No comments about Algebra and Trigonometry: Structure and Method Book 2.

5 comments about Algebra Survival Guide Workbook (Algebra Survival Guide).

1. This workbook, along with the Algebra Survival Guide, are great learning tools for kids and parents alike. My son was looking for a book to teach himself algebra & this set did the trick. Yeah, he one of those wierd kids who likes math.



2. I purchased the Algebra Survival guide and the workbook for my sons who would be taking Algebra in 8th grade. They easily completed the entire book over the summer. The survival guide is easy to understand. The Emergency Fact sheet will be a great reference. They will sail through Algebra this year.
   I highly recommend these books as a prelude to classroom Algebra for all students.



3. I wrote a review of The Algebra Survival Guide, and just want to say here that this should definitely go in your cart along with it. It has lots of problems to work that match up to the Guide, plus a few new concepts to add on to the lessons learned in the Guide.



4. AS AN ESE TEACHER, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE CURRICULUM. A STUDENT HAD A COPY OF THE MANUAL, AND I STARTED TO USE IT MORE THAN THE MATERIALS I HAD FOR THE CURRICULUM. THE WORKBOOK IS A GREAT WAY TO PROVIDE EXTRA PRACTICE IN THE SKILLS/CONCEPTS TAUGHT. PARENTS SHOULD GET THEM BOTH FOR THEIR CHILDREN, IT'S WORDED SIMPLY, EXPLAINED AND EASY TO USE, EVEN FOR THE 'NOT SO INCLINED TO MATH' GROUP!!!



5. This book is outstanding for review and also to supplement any Algebra class. It is well written and extremely user friendly. The illustrations make the learning or relearning interesting and fun. Great book for any student who needs help with Algebra.

3 comments about Basic Math & Pre-Algebra For Dummies (For Dummies (Math & Science)).

1. I've been out of high school for almost 14 years and really need a refresher. These "dummies" books are great. The book explains math very well. A great help!



2. I love the Algebra for Dummies book. It is just what I needed at a price I could afford.



3. I ordered this book on March 17th and I still have not received my order. It is now April 24th so it's a little disappointing.

5 comments about Algebra II For Dummies (For Dummies (Math & Science)).

1. This is a GREAT book for studying and reviewing algebra 2, but if you have not taken algebra, or if you took algebra and couldnt grasp most topics without going back to your textbooks to remember something, then you may want to get algebra for dummies to review, this book begins with a slight amount of review from algebra 1, but it will definetly not each you all of algebra 1 topics. I bought this book to study algebra 2 during the summer so I wont have to worry so much next year and ive learned alot from this book, great for dummies book I recomend it completely.



2. I am using the book to tutor a couple of kids and it is working out great. It gives me an easy way to help them learn these concepts. I recommend it for any one who needs to review their skills or is having trouble learning these concepts.



3. The book is very detailed and gives anchor text to help understand what the steps are all about



4. This book assumes a level of knowledge about Algebra and goes from there. It includes the usual "Dummies" cartoons and funny antics so it is enjoying to read for a "dreaded" subject. Not sure if it has helped me yet though.



5. The Algebra II for Dummies is an excellent book. It's explainations are thorough and complete. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn Algrebra II.

5 comments about Algebra: Structure and Method Book 1.

1. THANK YOU VERY MUCH THE BOOK IS GREAT AND BRAND NEW NOT A SCRATCH ON IT AND FAST SHIPPING. GREAT SELLER AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! **********



2. I picked this book up the other day and i thought it was really good. I like all the programs it tells you how to do.



3. This is a pretty good comprehensive textbook for students of all levels. There are twelve chapters in the book, plus a glossary, various helpful appendices, and an index. The book contains "A" (easy), "B" (intermediate), and "C" (challenging( problem sets for every topic covered. Also, enrichment topics are included, including "Extra," "Challenge," "Historical Note," "Application," and "Career."
   
   Like any other book, this book does, however, isn't absolutely perfect. One thing about this book is that the explanations in this book at the top of every section summarizes important concepts and gives some examples and definitions; however, the examples often only cover the "A" and half of the "B" problem sets, and the "C" problems are often unexplained. Also, the textbook seems to be designed for slightly more advanced students, as the problems and pace of the text isn't for beginning or struggling students.
   
