1 comments about SPSS 16.0 Statistical Procedures Companion (2nd Edition).

1. An excellent book. Clearly written, plain english explanations. A fantastic reference book to have on the shelf

1 comments about Making Sense: Teaching and Learning Mathematics with Understanding.

1. This book is perfect for any teacher that wants to teach children math, so that they will learn with understanding. This book examines the elements that are necessary in a classroom that teaches with understanding. This book also examines several different, diverse classrooms that serve as examples. This book is an excellent resource and will help any existing or pre-service teacher better understand mathematics and how to teach mathematics within the classroom.

5 comments about Regression Methods in Biostatistics: Linear, Logistic, Survival, and Repeated Measures Models (Statistics for Biology and Health).

1. A very specific book, with a lot of details for a statistitian



2. This book covers a wide range of topics in Biostatistics, in a comprehensive, but not overwhelming way. In my opinion this book has the potential of being useful to a broad audience, from Statisticians to other professionals who do health related research.



3. The authors say that they created this book to fit with a course they taught at UC San Francisco to medical students. The book is very sophisticated and a great reference source for practicing biostatisticians in industry or research. It surprises me a little that they find it effective for there non-technical audience. Although the topics are technical and many are advanced they do cover it in a conceptual way without heavy mathematics but still requiring some statistics classes as prerequisite.
   
   Regression does not cover all the techniques of biostatistics but as the authors point out the four topics in the subtitle are among the most important. I know this from my many years of experience as a bisostatistician in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. They use many good practical examples useing many of the common variables studies in many clinical trials where physical exams are given to record blood pressure and other vital signs and chemistry labs are done to determine cholesterol levels and other things that can be factors in various diseases. Also glucose levels are very important to monitor for diabetes trials.
   
   In addition to the standard topics general estimating equations and generalized linear models are covered and where appropriate bootstrap confidence intervals. There is even a chapter on complex surveys a topic important when quality of life is an endpoint and survey instruments are used to measure it.
   
   In the survival analysis chapter the Kaplan-Meier curves, log rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models are covered as expected but the authors go further to include extensions of the Cox model when the proportional hazards assumption fails. My only disappointment is that there is no coverage of actuarial life tables. At the medical device companies that I worked for it was common to get interval data on events rather than continuous data and then the Cutler-Ederer life table method is the analog for interval data to the Kaplan-Meier estimator for continuous data.
   
   The book covers many topics but is concise as the authors claim. The authors provide a lot of examples that they work out using the statistical package Stata. The authors claim that Stata is the package of choice for biostatistics. This may be the case in academic settings but is certainly not the case in the pharmaceutical industry where SAS is used almost exclusively. I think that it would have been better to show how to write the computer code for solving these problems both in SAS and Stata. To the authors credit Stat is a very good package for their purpose and they do at times mention SAS and SPSS which are the other two major statistical packages used in industry.
   
   All in all this is a very good book that is worth its list price. I will use it as a reference. it also contains a very nice bibliography of 9 pages.



4. That is exactly what the title promises. High yield introduction to clinically applied regression methods. A marvel of a book for the subject.



5. I have owned this book for a couple of weeks. In that short time it has proven very useful to me.
   
   The authors use an easy-to-follow writing style and don't get too bogged down in theoretical, statistical formulas. It is full of useful figures that illustrate the points being made. Note: although the authors rely on Stata for creating their printouts and figures, this is not a book on how to use Stata. You don't get the feeling that you have to learn Stata in order to follow along. I have found that most of the Stata diagrams are very similar to the diagrams created in SPSS, and probably SAS and R for that matter.
   
   Although I am reading the book from beginning to end, I have already gleaned some useful information from advanced chapters, thus suggesting that it is a good reference book. For instance, I was frustrated by the lack of coverage on interpreting log transformed data (in multiple regression) in other stats books. I was pleased to discover that this book covers this issue in a clear and concise manner. I am also pleased that the authors have included a chapter on generalized linear models.
   
   This is a very good book for people working in health care research. The authors talk to the reader and explain things in a lucid manner (I have read several stats books that do not do this, so it is a refreshing change). The authors also provide many practical examples to clarify the issues. A background in the basics of statistics is required.

5 comments about G Is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book.

1. First off, be aware that google is the internet search site, NOT a mathematical term. A googol is, though, and it is a 1 followed by 100 zeros, which happens to be a number larger than the number of grains of sand on the earth. This book is interesting stuff!
   
