No comments about Algebra Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition (Skill Builders).

5 comments about The Geometer's Sketchpad (R): Student Edition.

1. This product is really good for working through classroom problems. It gets a little tougher, if you're not used to the program, for more advanced problems. But it does help even by just using it to mess around with when having to do any geometry problem.



2. The cheapest, before shipping, I could find this on the Key Curriculum website was $39.99. This is a much better price.



3. This is a great tool when studying Euclidean Geometry. It works just like a straight edge and compass, except the diagrams can be manipulated afterwards so that one sketch can be used to test multiple cases (acute vs obtuse, for instance) which helps in the observation of geometric properties. The interface is easy to use and quick to learn. On the down side, the program offers very little help, which can be frustrating when you're trying something new. (I have yet to make the Construct Locus function work.)



4. This sketchpad is a great way to supplement any geometry curriculum. I bought the student version (the only downfall I can find) and you have to put in the cd every time you run the program.
   
   I will use it to demonstrate the Pythagorean theorem and construct basic geometric figures for my middle school curriculum. Very easy to use too! It does link you with additional lessons through NCTM. I will probably purchase the full version next year.



5. Loved it and have been happy with this software. It helps me decide whether to make orders of that for my school where I am teaching Geometry so I will do that. Thanks.

5 comments about Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail.

1. I bought this book for my daughter. She finds it very helpful. It includes some neat tips. The only problem she finds with it is that it doesn't always cover all areas.



2. This Danica is as good looking as the racing Danica and a great actress. She's a math whiz too. Well as a trained mathematician I can assure you that she proves in this book that she knows math, is proud of it and want other high school and junior high school girls to appreciate it too. The book is filled with interesting ways of teach junior and senior high school math that makes it fun and exciting. She would be a great teacher too. I think her goal is to be a role model for other girls who have an aptitude for mathematics. Girls have always been discouraged and discriminated against in this field. I remember at my high school I was the best math student but Linda Cirillo was a close second. Yet I was the one who got the encouragement and her talents were ignored. Years later I came back to my home town and found that while I was now a professional mathematician she was a house wife raising children. I hope things have improved over the last forty years.
   
   This is a great book to give a child in high school who needs a little help and boost of confidence in math. When an author ahs the art of making things exciting rather than boring the student may develop an interest and capability that he or she never dreamed of!



3. This book is absolutely right on target. It contains math concepts put into a form that is friendly, fun, and engaging, and written in a way that perfectly reaches girls entering middle school math classes. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!



4. ...most of the book is devoted to fractions and related expressions such as ratios, proportions, decimals and percentages...the explanations offered for doing various mathematical operations on these expressions are no more lucid than those found in your average math textbook...and once you remove the "girly" sidebars and glitzy drawings, the presentation of these explanations really isn't much different either...I also found the presentation to be rather degrading to women -- implying that "girly" sidebars and drawings of pencils with flowers on them are somehow necessary to coax enthusiasm for math out of a woman...I suggest that for teaching math you should stick with a good basic math textbook -- most nowadays have supplemental workbooks and CD's as well as internet sites offering a variety of activities...supplement with diverse approaches like Jacobs' "Mathematics: A Human Endeavor"...and for additional tutoring in specific areas look at Edward Zaccaro's books...and if your looking for something to stimulate interest in math then I strongly recommend Sarah Flannery's "In Code" -- although a couple of grades above middle school math, it is a remarkable story that should be read by all young women...my qualifications: homeschooling two daughters.



5. My oldest daughter used to like math; she could tear through and do her homework in no time. But after a couple of bad math teachers (who favored massive doses of homework instead of spending time explaining and helping students understand) she simply burned out. She didn't understand anymore, had no reason to believe it applied to her life, and felt math was a punishment. I can help explain it each evening, but for a pre-teen i, hearing that math applies to her life as well only carried so much weight coming from her father.
   