   One note is that this book isn't the best tool to teach yourself math, although it is an excellent source for problem sets, and also serves as an excellent reference for algebraic concepts. I would recommend "CliffsStudy Solver Algebra I" if you are having trouble with Algebra I or if you want to teach yourself math, because this textbook is not designed to be a tutorial. I have tried to teach myself many new math concepts, but this book didn't always help - though I did some new problem solving strategies from here. Sometimes the explanations were simply skimmed over too quickly.
   
   Overall, this is a great book. It's really helped me with my math grade, but this is just one of my math books which helped me. With teacher guidance, one or two more study guides, and most importantly, a dedicated self-motivated mind, you are bound to be a success in algebra.



4. This is a well thought out Algebra textbook. I started teaching from it earlier this year and have grown to appreciate it very much. I am especially pleased the more I compare this to other books. Most math books these days are little more than pretty colors, crazy fonts, neat pictures, lots of distractions, and very little actual math instruction. This book, on the other hand, actually focuses on the math, explains it reasonably well, and has great sets of real example problems and practice problems of all difficulty levels, including lots of practical problems that aren't forced or contrived. It is not perfect, but it is the best I have seen.
   
   Pros:
   *Lots of math rather than lots of silly distractions
   *Appropriate difficulty level - not "dumbed down"
   *Good examples worked out and explained
   *Good problem sets for homework and practice
   
   Cons:
   *Some explanations are just a bit short, although most are good
   *Factoring, the hardest topic, is early in the book, which makes it difficult for some students



5. I LOVE this book!! This has a various problems. They separate each sets of problems for A-C. I had a 100% every quarter with this text book. The reason why I deducted a point is that they don't always explain the harder problems. I personally think they shoudld make more different examples of problems. I have a great math teacher, so she explains stuff that I am not quite sure. But this book should be used only by advanced and intermidiates math students. This book moves with a fast past and it uses a lot of difficult math terms for special eds. I that because of my friend and I know their pace. [...]. A great source for step-by-step solution incase anyone don't know what it is. My school purchased the account and it is a great accomidation to this book. I am an eight grader in advance math, my class went through the whole book!!! LOVE IT!!!

5 comments about Practical Algebra: A Self-Teaching Guide, 2nd Edition.

1. This book is a very good book to learn algebra, if you just started. I personally believe that I have learned much from this book. Plus, there are good problems that help reinforce the knowledge learned. This book explains many concepts and is very easy to understand. This is also good review too if you forget some concepts in algebra.



2. My son is now starting algebra and unfortunately, it's been some 25 years since I've had any exposure to it. This book is a nice way to review and polish up so that even if I can't make him an expert, I don't look so foolish.



3. I decided I needed a serious review of algebra as I will soon be taking a physics class, not having had a math or any science class in over 20 years, and my level of math skills had deteriorated to the basics needed to balance a checkbook and nothing more. I have almost finished with this terrific book, and now I not only feel comfortable with algebra again, but I feel I truly understand the subject. The authors' excellent instruction and numerous practice problems really help to create a sense of comfort with the subject, something I thought impossible not that long ago. In fact, looking at samples in other books I purchased (but which were relegated to my bookshelves), I actually find myself thinking there are easier ways to reach the answer, or manipulating the equation beyond what the author intended, because of an understanding of the subject I have acquired through self-study...something I still find amazing. This book takes things step-by-step, building gradually on past lessons so readers are seldom (if ever) left scratching their heads in confusion, and the authors are both clear and thorough in their explanations (although it could benefit from acknowledging some of the standard pnemonics one often sees in math, such as PEDMAS or FOIL). I wish the follow-up book for trig/calculus was still readily available! Overall, this is a highly recommended book.



4. This is a great book that can be used as a refresher for those needing to do algebra again. It is also good as a resource for someone taking the course and needing reference material. The examples are well done and there are plenty of test questions as you work through each topic.