   I took a chance on ordering it because I had never heard of it before but it intrigued me. For each letter of the alphabet, a mathematical term (or two) is defined. It's fun, mathematical terms are clearly explained and some of the letters give you go-along activities.
   
   I've been reading this aloud to my kids (ages 8 & 10) and they enjoy it. I even learned some new things, and I have a degree in mechanical engineering (which requires a lot of upper level math.) Your kids don't have to be gifted in math to enjoy this one. Some of the topics are A is for Abacus, B is for Binary (great explanation!), C is for cubit, D is for Diamond, E is for equilateral and exponent, F is for Fibonacci and G is for Googol. If you don't know what those mean, you'd better get the book!
   
   Even if my 8 yo doesn't remember what an exponent is, she may remember them when she comes to them again and it won't be so intimidating. The more explanations the better, right? This book doesn't teach you anything you HAVE to know, just lots of interesting things that make math fun. Maybe that makes it more interesting - because you don't have to know it.
   
   I caught my 10 yo teaching my 8 yo how to make a mobius strip and what it was. I had to say, "HEY! Have you been reading ahead without me?!" He sheepishly admitted it, but it was so interesting he just had to!
   
   I would say this is probably good for 3rd or 4th grade and up. A younger age could understand some of the topics, but some of the math topics require a bit higher order thinking.



2. This book enthralled my fifth graders. They are fascinated with large numbers and love the name googol. This book helps get kids excited about math.



3. At her Montessori preschool, my daughter loved only math "work," mastering the binomial and trinomial cubes early on. At 5, as we began homeschooling, her reading level exploded and she fell in love with words. Unlike "hands-on" math, she had no interest in arithmetic or pages of problems. She's a highly gifted, visual-spatial learner who also reads rapidly and at a high level. Now, at 8, I present her with "literary math," books with mathematical concepts and lots of words and pictures. This book is one of the best examples of that genre. When I handed it to my daughter, she eagerly began flipping through the pages, then scanned the table of contents. "V is for Venn diagram!" she said happily. "I LOVE Venn diagrams!" She read everything about them and studied the amusing pictures in detail. Then she began to describe aspects of her life to us in Venn diagrams. So it has gone with the rest of this book, which I highly recommend.



4. David Schwartz is brilliant! In G is for Googol, he brings together a wealth of mathematical information for strong independent readers. A is for abacus, F is for Fibonacci, and K is for Konigsburg! If you don't know how to pronounce rhombicosidodecahedron, don't dispair! Schwartz will show you how, and his entertaining and informative book will keep inquisitive kids enthralled for hours!



5. This is such a good book. I bought it for my 10 yo son and he reads from it often, and then comes to me with all sorts of sophisticated tidbits about math, that I'd either forgotten or never known!
   It's a very gentle way of getting to know complex mathematical theories, and its explanations are clear and succinct. Although alphabet based, this is not for small children, I would not give it to anyone younger than 9.
   I'm very happy with this book and would happily recommend it. We're going to get Q is for Quark next.

4 comments about Geometry Teacher's Activities Kit: Ready-to-Use Lessons & Worksheets for Grades 6-12 (J-B Ed: Activities).

1. I've been teaching geometry for several years and this is the first book that I have found that has almost everything in it that I need. The teacher pages are well-written and the student pages are very well done. This book works well for both high school students who are studying formal geometry and for younger students who may not be as advanced. Thanks!



2. I find the worksheets very useful. I have been using it since day 1 in my Geometry class. It has a variety of exercises and the applications to everyday-situation is interesting. Try it!



3. If you teach middle or high school geometry, you need this book. It contains great assignments designed to help students learn and have fun doing learning. Try it, you will love it.



4. This book was definitely not what I thought it would be. I teach Geometry in New York State, which is a rigorous Regents course. (10th grade). This book was not organized in a way that you would think. The different topics were randomly placed and many of the activities were either too easy or too difficult. This book was of no use to me. I had to return it.

No comments about Multimedia Fluid Mechanics.

3 comments about 15 Realistic Tests for the SAT Math Level 2: With Solutions.

1. I teach high school math and tutor on the side. I picked up this book because of the number of practice test. My student and I are on test #4 now. I find the questions adequately difficult. The solution is not always clear. This is a good product if you have a decent teacher to guide you through the problems you don't understand, but not for you to teach yourself.



2. This book is very good to use for the SAT Subject Test.
   It may be harder than the College Board's Test but that help you get more prepared for the test. If you can finish a good part of this book and in the correct time, you should have a better chance on the actual exam.



