Crossing the River with Dogs: Problem Solving for College Students [Paperback]

Ken Johnson (Author), Ted Herr (Author), Judy Kysh (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1931914141 | ISBN-13: 978-1931914147 | Publication Date: November 18, 2003 | Edition: 1

Students who often complain when faced with challenging word problems will be engaged as they acquire essential problem solving skills that are applicable beyond the math classroom. The authors of Crossing the River with Dogs: Problem Solving for College Students:

- Use the popular approach of explaining strategies through dialogs from fictitious students

- Present all the classic and numerous non-traditional problem solving strategies (from drawing diagrams to matrix logic, and finite differences)

- Provide a text suitable for students in quantitative reasoning, developmental mathematics, mathematics education, and all courses in between

- Challenge students with interesting, yet concise problem sets that include classic problems at the end of each chapter

With Crossing the River with Dogs, students will enjoy reading their text and will take with them skills they will use for a lifetime.

Product Details

• Paperback: 490 pages
• Publisher: Key College; 1 edition (November 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931914141
• ISBN-13: 978-1931914147
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great text!, September 16, 2007

By 

Char Faye (New York State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crossing the River with Dogs: Problem Solving for College Students (Paperback)

This book is a great text book. My professor loves it and I really like it too. The way it makes you think is so different than other concepts in the math realm. This book makes you think and I recommed incorporating Sodoku puzzles into your curriculum if you teach a problem solving class. I'm only a student, but they really make you think.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Whimsical Twist on Mathematics, April 16, 2011

By 

Matthew R. Kuiper (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crossing the River with Dogs: Problem Solving for College Students (Key Curriculum Press) (Paperback)

Crossing the River with Dogs is a mathematics book on the topic of problem solving and logic. The textbook introduces a student, possibly for the first time, into mathematical strategies like unit analysis, matrix logic, and strategic diagrams.

The real strength of this book is the power to provide solid content in an enjoyable way. The questions are unique and
compelling. In fact, frequently the situations border on the edge of odd. Primarily, math books are written in a very serious tone. The questions are dry and based on real life situations. The author's of Crossing the River with dogs took this model, crumpled it up, and disposed of it. Most of the questions in CRD are based on fantastical elements.

For a business major, this came as a welcome relief. Problem Solving and Logic class(PRL202) became a joy to attend as we worked through this text book. Environmental policies were informative, but figuring out how many Hrunkulu's could fit on an elevator was riveting.

At the conclusion of the book, the student feels like as he walked through a world of Doctor Seuss's creation, and came out with a far greater understanding of mathematics and logic.
This area of study would be of great interest to a student who needs mathematics credits at school, but does not want to take calculus or trigonometry.

Those who home school could easily use this textbook after the completion of geometry and algebra. Parents be warned that the concepts discussed in the textbook are best understood in a group setting.

Of all my textbooks I purchased for my college degree, this is the only textbook that I still have on my shelf.

I give Crossing the River with Dogs a hearty recommendation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth every cent, September 22, 2008

By 

PrimesRule - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crossing the River with Dogs: Problem Solving for College Students (Paperback)

I am a first year teacher, teaching high school math topics (Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calc, etc) and I find the problems in this book to be amazing! I have a study skills class that is required for all 10th graders. The classes have students who are in Pre-Algebra up to students taking Algebra 2 honors. I find the problems in this book to be an even playing field for all levels! The problems require the students to think and problem solve using various strategies explained throughout the book.


I've recommended it to every teacher I know, and they've all agreed that this book is a must have! No matter what you teach, you can always find a handful of problems that will have the students becoming more advanced problem solvers.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!