Customer Reviews

Algebra for the Clueless

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Whoa--this book is riddled with mistakes! Here are a couple of whoppers:

"Addition--Sum (the answer in multiplication)... "Multiplication--Product (the answer in multiplication)..." [p. 4]

"What is the degree of x6 + y7 + x4y5? ...the degree of y is 5." [p. 15]

I'm less than halfway through, and I've found a half dozen typos and other errors that skew the lessons. I appreciate the author's breezy style, but texts like this should be accurate. Maybe the publisher will proofread the second printing-in the meantime, let the student beware!

This book is great! I've been out of High School for 12 years but, I helped refresh my memory of what I learned and, taught me better than my teachers. I looked forward to reading each of the lessons.

This book helped me pass a college math test which allowed me to be placed in a higher level math course.

A few comments for the next printing. Slightly better explanations could be given on more difficult and confusing problems. More attention should be given to editing and proofing. I came across a couple of problems and, the answer given was either incorrect or the procedure given was incorrect. After following the procedure for solving the problem contiuosly provided the wrong answer by the book. Also, I cam across a discrepancy involving "orders of operation". Once again, following the instructions given, I produced the wrong answer until I tried my own method. Finally, answers to examples and practice problems are too close to the question so the answers are immediately visible, thus, encouraging peeking at the answers.

Otherwise, this book is GREAT!!!!

Sorry, but this book was NO help, got a tutor and was told to throw the book away. Book made me feel stupid when I know I'm not. Typos, wrong answers, LOTS of mistakes too. Showed examples of problems, then went right on to REALLY hard problems without examples of how to do them.

Out of curiosity I went through this book. The material is presented in an informal style which is great. However, in pursuit of trying to be "cute" the presentation spills over into flippancy. Important algebraic ideas are scanned over and the author misses out on explaining some vital points. I am all for making the material fresh and "fast" but not at the expense of rigor.

If you want a no-nonsense but excellent and very useable treatment of Algebre go with "Practical Algebra" by Selby et al.

Read through the first 3 chapters, and I havent found any errors. It it bringing back all the memories I tried to forget about algebra. It is really useful, the author explains it as though he really cares. The only thing that is better than this book would be a private tutor in person.

The only complaint I have is that there should be more examples.

Bob Miller takes very difficult concepts and makes them extremely easy to grasp. It is the one math book that will not make you tear your hair out of your head!
The author uses a bit of humor and emotion to make math understandable to the average layman. The books are meant to be a supplement to whatever math text you are using. After Bob explains the concepts you will breeze through your textbook's examples. A great book at a great price!

If you've taken the math before, and dont want to restart your education with math 008 then get your math skills back with this book. Even with my short attention span, bad eyes, and a lousy memory i was able to move thru the information, and manage to come away with more math skills then i've had in 20 years.

it even has a few pages on circles, and triangles!

This is a terrific book that teaches each algebraic principal step by step. You must be patient and take your time but the concepts are explained thoroughly. However, there are very few practice problems. Use this book to learn how do to each problem but purchase another book in order to practice and work additional problems.

I'm a seventh grader about to go to eighth and I had know idea on how to do Pre-Al much less than Algebra. I picked up this book and was insantly hooked. Kinda funny with typos on porpose. Heck instead of dreading of doing Algebra i will willing read thourgh this book many times

I purchased this book in order to work on problems between semesters and was very disappointed. I suppose the author believes if he has "cute graphics" in his book, challenged algebra students will understand.

I think I remember reading about a money-back guarantee somewhere. I think I will look this up.
The main problem with math/algebra and the majority of those who teach this subject is that they are all right brained thinkers. They "get" math. They think us left-brained people should get it, too. WRONG. Do not teach us the way you understand it. This is why at least 75% of people hate math. There must be a better way...