CA CSET Math 7-12 (REA) - The Best Teachers' Test Prep for the Cset [Paperback]

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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

ARE YOU READY TO TEACH IN CALIFORNIA?
THEN USE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE ON THE MARKET TODAY.

CSET Mathematics

The Most Complete Subject Review
Everything you need to know for the CSET Mathematics exam, prepared by leading specialists in teacher education. Comprehensive review chapters cover all the subjects and skills tested on the exam. Examples in each chapter reinforce knowledge as you study.

The Best Practice Exams Available
2 full-length practice exams based on the official CSET Mathematics test – balanced to include every topic and type of question you can expect on the actual CSET Mathematics exam.

Total Explanations of Questions & Answers
Each practice exam comes with detailed feedback on every question. We don’t just say which answers are right – but explain why the others are wrong, so you’ll be prepared on test day!

Proven Test Prep Methods
REA’s focused CSET Mathematics content and practical advice have helped millions succeed on their exams. With our step-by-step plan, you can score high on the CSET and get certified to teach in California!

Federal Guidelines for NCLB Compliance
You can expect that candidates with NCLB-compliant credentials will enjoy preferential status in hiring. In California, this means you need to pass the CSET. Maximize your exam performance and master the CSET with the unrivaled certification expertise that only REA can offer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Research & Education Association; 1st edition (September 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738601802
• ISBN-13: 978-0738601809
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the most current and best resource out there, May 17, 2008

By 

Gabriel E. Borlean (Odense, Denmark - birthtown of fairytale-writer H.C. Andersen) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: CA CSET Math 7-12 (REA) - The Best Teachers' Test Prep for the Cset (Paperback)

Recently I took the Algebra/Number Theory (domain I) CSET exam recently. I am applying to the Credentials and M.A. in Education progarm at UC Davis, and needed to take any of the 3 domains / modules.

Some people think they have to take all 3 domains (algebra, geometry, and calculus), but the only one required is the subject matter one intends to teach in. I decided to take the Algebra/Number Theory domain exam, thinking that this would take the least time to prepare. I actually procrastinate and read the review material for 5 hours in the morning before taking the exam. Actually, it turned out to be a good strategy, as it was a good warmup for harder problems, but I had the theory fresh in mind. I also found that using probability/statistics and calculus knowledge helped me solve some problems faster.

THE EXAM:
When taking the CSET (1 to 3 modules) one has 5 hours to complete the exam (they recommend answering/filling out all questions). Each module is made up of 30 multiple choice questions (A,B,C,D) that are quite challenging and time-consuming, and 4 constructed-response questions (where one has to show all the steps in the proof/solution work). I know at $70 the exam seems quite pricey, and one may feel tempted to do all 3 modules, but one has to consider also the time pressure and desired score.

WHY THIS BOOK:
First of all, this book is newly published (and very current with the latest exam objectives), very well organized, easy to use, comprehensive, and has practice exams and extras on CD.

IF YOU ARE TAKING MODULE 1 (Albegra + Number Theory):
I would recommend you do some difficult/challenging problems from other sources on these topics and understand the theory very well:
* Integers, Real numbers, Rational and Irrational, and their components. How to write proofs and use definitions.
* Review and know well your Complex numbers (eg, if given two different roots, realize that their conjugate is also a root)
* Polynomials, polynomials, polynomials (how theory/definitions apply, higher orders -5th, 7th, functions and their inverse graphs etc.)
* Quadratic functions, Absolute Values, Inequalities, and Vectors are a sure thing.
* Know how to find domains of various functions, and how to use composite functions.
* Logarithms, logarithms, and extensible logarithms.
* Matrices and Linear Equations will be thoroughly tested via a more than a couple of problems (know about matrix arithmetic rules, identity matrix, and especially how to work with invertible matrixes, and matrix multiplications).
ABOVE ALL, if you understand the theories and definitions, you can work out the problems with some time consumption, but if you think you can backward engineer the answers from the multiple choices on the exam you are in for a big surprise. This exam will test your patience and your math skills.

WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY:
I spent 3 hours finishing up module 1. I realized that the multiple choice questions took me between 4 and 5 minutes, and I spent 15 min. per constructed-response question. I would spend 6 weeks as the author recommends to pace oneself, and take some sample exams under test conditions.

The only additional materials I would supplement this study-book with, are real practice CSET exams, and textbook problems that are more challenging and make one think on how the theory applies in real problems. Reviewing the theory the morning of the exam has helped me tremendously, but I felt the book lacked difficult sample problems, and also I found a few typos here and there (eg. page 18 wrong sign on a polynomial formula. This exam will test your patience and your math skills. I also plan on using this book as a reference for future graduate work. Good luck on your exams!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A place to start if you're studying for the Math CSET, July 18, 2009

By 

pb_bay (Bay area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CA CSET Math 7-12 (REA) - The Best Teachers' Test Prep for the Cset (Paperback)

I first reviewed for the CSET with this book. I found that for the most part, it covered the formulas I needed to know for the Subtest I and II but for the Calculus part of it (test III) and History of Math I had to learn a lot more about those subjects for the test. Especially with Calculus, you have to know Taylor and Maclaurin series and all this EXTRA stuff that even an AP Calc student probably didn't put too much effort into studying. Also, it seems there is no really great resource for learning history of math - I just went through an online time line and picked and chose relevant mathematicians and made flash cards and that seemed to be enough for the test. The tough part is one of the constructed response questions uses a history of math topic so it may be an old formula that isn't true anymore and you have to use the formula and then use a contemporary formula and compare the results....at least that's what my test had on it.....it's pretty tough....you also need to know some of the more obscure trig identities like the half angles and the addition and sum formulas....lots of memorizing for that test.

I ended up checking out a Calc book and a Stats book - the stats in this book covers the basics but you're going to have to know how to conduct all the different tests - t test, hypothesis tests, p values, Chi square tests, z scores, confidence intervals - none of this stuff is in this book. So, it's a great starting point if you need to get your feet wet but you're not going to pass the CSET with this book alone :( sorry to say.....but at the same time I learned a lot from it and it's a great resource for formulas and for the practice tests.

For Subtest I, the book is kind of light in the Number theory section - the test requires you to know about fields and rings and prime number history...also to be able to prove that a set of numbers is a field or ring using properties of commutativity, associativity, distributivity, inverses, addition and multiplication identity, etc etc. The 'nuance' and subtlety that the CSET is testing is not really present in the review materials in any of the subtests but they are hinted at in the test questions in the book. I would recommend using the book as an initial refresher and then getting into textbooks and wikipedia for reinforcement.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Obfuscating +, April 19, 2008

By 

B. Solomon "Stealth Tutor" (Sierra Madre, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CA CSET Math 7-12 (REA) - The Best Teachers' Test Prep for the Cset (Paperback)

I have been tutoring pre-algebra and algebra for several years now, and decided to take Level 1 CSET/ Math test so I could teach Middle School math. A musician by training and K-12 homeschool teacher in my previous life, I know this math pretty well.

I have not worked the whole CSET/Math TP book, nor will I, but so far I have found the how-to-do-it explanations worse than any textbook I have tutored from, and that is saying a lot. Their explanation for finding slope barely touches on y = mx+b, which is the standard equation, and left me scratching my head in disbelief.

Perhaps they are trying to keep clear thinkers out of math education -- (I have certainly suspected this in the Math for Teachers classes.) Perhaps the practice tests are fairly standard, but I will NOT use this TP book at all. It is terrible.