   I heard about this book from a science blog i frequently read. I was skeptical but got a copy for her. On the surface it looks kinda "girlie girl" for her taste, but looking inside i saw there are good explanations that are more engaging to read. It's well written: not only does it explain without condescending or just inserting "So, like, omigod!" language here and there, but the book provides understandable examples tailored to concepts more appealing to a young girl. Obviously it doesn't explain everything (a book like that would be so thick it would scar away even Tolkein) but instead this book says just what it needs, and provides the encouraging support that textbooks lack.
   
   She rolled her eyes at first, but politely gave it a try. A few weeks later, i found evidence that she was still consulting the book, even jotting notes in the margins. After six months i still see it hovering near or on top of her stack of books, and fresh notes appear inside from time to time.
   
   I will not pretend it "cured" her and that her grades have skyrocketed, but she is far more willing to push through the piles of handouts. Math doesn't seem as scary to her as it once was. And, remembering how she felt when i was in grade school, i believe that confidence is a huge step for her in the long term.

3 comments about A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers (9th Edition).

1. This textbook is easy to read and follow. The explanations of mathematics, how to teach young children to use strategies, and examples of worksheets make this a great resource for future Elementary school teachers.



2. The books condition was bad, much worse then described. I also payed for express shipping and it took awhile to get to me.



3. Had to send book back because I didn't have to take this class. The seller admitted to recieving the book back and did not refund my money! Will never buy from this seller and will tell friends and family to beware. Have tried to contact seller with no response!

No comments about Kaplan SAT Subject Test: Mathematics Level 2, 2008-2009 Edition (Kaplan Sat Subject Test. Mathematics).

5 comments about Barron's SAT Subject Test Math Level 2 2008 (Barron's How to Prepare for the Sat II Mathematics, Level Iic).

1. the book is great
   but my math sucks
   got only 623 out of 800 on the diagnostic test... and im working on this book now
   
   i will see how much more i can get when i finish this book



2. I guess the other two reviewers didn't really use the book yet. There are so many obvious errors in the book. They aren't little spelling errors. For instance, the questions and the answer explainations don't match. There are 5 answer choices (a-e), but the answer sheet has only 4 circles (a-d). It almost like the people who made this book didn't review it at all!!!!! I just started the book the other day. I doubt that the less of the book will also have a bunch of errors in it. I'm kindly give the book 2 stars because it review through topics that you need to know. Honestly, it is NOT worth your money.



3. I wasn't satisfied with the reviews of Barron's Math 2 Guide posted here, but I found more useful (positive) feedback about this book from looking at reviews for similar guides, especially the Official SAT Guide for math tests. So you may want to check around. My four-star rating is based on the comments of others.



4. Don't buy this book, it's not worth your money. I suggest you buy Princeton Review instead. Like someone before me said, it is obvious that the people who published this book didn't take any time to look over it or they would've found numerous mistakes. No "e" choices for any of the answer choices? That was already kind of annoying, but the numerous printing and mistakes made in explanations makes me wonder if they printed a draft instead of the final copy. For instance, they left out the ^'s in one question, which confused me for quite a while. I found at least 3 instances when the answer was just plain wrong. What really pissed me off, though, was that one question asked you to calculate the area of the triangles in a graph shown above the questions--yet they began the explanation with "To calculate the area of the rectangles in under the graph..." It would've been somewhat forgivable as a typing mistake, but when I looked at my friend's book (the 2007 or I think 7th edition) I found that the exact same question was in her book, with the exact same mistake in their explanation. A new edition is supposed to correct old errors and improve, but they obviously just reprinted it for more money!
   Another thing is that this test is WAY harder than the real exam. I was NEVER able to finish a test in the alotted time. My friend got an 800 on the real test but she said when she took Barron's exam, she got 8 questions wrong (definitely not an 800). They're supposed to give you a sense of what the real test is like and help you review for it, but they just stressed me out for the real exam because I was afraid I'd fail.
   This book is definitely not worth your money. Don't buy it, send a message to Barron's that if they want customers, they need to fix up their product.



