Customer Reviews

Math, Grade 7: 70 Must-Know Word Problems (Singapore Math)

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I bought this because I've read a lot in the press about Singapore's success on international tests. It looks like it lives up to its expectations. It demonstrates solutions to word problems using simple drawings of rods to show the relationships of the various quatities (the way Euclid would have done it). The problems also require several steps to solve while most American textbooks need only one or two.

I plan on fully integrating this system into my 7th grade pre-algebra class by starting with the 4th grade book. I think this type of relational reasoning and number sense is what they have been missing.

Although my son has completed pre-algebra a year ago, his problem-solving skills have room for improvement. My wife bought this book while browsing at a physical bookstore. My first reaction was that it would be better to keep working on algebra and reviewing pre-algebra word-problems would be a waste of time. I was wrong.

These 70 problems all involve simple linear equations with up to 4 unknowns. There is no need for matrix manipulation, however, as the reduction to a single variable is always of the straightforward kind. Thus the reader can focus on understanding the problem, formulating the equations and reducing the numbers of variables. These are basic but vital skills in pre-algebra, but, without going through this book, my son would not have had a good grasp of them.

I like this book's single-minded focus on these essential skills. There is no fluff. All and only the information needed for solution is stated in the questions. Problems are not sorted by difficulty levels, so the reader has to be constantly on his toes. Although the math here is just grade 6/7 material, these problems are as challenging as they come in this subject. Singapore education authority appears to deserve its stellar reputation.

My kid came in the top 5% of AMC. Still this book is a challenge and any book which get my kid to think through a complex problem is a winner for me.