Lial's or Foerster for Algebra I?

[naturalmom]

I am trying to decide between these two texts for my ds. He's done all the algebra in NEM1, and half the geometry. We're going to switch over to something that is hopefully a little easier to use! Anything you can tell me about these would be so helpful!

Trish

[Sandra in FL]

I think it's a bit more challenging than the 2 other texts you mention. We did PM 1-6 but I didn't want to go into NEM (too much time) so we opted for Dolciani's. It's incremental and the word problems are not as difficult as in SM. Also, it got a good review on www.mathematicallycorrect.com. It was rated a close second to Foerster's but on closer examination of the reviews Foerster's explanation seem clearer while Dolciani's problems seem more difficult. So since you have done NEM1, Dolciani might be a better fit.

My dd has had a bit of a problem transitioning to variables (instead of SM's "units") but she's young (6th grader).

HTH,
Sandra

[LizzyBee]

My oldest dd has done part of NEM 1 and is now using Foerster. I have Dolciani, too, but I like Foerster better. The explanations are abundantly clear, proofs are introduced early, and the student is taught to think and reason rather than plugging formulas.

[naturalmom]

Is there a difference in Foerster editions? Is there a solutions manual?

Lizzybee- did your dd finish the algebra portion of NEM1? If so, how did you transition to Foerster? On another thread someone recommended doing the chapter reviews or tests until they became difficult...is that what you did?

Thanks!

As for Dolciani's - I'm going to pass on the "more challenging" for now - I need something straightforward. I think if I weren't so burned out from NEM, I might have chosen it, though. At this point I'd like ds to regain some of the time he's spent in the last year and a half.

[LizzyBee]

Lizzybee- did your dd finish the algebra portion of NEM1? If so, how did you transition to Foerster? On another thread someone recommended doing the chapter reviews or tests until they became difficult...is that what you did?

My dd only did the first 3 books of Key to Alegebra, then the first 4 chapters of NEM. I had planned to alternate back and forth between Foerster and NEM, but I like Foerster so well that we've just kept moving forward. At some point, I'd like to go back to NEM, but I'm not sure how far we'll go in Foerster before we switch back to NEM. I like the depth of the application problems in NEM, but the clear teaching in Foerster. I think NEM will be a great test of whether she's mastered the concepts in Foerster.

Foerster has the answers to the odd problems in the back of the book. I picked up a cheap used book on Amazon and didn't look for a solution guide, so I'm not sure what all is available.

Sorry I'm not more help. We're just winging it as we go.