5. When you hear Barron's, you think you're getting a good deal. Helpful tips and understandable explanations, right?
   
   Well, this book DOES NOT live up to the standard. I found numerous mistakes throughout the book that I might as well just mark it up with my red pen. The answers and explanations don't match in some questions not to mention that the explanations are spotty; they don't go step by step to tell you how they got their answer. While I know the tests are created to be harder than the real test to make the real test seem easy, some of the problems are ridiculous! My precalc teacher couldn't even solve some of them, and he's one the best precalc teachers in the country.
   
   If you really want to know what the test is like, buy Princeton Review. It's more accurate, more understandable, and has a lot less mistakes.

5 comments about Mastering Essential Math Skills: 20 Minutes a Day to Success, Book 2: Middle Grades/High School.

1. This text is so well put together that teaching math seqentially is now a breeze! I wish I'd found this book a couple of years ago. Highly recommend it to those who homeschool or need to brush up on thier own math skills. No need to have a math degree to teach math. Will definitely be purchasing the next book in the series.



2. It's nothing mindblowing, but for math you often need structure and practice more than anything else. A good, systematic way to build your child's math skills over the summer, or even during the school year.



3. Math book very good. Has the answers in the back so you can see if you have the right answer. It also shows examples so you can see how to workout a problem. Once you review problems it doesn't stop the first part is always a review of what you did last. So it keeps you practiceing over and over again.



4. This is a very helpful book for keeping your child or student up to date with daily review work. Each day builds on the previous days work. It is just enough work to keep concepts fresh. Could also be used over the summer to keep kids on track. Great product.



5. I am happy with this math workbook. My son likes that he only has to dedicate a small amount of time to math daily over the summer break and usually there is no argument. I recommend this book to all who want their children get ready for September!

5 comments about Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician's Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks.

1. I have always been good at math, but I still found a lot of the tricks in this book new and handy. Most of these tricks don't require that you are good at math - my husband was even able to do them!



2. I'm neither interested in squaring three-digit numbers in my head nor in doing mathematical magic. I'm only interested in practical mental math. I did buy this book for chapter 5; *** Good Enough; The Art of 'Guesstimation' ***. I've been doing guesstimations for many years intuitively, not very structured. This fine chapter teaches beginners the art of guesstimation while experts can go back to the basics and hone their skills while they might discover something new ... I did do so with approximating years needed for trippling an investment given interest rates of X% p.a.



3. This book is very well written. I have always done well in math classes. I never really enjoyed mathematics though. This book makes what seems impossible possible. If you ever wanted to be able to square a number like 72 in your head in seconds this is the book for you.



4. I recently purchased this book after a stranger in a bookstore suggested it. I'm already impressed. There are quite a few 'speed math' books out there, but this one is easily accessible to everyone and is intended to help with everyday life. I'm fairly advanced in college-level math and I intuitively knew some of the suggestions in the book, but it has helped me brush up, learn new things, and most of all learn how to do it BETTER.
   
   I highly recommend this book to students because it is a tremendous help to know how to perform quick math in your head. Even if you have a calculator, just knowing what to expect for the outcome helps you perform faster and serves as a double-check when you need it. And knowing how to do math quickly is essential on a standardized test like the SAT. Even if you know how to do all the problems correctly, the time limit can cripple you--so do yourself a favor and get this book.
   
   Some of the topics covered in this book include 'basic' to 'advanced' multiplication, mental division, guesstimation, calculating the day of the week, and memorizing numbers through mnemonics.



5. 
   This book is great! This book teaches you tricks that really work and really makes you wonder how people came up with them.
   
   One thing I wanted to reccommend - Although this book is for mental math, going through it, I always kept a pencil and paper by my side - some of the concepts/tricks were a little abstract to simply read and absorb the first time around, so they needed a couple of examples (on paper) to solidify the 'trick' for me. After I worked out a couple of problems on pen and paper, I was able to grasp the ability to do them mentally.
   
