Am I the only one who finds

[SusanAR]

I purchased chaldust precal for next year, but I also own a Lial's text. I've spent the last few days getting ready for math next year. Wow! I think that I much prefer the Lial's text. The explanations are much clearer and the problems "seem" more straightforward.
We will probably stick with the Larson text, but i was surprised. Although I read of Lial's often, I've never viewed a text before.

[Jann in TX]

My dd is going to use the Larson text with Dr Mosely's lectures for Pre-Calc this fall. She used Lial for Intermediate Algebra this past year.

We both needed her to have some video instruction--but I will pull out my Lial text as a supplement when/if needed. Lial has video support--but Dr Mosley's teaching is so much better!

It 'is' possible to merge the CD videos with the Lial text--but I'm not that organized (or motivated).

Both programs are tried and true--both are used at the college/community college level...

[LoriM]

I think it's a great idea to have more than one math book as a reference tool! I just spent an hour reading and reviewing my mother's high school text Foundations of Advanced Mathematics by Kline, Oesterle, Wilson (1959). It's a rigorous "PreCalculus" text that covers Solid Geometry, Plane Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, fundamental Calculus, Statistics and Algebra (Mathematical Induction, Binomial Theorem, Determinants, Complex Equations, and Equation Theory). My mom still tries to claim she's "not that smart" in math, but I have this book to prove not only did she study advanced math, she took amazing notes all in the margins, and recorded most of the answers. My dds used this book as a reference when they worked in Lial Intermediate Algebra, and also in more traditional College Algebra texts.

You know my dd graduates in December with a BA in Mathematics...she just finished her "Abstract Algebra" course (Modern Algebra) with a 100 average (when most in the class failed or scraped by, and while I didn't fail or scrape by, I did need a LOT of tutoring and hand-holding to get my brain to think about those things the first time around! I'm really not that smart. LOL.). She's so much smarter than I was in math. Maybe she got it from my mom!

And yet...when we were talking this week about what *exactly* gave her the edge in math in high school, when I screwed around with her textbooks year after year, and she never used the same curriculum two years in a row, and I don't think we ever finished any book, and she only used Cliff's Notes and about 3 chapters of Jacobs Geometry for Geometry (!), she said, "It was the consistency." ROFL!!!

I honestly believe that mathematics is more real to her because she just did it every day, along with reading and writing, in pretty much the same fashion she did reading and writing. I know I couldn't "dig in" to tough literature every day, and I certainly couldn't write a research paper every week. So, when her reading got heavy, her math got lighter. When the math topic needed "digging" the reading slacked off to lighter works. And when she was in the year of the novel (LOL) when she wrote ridiculously long passages just for the joy of writing...well, I don't think we did much math that year at all.

She's very balanced as a result. You know, as beautifully talented in art as math. Reads voraciously. Writes wonderfully. And loves the complexity of mathematics.

She has chosen to apply to graduate schools for a PhD program in mathematics! She takes the general GRE tomorrow, and the math GRE in October.

I don't know why I was led to ramble all this in response to the simplicity of the Lial text...except I think it has made her a better mathematician than I ever was to have lots of math resources available, and actually use them all, as young as high school. I had that available by grad school, but by then it was too late. LOL!

[MomsintheGarden]

I think it's a great idea to have more than one math book as a reference tool! I just spent an hour reading and reviewing my mother's high school text Foundations of Advanced Mathematics by Kline, Oesterle, Wilson (1959). It's a rigorous "PreCalculus" text that covers Solid Geometry, Plane Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, fundamental Calculus, Statistics and Algebra (Mathematical Induction, Binomial Theorem, Determinants, Complex Equations, and Equation Theory). My mom still tries to claim she's "not that smart" in math, but I have this book to prove not only did she study advanced math, she took amazing notes all in the margins, and recorded most of the answers. My dds used this book as a reference when they worked in Lial Intermediate Algebra, and also in more traditional College Algebra texts.
Wow - that is very cool! How wonderful to have three generations of smart women who have the same passion in your family.

Congratulations to your daughter as well!

GardenMom

[Laurie in CA]

Great story, Lori.
Susan, we didn't do precalc. but we did do the College Algebra course with Chalkdust. You will find Mr. Mosely's lectures to be enough to do the problem sets. Make sure student takes notes. You can refer to examples in the text as needed but I found it very tedious to wade through the Larson text when my son needed help and I didn't watch the video. Lesson learned, watch the video with the student, save time later when student needs help.

[SusanAR]

Thank you all.
I see now that the Larson text has fewer pages and includes 2 additional chapters (forgive me, I'm slow to recognize the obvious:tongue_smilie:) No wonder I thought the explanations and examples were skimpy.
I will definitely watch the dvd's with ds.
susan