5. I used the first edition of this text 29 years ago, as a 13 year old 8th grader teaching myself Algebra. This text allowed me to learn thoroughly and well, such that I was able to complete courses through Calculus while still in High School, and go on to be an engineer. My 13 year old daughter had trouble learning from her school's textbook, so I am breaking open this book again. It's step by step strategy of mastery is key to the overall success. Nothing forces you to move on until you can get all of the correct answers. I am so glad that it is still in print so that my daughter may have her own (not falling apart) copy of this excellent text.

5 comments about Pre-Calculus Demystified.

1. A great help in my Precalculus I class. The information is presented in a better manner than the textbook for the course.



2. I applaud Rhonda Huettenmueller and whole heartedly agree with the R. Orchanian review (the New York teacher). The very best available that absolutely takes the mystery out of this area of mathematics. The sequence of the chapters is superb, clear, concise and very, very accurate. It includes process steps that are left out of many *so called* self-teaching guides which leaves many students scratching their head. Just quite simply the very best book written on the subjct, hands down. I hope Ms. Huettenmueller doesn't stop here.



3. I am one of those pathetic cases who should have been a math major, but could not stay awake during the freshman pre-calc lectures conducted by bored and boring grad students. Now, nearly 40 years later I am determined to self-educate my way through calculus.
   
   At first I took a crack at the Wiley "Precalculus A Self Teaching Guide". Holy cripes, what a disaster! Unnerving to find such an improbable number of errors, especially for student picking up after decades of non-study.
   
   Then, I grabbed Rhonda Huettenmeuller's fine work, and am doing the practice at the end of chapter four. I actually remembered some of my advanced algebra and managed to work my way through the problems.
   
   Well written and clear, she provides enough dimensions on problems to give you insight, then gives you room enough to have to think a bit. The answers are all provided, and are *correct*. Well, at least we agree, so that is certainly a good sign.
   
   I especially appreciate how she teaches this from the perspective of tackling calculus as the next step, pointing out issues that particularly apply, and how, to more advanced mathematics.
   
   Now, if we can just get her to write more books...



4. I received this book 2 weeks before my college entrance exam to smooth over what I momentarily learned in high school--I Do not want to end up in a lower than Calculus math class, paying for a class that does not give me any college credit.
   
   So far I have been getting through a chapter each day, in about hour and a half of on and off study.
   
   It is continuing to get me more comfortable with my math skills in a very short time. I Recommend it to anyone who fears there college entrance exam, or interested in learning Precalc on their own.



5. It was a great book, gave me what I needed at the pace I found acceptable. I also jumped into the middle of the book once to give a friend a hand and it was on polynomial functions. In ten minutes flat I was already calculating them! Amazing! If I continue at this rate, I can slack off in my Pre-Calculus college class and still pass! No, but seriously though, it's an awesome book and have recommended it to all my friends.

5 comments about Algebra Workbook For Dummies.

1. The workbook has been a big help!!! It's easy to following and progresses smoothly. I would recommend it to anyone looking to brush up on their algebra skills.



2. About 180 pages into it and I'm actually having fun!
   The example problems are great but the solutions at the end of the chapter are sometimes a bit confusing (but they clear themselves up if you chew the problem a little and remember what you're supposed to be learning in that given chapter).
   I've only found one typo in an answer so far (signs reversed).
   
   Learning a few things I never heard of before for example Pascal's Triangle.
   
   Skip around and focus on the weak areas. I'd buy it again.
   
   Bought it for a review before returning to college after a seven year break from school (if you can really call the military a break).



3. I recently ordered the Algebra for Dummies, as well as the workbook to go with it, for a friend who is trying to obtain a position with a company who is looking for someone with math skills in algebra.
   
   He is working out of state, so I had the books shipped to his address. Upon asking him if he thought these books would help him, he said they definitely would. His comment was that they were easy to understand, and although it has been 20+ years since he was in school, he thought he had a good chance at getting the job.
   
   Anything that I have ever ordered from Amazon has always come quickly, been the correct item, and I will certainly keep ordering things from them.



4. Material is perfect for becoming reacquainted with algebra. New titles, terms and methods for solutions of algebraic equations are presented and discussed fully and with a minimum of words. The Algebra II Workbook is necessary if you have been a long time absent from algebra. The material came on time and in perfect condition.
   
