Customer Reviews

Becoming a Problem Solving Genius

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'd call this book perfect for middle school on up if you plan to use it as is. For many younger children (lower than 4th grade)to teach the material, you'd have to be willing to present the concepts in examples you've rewritten.
Examples: [In Chapter 1] 160 divided by 1/3 = 53 1/3. In Chapter 3, Level 1 problem 1 is simple subtraction...but if a student doesn't already know that a straight line = 180 degrees, he or she will just get frustrated that a number is "missing". And later in the book there are some variables and exponents.
My son is entering 5th; his math level is just out of pre-algebra/getting into "real" algebra (I've supplemented at home)...if I were relying only upon what children learn through fourth grade at school, he would be too distracted by the computation to get the problem solving benefit out of it. I don't think the book is presented as being for elementary students. But if you purchase this book to use [as is] for someone comfortable with fractions and some basic pre-algebra concepts...you'll have no regrets.

By the time my students get to me, they've already learned the typical problem-solving strategies over and over. This book offers additional strategies that actually help them solve middle school problems. The presentation of the strategies is clear and engaging and there are multiple levels of practice problems for each strategy making it easy to meet the needs of varied learners. My students love learning these strategies, and I love the problem-solving power these strategies provide. In addition, the strategies presented will carry on far beyond a K-12 education. As someone with an advanced degree in mathematics, these are strategies I use regularly to solve problems. I appreciate the fact that I am giving students tools that they can use in more advanced mathematics classes. I highly recommend this book to supplement any middle school curriculum. I usually combine a lesson from this book with a selection from Zaccaro's The Ten Things All Future Mathematicians and Scientists Must Know (But are Rarely Taught).

I have a 2nd grader (who is advanced for his age) and this book is written in such a way that he can grasp the concepts without feeling overwhelmed. The "cartooning" style is easy to follow and entertaining while still being educational. We were looking for something for him to use to develop his probleming solving skills. This was an excellent place to start.

I like really good math books, books that turn some confusing problems into easy ones, books that have challenge, intelligence and fun. This book has problems for different levels and it gives children keys to solving the problems. If you have a gifted kid, he'll pick up the book, read it, and he'll run to you for an explanations only for some of the "Super Einstein Level" problems. If you kid struggles with math, this book can be very helpful in teaching the kid how to approach and solve the problems that even some adults find confusing.

My 11 year old son just finished his 5th grade. He is pretty good in math at school. He used this book in summer. For each chapter, he can do problems in level 1 and level 2. For level 3 and Einstein level, he plans to return to them in a couple of months. He and I both believe that he learned a lot from this book and improved quite much in math. Problems are interesting and sorted in different levels according to their difficulties. I highly recommend this book and other books from Mr. Zaccaro!

All of Mr. Zaccaro's math books are unfailingly amazing. He works to build true understanding, rather than mechanical computations. Love the way problems are organized according to challenge level, from easy up to "Super Einstein." If you ever have a chance to hear Mr. Zaccaro speak at a seminar, I highly recommend it. I suggest this book for homeschoolers, afterschoolers, and any parents who want to help their kids succeed at math.

Overall, I was please with the book and the various concepts covered. The only issue for me was that sometimes there was an easier way to solve the problem than by using the method presented in the book. I like that it includes various levels on the same concept. I also appreciated some chapters that addressed easy ways to get fooled or fall into a "trap." I would recommend this book for anyone looking to spend some quality time working with their child at home on problem solving.

This is a very good mathematics/problem solving book with lots of useful information and easy to follow instructions. Must read if you want your kids (ours is 10 year old) to work on challenging math problems while having some fun.

two of my sons like this book and another math book similar with this one (by Edward zaccaro).