3. I don't know why this book's title calls the tests "Realistic." A quick look at the questions reveals what the preface states clearly: these questions are much harder than questions on the real Math Level 2 test. Although the math level is the same, this book's problems require more steps and more insight. Even if you know the math this book's problems will make you think. Do not buy this book if all you want is some sample tests.
   
   On the other hand, if you want to practice, if you are willing to spend time to learn the math better by working problems, or if, like me, you just enjoy flexing your math muscles, then do buy the book. If you do the problems, your Math Level II score will improve. Don't buy the book for a quick fix, because it won't be quick. Do buy the book if you're willing to work on your math.

5 comments about Introductory Algebra (Martin-Gay Developmental Math).

1. This book is confusing and gives bad examples. It does not go over how to do each step well and is hard to understand.



2. When a consumer purchases a product, they expect to get what they paid for. This belief is only strengthened when one purchases a product designed for self-improvement, especially if the product is one targeted at educators and students. Prentice Hall's Interactive Math: Beginning Algebra is a severe letdown... this software/textbook bundle is intended for students who are a)in college and b)trying to understand the basics of algebra so that they can continue on with their education and move to the next level. The product fails in two categories; the program itself, the 'installation' guide, and Prentice Hall's servers. To begin with, the installation setup is a joke. Unlike most programs that begin installation the moment the cd has loaded in the drive, users have to locate the add/delete program function in their directory, then click to start and follow the directions. As a long-time computer user, this is not a problem I had, however for the majority of people who have a hard time using computers (and they were the majority in the class I enrolled in which used this program)-this is a daunting task. This fact is compounded by the two installation manuals found in the box (both different). The second issue with program itself is that it is bug-ridden. More often than not, when a correct answer is entered, it is marked as 'incorrect'. The program is set up so that if the test portion of each chapter is not completed to a passing percentage (in our case, the percentage was set at 80%, which would be one incorrect answer out of five)one cannot advance to the next section. Now imagine for a moment getting all five answers correct, being told -you- answered all five incorrectly (because it shows the 'correct' answer under the one you submitted)and having to wait until the teacher can clear the error and mark all your answers correct. Now imagine a whole class having that same problem. It only gets worse when you realize that the classwork is also done at home (the whole course is online and can partially be done at home). The teacher can only do so much, so in the end you can't blame him or her. The blame is on Prentice Hall, and the fact that they clearly did not test this product and clear up the bugs before it was released on the market. The third problem with the product- it's technical support and the servers used to transmit uploaded and downloaded information (since the program itself requires the user to be online to open the program)is by far the worst part. Not only did they shut down their servers (repeatedly) for 'maintenance' at peak times, but students recieved numerous error messages while the system was up and running. Between socket errors and javascript problems, it was next to impossible to upload, download, or startup the program. The tech support number given in the textbook/software bundle- a number which was supposed to be there for students to call 24hrs in regards to assistance was useless after 9pm -even though peak hours for the system ofter were at night, when most of the people taking this class (who chose it because it was 'distance learning' and flexible)were coming home from work and getting ready to work on their classwork online. The teacher for the class eventually gave his students the -actual- 24hr number midway through the term, however it was after many of us had gone through quite a bit of hassle. In honesty, the only valuable thing about this product, is the actual textbook that comes with it. The textbook mirrors the program, explanation for explanation- and provides problems for the student to work out on their own... I shelled out for the whole package. Expect to see Prentice Hall either discontinue this product, or pull it off the market only to reintroduce it later after they work out it's inherent problems. Until then, please, do not buy this product.



3. I am 43 years old and needed to take algebra to finish my AS degree. I have not taken an algebra class in 30 years. This book was the required textbook for my class.
   
   I found this book very organized. In fact it was so organized I rarely needed to take notes on all the rules of algebra. This book helped me to review at the end of each section with the needed sample problems and reviews. It even had up-to-date pictures with algebraic problems that solved real life practical problems.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone that needs to understand the basics of algebra.



4. The book is in great condition... however I was unaware that it was the "Annotated Instructor's Edition". I did not enjoy opening the package to find this out. Letting people know exactly what they are buying would be a good thing.



5. exellent service, fast delivery, Text book was in really good condition ( exactly how they discribed it) Really happy overall

No comments about Partial Differential Equations, Student Solutions Manual: An Introduction.

No comments about Mathematical Excursions.