   I have never been disappointed in all my purchases from Amazon and their sellers.



5. It was a good choice, to help my nephew with his algbra.
   His in 8th grade and it makes algbra easier to understand
   HECK i may even use it.

5 comments about Calculus for Dummies.

1. I love this book. When I am completely lost in my class I pull it out and it gives me ideas on how to remember things. To this day I still use their integration by parts box.



2. Wow, it's been a long time since I've been in a math class, and to say that I am rusty is a gross understatement. So it was with great relief that I discovered that not only can I follow this book, I actually enjoyed it. I even laughed out loud a few times. Mark's humor made all the difference, and when the going got a little tough, the lively writing kept me engaged.
   
   Mark's experience as a teacher is evident throughout-- he knows where the pitfalls are and addresses them before the reader trips. I would describe myself as a slightly above-average math student, and calculus was not an intuitively easy topic for me. There were parts of the book that I had to read several times and then digest. Fortunately, I was being taught by a great teacher. I could well imagine learning calculus from a lessor instructor and getting totally lost.
   
   Soon my daughter will be taking calculus in school, and I'm going to make sure that she reads this book. Congratulations Mark on writing the definitive book for "dummies," scholars and everyone in between.



3. I used this book a year ago for my Calculus BC class. I was pretty much clueless and felt hopeless, but Dummies helped me understand basic and fundamental concepts of Calculus. I finally "understood" what limits were and derivatives instead of just calculating them. But this review isn't enough for a BC class because there aren't enough examples, practice questions or sujbect depth. But overall, it's good to understand basics of Calculus. I used this along with another Calculus book and my textbook (which I rarely used) and my Calculus class was more tolerable. I ended up getting a 5 on Calculus BC and a 4 on Calculus AB section. I will give some due, not all, to this book for helping me get a 5 on the BC exam and making my transition to a Calculus class easier.



4. I've always had issues truly retaining mathematical concepts. So naturally, when faced with having to take college calculus, I had mild reservations.
   
   I purchased this book in January, before the spring semester started, and began tearing through the book, studying everything I could. As the semester progressed, all that my teacher was saying was crystal clear, and coincided perfectly with what this book was teaching.
   
   By the end of the semester, I had not only dealt with calculus, but I actually appreciated the usefulness of it in everyday applications. This book is an absolute must for those who are timid when it comes to math. Want proof of it's success? I finished the class with a 97.5% - an A+!



5. I taught my first calculus class over a quarter of a century ago. As always seems to be the case, the thought of having to take calculus had the members of the class nervous. To most it is a daunting task, yet the fundamentals of what is covered in differential and integral calculus are intuitive. Concepts such as continuity, limits, differentiability as the slope of the tangent line and integration as the limit of a sum are all ideas well within the grasp of nearly everyone.
   The devil and fear is of course in the details, how to take these principles and apply them to problems. There have been many times when I have had a student tell me, " I understand the fundamental concept, that is easy to follow." However, when it comes time to do something like an epsilon-delta proof of continuity or understand the proof of the fundamental theorem of calculus, the student will say, "I don't know what to do."
   In my opinion, that is what will happen to most of the people with no calculus background who read this book. They will understand the fundamental principles and hit a wall when they try to apply them. Knowledge of the fundamentals of precalculus is a necessity, without that, it is unlikely that even the intuitive concepts will make sense.
   To paraphrase Euclid, "There is no easy road to calculus." It requires a great deal of thought, study and the acquisition of mathematical skill. Many people, myself included, believe that you really don't begin to understand it until a year after you complete the calculus courses.
   Therefore, in my opinion, very few beginners will be able to acquire a great deal of calculus knowledge from this book. Even though I concede that the coverage is broad and the approach is at an understandable level. Learning calculus is a mind-broadening experience, yet it is no simple task. Memorization is pointless; the light bulbs must eventually go off in your mind. I don't see how reading any book without exercises can make that happen. I consider it superb as a supplemental book, but nearly worthless as a primary text.

5 comments about Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid.

