No comments about Math (Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It) (Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It).

No comments about The Mathematical Connections.

No comments about A Modern Theory of Integration (Graduate Studies in Mathematics).

1 comments about Prealgebra Blastoff!.

1. I am 39 and have some learning disabilities. Positive and negative numbers have ALWAYS confused me. I felt like I understood adding and subtracting and then they changed the math universe on me when they introduced the concept. I am not someone who can just do math by rote, I have to understand WHY it works the way it does, and if I don't I just cannot retain the rote rules they wanted me to memorize. This book explains negative numbers in a way that I really get it for the first time in my life.
   
   The book is written for children, and I think it would be wonderful for kids, I so wish I was taught the concept like this to begin with. They use manipulatives to cement the the concept, which it really useful for kids. It takes an abstract concept and brings it into the real world. Being an adult I didn't actually use the manipulatives, but the explanation about why they work was invaluable to me.
   
   They use a comic book style to explain each new step, and start out really simply, but if you were taught the traditional way it is a shift in how to look at negative numbers. It blew my mind a little at first, but in a really good way! As an adult the comic book part is a bit weird at first, but it really is a great way to show what they want you to understand without the risk of confusing someone with paragraphs of text, this is true especially for kids, but since it was a major shift in the way I understood the numbers it was very helpful for me to see it illustrated and not just written out.
   
   The problems are broken up into a set of manipulative work with a mat you can copy and use, if you need it, and then a set to just do on paper. When you switch to the paper work you are given a rule to help you remember how to handle the problem, which is helpful for retention. Since I didn't need the manipulative practice, I just did both sets on paper. Every problem has the answer in the back of the book, so you can check to see you are understanding the concept correctly.
   
   One improvement I would make to the rules is his set of ways to remember what to do when you are doing problems like +4-(-)7 or -10+(+)4. This happens near the end of the book when you really understand how to handle the straight up problems like -4+8 or +7-20. I wont go into what he says because for me anyway it is harder to retain than the way he explained it in a later book "Algebra Survival Guide" (Which I also recommend, but don't skip this one if you are having problem with adding and subtracting!) The other way is simply that you can view a + as something good and a - as something bad. So if you are taking away something bad, that is good -(-)= + If you are taking away something good, that's bad -(+)= - If you are getting something good, it is good +(+)= + And if you are getting something bad, that's bad +(-)= -. I hope this didn't confuse anyone, but I thought it was the simplest way to remember what to do that I have found, and it isn't in this book.
   
   Over all this book is WELL worth the money and has helped me to understand something I never have before. If you child is having problems with adding negative numbers or if you have always struggled with them GET THIS BOOK! It has actually made me exited about this math concept, a small miracle at the age of 39! I just wish that he would have done one on multiplying and dividing!

No comments about FTCE Mathematics 6-12 (XAM FTCE).

1 comments about Sharp Math: Building Better Math Skills (Kaplan Sharp Series).

1. /
   
   "Sharp Math" is one of those books that is practically a "give-away". No high prices, and not some slender volume that gives you half of what you need, this comprehensive little gem packs a lot of punch.
   
   It gives the key concepts for simple Arithmetic, but also Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Percents, Decimals, Number Theory, Ratio & Proportion, Powers (exponents) and Roots, STATISTICS & PROBABILITY. What a lovely book.
   
   The book also escapes what is my biggest gripes as a student; it does not pack everything into dense pages of text. No sirree. The lessons are spaciously laid out, with lots of white on the pages. When I see illustrations laid out with lots of space, the visual impact is more readily accepted.
   
   The book has ample illustrations, which is another feature I look for in good books. Good ones, like this one, supply clear illustrations to demonstrate key concepts. This is the sort of book that can get someone through the maze of knowledge which makes up math, and it also serves as a foundation for those who are definitely college bound.
   
   The book uses what the experts at Kaplan call the "Building Block Method" which is an accelerated approach upon which teachers and students can build.
   
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3 comments about Teaching Mathematics for the 21st Century: Methods and Activities for Grades 6-12, Second Edition.

1. This book is rambling, incoherent, repetitive, intellectually dishonest and manipulative. It presents a extreme, one-sided interpretation of the 1989 NCTM math standards as universally recognized, research-based "best practice."

   I would recommend that anyone choosing texts for a math methods course use the 2000 NCTM standards themselves and, if necessary, a generic teaching methods text.

   The 2000 Standards document is economical, beautifully done and, most importantly, far closer to a consensus of teachers, teacher educators, mathematicians and psychologists on what constitutes best practice than the 1989 document which inspires this text.




2. This book is rambling, incoherent, repetitive, intellectually dishonest and manipulative. It presents a extreme, one-sided interpretation of the 1989 NCTM math standards as universally recognized, research-based "best practice."

   I would recommend that anyone choosing texts for a math methods course use the 2000 NCTM standards themselves and, if necessary, a generic teaching methods text.

   The 2000 Standards document is economical, beautifully done and, most importantly, far closer to a consensus of teachers, teacher educators, mathematicians and psychologists on what constitutes best practice than the 1989 document which inspires this text.




3. This book is packed with activities and practical methods of teaching algebra and geometry to middle and high schoolers. This is the best book I've seen on the subject.

3 comments about Math Smart (Princeton Review Series).

1. This book can be used as a first-time workbook or as a review. The subjects are geared toward preparing for the standardized math tests found in the SAT, GRE & GMAT exams, but are equally useful for passing job-placement numerical tests. The language & examples are targeted toward young adults (is that a PC term?) without excluding or offending the rest of us. The style is very chatty with lots of interesting visuals. Many practice exercises with both answers and step-by-step explanations of how the answers were arrived at. This book covers the basics of math in a fun way.



2. This book is really fairly good at introducing easy to remember math solutions. The author takes nothing for granted and teaches from the beginning so that you may "learn" the material. The only down fall is that there are a couple of type-os in the algebra section answers which really drove me crazy second guessing myself. Fortunately for me, I work with engineers who confirmed my answers. Having said that, the book redeems itself with usefulness. I give 3 1/2 stars.



3. If you are math impaired and did not do so well on the Math section of GMAT diagnostic this is a great book for you! It does NOT give you gmat practice questions but it does give you a good overview on all Math topics covered on GMAT. It provides a few practice questions per topic simply to reiterate a subject. I started w/ this before jumping into the Official Guide and I found it very helpful!If you are below average or simply average on the diagnostic test this is for you. If you are a "math smarty" this will be a bore!

2 comments about Visual Math: See How Math Makes Sense.

1. This book is so amazing I can hardly describe it! It will help any person who has trouble in math see things in a whole new light. Not only is it excellent for kids, it is a great help for adults as well. In the beginning of the book there is a fascinating test to see whether you are right- or left-brained. It is so interesting to see how you score. I recommend this book to people of all ages, whether they are good in math or not.



2. This book will make math easier because it has funny examples with visuals that will really stick in your mind. It makes math fun to learn and if you're a teacher, it is easy to read to your class and teach.

No comments about Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study: Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Practice.