Comparing Lial's

[Pam H]

Can someone explain to me what the difference is between the two Intermediate Algebra editions? What is the Alternate Division all about?

Thanks.

[Jann in TX]

Margaret Lial had 2 different series published by Pearson/Addison Wesley. One was a 'hardback' series and the other a developmental 'paperback' series (the one I use). As of this year they are merging the two into one series.

The current edition of the paperback series is the 8th.
The current edition of the 'hardback' series was the 9th. (They had their own previous editions including an 8th).
The newest edition of Lial's Intermediate Algebra is the 10th. This is the merged text. It has a new format with the most changes being to the video lessons--it now shows the instructor working out all of the test problems--which seems to be a current trend.

Some community colleges and universities prefer to have a 'custom' or alternate text. This means that they have a unique isbn number and usually a different cover. This is so their students must purchase their texts from the CC or University--no Amazon.com for these students...it is all about MONEY! These texts are usually 99.9% the same as the standard edition...but some have more changes (usually sequence).

For homeschooling I still like the paperback 7th and 8th editions. I really like the layout--practice problems in the margin and detailed examples. I have not had a look at the 10th edition--but if I can get a brand new 7th edition for $10 and the 10th edition for $130 I would go with the 7th edition.

VERY minor differences--mainly cover changes--between editions.

I'm curious to the layout of the 10th edition---but I'm not going to purchase one to find out---I'll wait until it is an 'older edition' in a year or two!

[Pam H]

Thanks Jann - this gives me some direction.

:D

[Tressa]

I just purchased the 7th edition online for almost nothing. If I didn't like it, no big deal. I just thought that I would throw that out there because I was having a hard time trying to decide what to do.