Dennis In Va
03-08-2008, 08:26 AM
Hello,
I am a retired middle school math teacher who is now supplementing his retirement income with the private tutoring of elementary and middle school students.
Recently I was asked by a parent to tutor a student in Algebra 2. I told the parent that my Algebra 2 is extremely rusty, and that the modern curriculums of Algebra 2 have changed substantially since I last took it. I also explained that I am a near novice with the graphing calculator, which is practically a necessity for many Algebra 2 curriculums, especially during the 2nd semester.
The parent talked me into giving it a try, and I agreed, stating that I would probably be spending several hours a week studying up on the subject, relearning many topics I have long forgotten and learning some topics I never had. For example, I never had matrix problems when I took Algebra 2 course.
I also went out and bought a graphing calculator, a TI-84 Plus.
Unfortuntely, the textbook the student uses doesn't really teach you how to use it. For example, it might say something like:
"On your graphing calculator, enter the function 3x^2 + etc. + etc., and graph it."
But it doesn't tell you how to do it.
The instruction book that came with my TI-84 Plus is, in my opinion, poorly written and hard to follow.
Can anybody recommend a really good graphing calculator guide or tutorial, either in book form or on the internet, which teaches you step by step, exactly how to do what?
What I am looking for is something that will show me exactly which button to push in which sequence, step by step by step.
Can any of you math gurus out there recommend such a resource?
Thanks in advance.
Dennis In Va
I am a retired middle school math teacher who is now supplementing his retirement income with the private tutoring of elementary and middle school students.
Recently I was asked by a parent to tutor a student in Algebra 2. I told the parent that my Algebra 2 is extremely rusty, and that the modern curriculums of Algebra 2 have changed substantially since I last took it. I also explained that I am a near novice with the graphing calculator, which is practically a necessity for many Algebra 2 curriculums, especially during the 2nd semester.
The parent talked me into giving it a try, and I agreed, stating that I would probably be spending several hours a week studying up on the subject, relearning many topics I have long forgotten and learning some topics I never had. For example, I never had matrix problems when I took Algebra 2 course.
I also went out and bought a graphing calculator, a TI-84 Plus.
Unfortuntely, the textbook the student uses doesn't really teach you how to use it. For example, it might say something like:
"On your graphing calculator, enter the function 3x^2 + etc. + etc., and graph it."
But it doesn't tell you how to do it.
The instruction book that came with my TI-84 Plus is, in my opinion, poorly written and hard to follow.
Can anybody recommend a really good graphing calculator guide or tutorial, either in book form or on the internet, which teaches you step by step, exactly how to do what?
What I am looking for is something that will show me exactly which button to push in which sequence, step by step by step.
Can any of you math gurus out there recommend such a resource?
Thanks in advance.
Dennis In Va