying the prealgebra book for myself. It does a fabulous job defining terms and leading the reader into deeper understanding. It was HARD in places, but, man, it was so fun! I hope you love it! Quote
daijobu Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 I'm jealous! You are so going to enjoy learning with AoPS. I agree with pp's to start with PreAlgebra. Work slowly and write out the problems and solutions as they are described in the textbook. Post to this thread if you have any questions as you go along. Quote
Kit Posted January 29, 2020 Author Posted January 29, 2020 Thank you so much for your help and support. I’m looking forward to a fun year. In a non math aside I have just found an (all most complete) set of the great books, the Britannia version, in a second hand bookshop. Both Shakespeare volumes are missing, also Newton. But the rest is there including the first 3 volumes...the Great Conversation and the other 2. I have the Well Educated mind, it’s what led me here, and today I will have a great books set 😀 1 Quote
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