1. After studying Douglas R. Hofstader's brilliant book, I discovered an error in the proof of Godel's first incompleteness theorem that invalidates the proof. The same error is in Newman & Nagel's book Godel's Proof.
   The error occurs on page 447. The incorrect statement is, "a' is the arithmoquinification of u." The statement should read: a' is the arithmoquinification of the numeric value of the Godel number u. The term u represents the Godel number of a specific formula, and the word arithmoquinification is a portmanteau word coined by the author.
   Godel's theorem is derived by arithmoquining a formula that Hofstader calls the "uncle" formula. On page 447, he writes,"Now all we need to do
   is-arithmoquine this very uncle! What this entails is 'booting out' all the free variables-of which there is only one,namely a"-and putting in the
   numeral for u everywhere. This gives us: ~Ea:Ea': where the number of S's equals the numeral for u." That is Hofstader's version of Godel's theorem or G. On page 447
   he offers this interpretation of the theorem,"There do not exist numbers a
   & a' that both(1)they form a TNT-proof-pair, and(2)a' is the arithmoquinification of u." But,as I have pointed out Godel's theorem does
   not declare part(2)of his interpretation. Instead, the correct interpretation of part(2)is, a' is the arithmoquinification of the numeral of the Godel number u. The numeral of the Godel number u cannot be
   arithmoquined because it is not a formula and therefore has neither a Godel number nor a free variable.
   This invalidates the proof because we no longer have a true statement: a'
   is the arithmoquinification of u that cannot be proven. Instead we have a
   false statement that cannot be proven. For more info & essays on this subject,please go to www.jimssciencepage.info



2. I have not completed this book, and I am not sure you can ever say that you are complete with a book of this magnitude, however, it will certainly be a book I will review again and again. If you want to be challenged intellectually, this book would be the ticket. I enjoy a good challenge, and although it isn't a 'fun' read, it is valuable book to have in your personal library if you are interested in a paradigm shift in your reality.



3. I realized after recommending this to a friend that I've never reviewed it. Strange, since it's one of the dozen most important books I've ever read in my nearly half-century on this planet. I first read it over 20 years ago, and continue to refer to its literate and well-crafted pages frequently.
   
   This book is Doug Hofstadter's religion. Since it's so good and so right about so many things, people run off into strange places with Hofstadter's words, sort of like the Bible. GEB (the shorthand name for the book) is, for me, a meta-level examination of what it is to be human. Some people see the shadows of the gods in there. I'm not trying to be melodramatic, nor do I believe I'm overstating the value of this book.
   
   Hofstadter takes the reader along on a Carrollian trip using metaphor and fable. Then he employs pedagogical, practical exercises, and good old-fashion lecture. Rinse and repeat, again and again. When he tells you to get pen and paper, please do it. Take your time with this book. I tried and failed on my first attempt. When I finally settled into it, it took me three months to joyously work my way through it. Take a year if you need it.
   
   Reception, analysis, recursion, reapplication. Hofstadter examines the basic evidences of intelligence, forms sensible, fundamental meta-rules, and builds from there. This book - as others have said - is hard work, like climbing a mountain. But at the end of the endeavor, the view is dazzling.



4. The author complains in the new preface that a vast majority of the reviewers, including those who have rated this book very highly, seem to have no idea of what he has been trying to say. In my opinion, this is a self-indictment that does not leave much for others to say. If the author cannot get his ideas across in 700 pages, perhaps people should not waste their time on him. I have learnt it the hard way: after buying this book, five years ago, on high recommendations of friends, only to find it so boring and confused that I could never go beyond a few pages even though I gave it innumerable attempts.



5. This is one of my favourite book of all time. I first read it twenty years ago as an undergraduate on my computer science degree. The nice thing about getting older, but still remaining young, is that you can go back and revistit master works - and lets make no bones about it, this is a master work. As such, it requires time, effort and mastery of the ideas.
   This is not a book that you can just pick up and read in a couple of days. Of course you can delve into it and loose yourself for a few hours, but to obtain mastery will take serious time and effort. Using Howard Gardener's terminology, Hofstadter synthesises across the domains of music, maths and art. This is no mean feat.
   Buy it, only if you have the time for it. Treasure it, enjot it and love it as much as I do.