Singapore NEM -- gaps?

[KarenDV]

So I'm all set to order NEM 1 for next year for my son, who will complete Singapore 6B this year, when I read Rainbow Resources' description of the program, particularly this:

Saxon's Algebra 2 ... covers a wider variety of topics, including polar coordinates, imaginary and complex numbers, and logarithms...Also, NEM is extremely weak in coordinate graphing. The slope-intercept method of graphing lines also is not covered...(etc.)

My question: is this a concern right now, or will the subjects be covered in due time? Also, I plan to use Key to Algebra with said son as a supplement; will that fill in the gaps?

And as a tagalong question -- have any of you Singapore Primary users supplemented for topics such as statistics and probability? Did you cobble together your own unit or use a specific book?

Thanks,
Karen

[LisaNY]

Karen, have you tried asking this over at the Singapore forums? I know it has been discussed there in the past. One thing I do remember is the weakness in coordinate graphing coverage in NEM. The revised ed. of NSM does cover it more in-depth.

[Blue Hen]

My DS worked through NEM 1-3, Key to Algebra, and Dolciani Algebra 1 and 2 w/ Trig.

I stuck with NEM because of the word problems. The caliber of word problems just cannot be found in another math program that I know of. Yes, NEM 1 does not cover the slope-intercept method, but it is covered in NEM 2. Their coverage of Trig was excellent! DS breezed through the trig portion in the Dolciani Algebra 2 w/ trig and Forester's Pre-Calc.

Now, I'm sure you are wondering why I had DS go through Dolciani and NEM? Well, DS grasps concepts really quickly but he needs review and practice to really have the process sink in. Keys to Algebra really helped NEM 1 and 2 to be 'easier' for him. Dolciani Algebra 1 helped him to see how easy USA word problems are but he also encountered some different wording in word problems that helped to expand his math skills.

What I did find was that NEM 1-3 compared favorable to a pre-algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry minus proofs, and about half-of an Algebra 2 program. After NEM 3 DS worked quickly through the first half of the ALgebra 2 book---it was all review. The new topics (Not covered in NEM) were matrixs and determinants, complex numbers, natural logs and e, and probability.

From the Algebra 2 w/trig book I thought about putting DS directly into a calc course but since he was only going into 10th grade I decided to put him through a Pre-Calc book. I went with Forester's. He is finding the vast majority of this book to be review.