UCSMP Geometry (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project) [Hardcover]

Zalman Usiskin (Author), Daniel B. Hirschhorn (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 928 pages
• Publisher: Scott, Foresman & Co.; 2nd edition (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0673457850
• ISBN-13: 978-0673457851
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not PERFECT, but better than most in category, September 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: UCSMP Geometry (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project) (Hardcover)

UCSMP geometry is pretty darned good for a "contemporary style" geometry book.

This is a decent self study book where students read and repeat. There are good tips on ideas for investigation in the "project"section at the end of each chapter.

Chapter 1 is horrible. "Point" is defined 5 ways for 5 unique geometries until the student is left wondering literally "what is the point?" Chapter 1 requires a lot of explaining. Not a bad place to break out Euclid's Elements, to see what the "old school" was all about, notice similarity and difference.

Ch 4- The derevation of congruence by reflection theorems in nothing short of horrible handwaving. Just suffer through it, but skipping it is rough because the book goes back to it too much in later chapters.

Two column proofs are done in ch. 5, 6, 7, 11 and 13. Ch. 13 is circle proofs-- so nowhere are proofs longer than 6 steps ever even attempted. Maybe that's ok. Maybe skip Ch 13. I do. Why learn little kiddy proofs twice?

OK, my big beef is with chapters 8,9, and 10. Perimeter, area, and volume. On one hand, this is a rehash of middle school basics. On the other hand, there is a bucketload of useless formulas to memorize (if you teach it that way) and on the third hand (!) memorizing the formulas destroys any chance for critical problem solving skills to develop.

Example: surface area of a cone- here's the formula. Ask a student to MAKE a cone exactly 5 inches tall and 4 inches accross-- they are paralyzed. No idea what slant height is. Even with a square pyramid. So, hey--- make some models.

Overall, it's a pretty good basic "contemporary" (TRADITIONAL is Euclid's Elements, still outstanding after 2300 years if you have a geometry teacher around!) book.

If you are home schooling, you need a copy of Mike Serra's Geometry (any edition) for the great projects that helps kids figure stuff out in addition to this book.

Hey, what do I know. I'm a constructivist.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect geometry textbook., June 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: UCSMP Geometry (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project) (Hardcover)

I used this book to homeschool my daughter during the year I was living in Spain, since the math course available to her in the local school duplicated what she had learned the year before in the United States. The book was everything I could have asked for, and more. My daughter worked every problem in the book. The text explanations were clear. The selection of topics was brilliant. I believe that my daughter learned both geometry and the yoga of proof, both its purpose and its delights. I have no complaints whatsoever about this text. It prepared her well for her subsequent studies in math.