Question about the Lial Aglebra Books

[Connie1961]

I have both the Introductory and the Intermediate books. When comparing the table of contents, the Chapter titles follow each other. When I am teaching a chapter in the Intro book, can I look in the Intermediate book and teach what is not covered in the Intro? There by completing Algebra II along with Algebra I??? In looking at Videotext, this is how they cover theses two classes. Then, at the very end it covers the chapters you wouldn't find in Algebra I.

Does this make sense??? It seems like it would work better than going all the way through one book then going back and covering pretty much the same topics in the second book.

Would appreciate your thoughts on if this would work, especially since we only have 3 years of high school left and I would like to work in Geometry.

Thanks,
Connie

[Connie1961]

nt

[Jann in TX]

While the topic 'names' are the same the content is different. In many cases the student will lack skills/practice in other areas that relate--in other words they will NOT know how to work some of the steps in the Algebra 2 (Intermediate Algebra) text.

The concepts in Algebra are 'woven' together. It is not as simple as just continuing on with one concept 'to the end' and then starting the next. You need concept A in order to work concept B. Concept C needs both A and B. It would be frustrating to go from concept B to concept K...(even if concept K looks similar to concept B).

The Lial series does offer a combo book (Intro-Intermediate) that ATTEMPTS to do what you described. This is a VERY awkward text--and it is not suggested unless it is used as a REVIEW program (for community college students who took the Algebras years ago and need a refresher course).

This is also the reason why you CANNOT compare math texts by looking at the Table of Contents. You need to examine the depth of the concepts taught.