   One of the best things this book teaches is guesstimation and more importantly, how to forumulate your 'guesses' so you are not so far off from target. I had been doing guesstimation for ages but the methods mentioned in the book were pretty good guidelines for my future guesses.
   
   This book is a must have for anyone that is afraid of numbers because these simple tricks will make difficult math problems a little easier to deal with. The time saving techniques this book is filled with can shave seconds off of your problem solving skills which, come test time (math test, SAT, any test which involves math), you'll be thinking about this book and thanking the author.

5 comments about Math Workbook for the New SAT (Barron's Math Workbook for the Sat I)3rd Edition.

1. As a peer studying for the SAT i recommend this book to those that have reviewed the official SAT workbook, kaplan, and also princeton review. this book show problems that are extremely difficult compared to the regular test but it is a good book to review if your planning to score at the 2100-2400 range.



2. Harder tham the usual test but defintely works.



3. I'm an SAT tutor that actually takes the SAT three times a year. This is a great book and I wish all my students had the discipline to use it. The complaint from the other SAT tutor is not relevant to the objective of raising your score (which if you are scoring in the 500's can easily go up 100 points if you use this book in conjunction with the eight practice tests in the College Board Official Study Guide). This book remediates your math skill weaknesses which is the first step in preparing for the SAT math section. Once completed, (just the sections you are weak or rusty in)then dive into the eight practice tests in the College Board book which combine math reasoning with math skill. My other favorite resource for my students is Acing the New SAT I Math by Greenhall Publishing---an excellent resource to use by itself or in combination with Barron's. It's actually more comprehensive than Barron's and ideal for the student that is looking for a challenge and a score over 650. I would do the Barron's book first and then the Acting the New SAT I Math for each math section. Have fun!



4. I am a math tutor who has used this book to help several kids study for the SAT. It is a good review of the material covered on the SAT. It has a full section explaining each type of question followed by plenty of practice problems ranging from easy to very difficult. I have not found many mistakes in the book. There are answers and explanations for all the problems in the book making it easy for students to self teach. There are also practice tests which I feel are a great deal harder than the actual SAT. The Appendix to the book is an excellent math review listing all the math concepts needed very consisely allowing a quick review the night before the test.



5. I used this review book about two weeks before an SAT. If I had more time, I am sure it would have made me do even better on the test. This fully prepares you for any math questions that may show up on the exam. Barron's really is the best review book company.

5 comments about Kaplan GRE Math Workbook, Sixth Edition.

1. The explanations are good as far as they go, but they do not explain some of the harder math that shows up on the GRE like permutations and more advanced algebra. I took the GRE today and, although I scored 800 on both sections, the math definitely felt more difficult than the 'advanced' problems I had looked at in this book last night. I was shocked when I got my score and I guess I was lucky, but if you want to be sure of doing really well, I would look for more challenging practice and in depth review than this book provides.



2. This book is just ok as far as a review of math goes. I haven't touched this kind of math in ages; therefore, I am relearning the material. This book does not go far enough into the explanations of the answers. It just simply gives the answers without explaining how the problem got solved. That is not helpful if you are not getting the correct answers and you feel you are doing everything right. I would not suggest this book to anyone for that reason, unless you have a solid grasp on the material and just need some practice.



3. I thought this would be a complete math review but it doesn't even go through the probabilities and the questions are way easier than the actual tests. If you have no knowledge of the math part it would work but if you are looking for high math score this is definitely not enough.



4. Don't waste your time and money buying this book! It wasn't helpful at all! I found that Baaron's Math part is really comprehensive and educative. This book is very easy and has nothing to do with real GRE exam. I would also recommend to subscribe for some internet quiz to do better on actual test. Good luck everyone!



5. If you're looking for a book to prep you for the quantitative section of the GRE, this workbook by Kaplan is not a comprehensive prep book. I personally found Barron's to be the best guide in helping me with the Math section of the GRE. I bought this book thinking it would a good practice book, but I found it to be average and the practice questions are much easier than the questions I found on the actual GRE.