Prentice Hall Interactive Math Introductory and Intermediate Algebra Student Package [Paperback]

K. Elayn Martin-Gay (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1st edition (October 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130727547
• ISBN-13: 978-0130727541
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,519,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Run Away!, September 6, 2003

By 

Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prentice Hall Interactive Math Introductory and Intermediate Algebra Student Package (Paperback)

I used this book (and that CD that came with my edition) as part of a college algebra course that I took to brush up on basic math so I could do well on the GMAT and GRE.

I have a good background in math so didn't find the information very challenging, which is good, as the people in the class who had a less mathematical background struggled with the text and CD all semester.

The book is not all that well organized and still has a lot of politically correct and new math filler for my taste. Most annoyingly, every time a new concept is introduced, the first technique presented is to guess a solution to the problem, and then see if you are correct. I grasp that Martin-Gay is trying to use the concept of reasonableness of answers, unfortunately, most students don't get it.

If you happen to have an edition with a CD-ROM, good luck. I had continuous computer and program errors when I used the program, and in fact my computer (at the time with Windows ME) began crashing regularly after I installed the software (I complained about this constantly to my teacher) which it had never done before. I can't prove the PHIM software did it, but I can't imagine what else it may have been. This edition may not even come with the CD, I can't tell from the description, so you may be safe. I just suggest extreme caution if you ever happen to run any PHIM software.

To sum up here, if you take a course where this is a required text, be ready to ask lots of questions in class, and beware of the software. Better yet, try and get into another section that uses a different book. If you are interested in a basic algebra book for independent study, please buy any other algebra book.