Customer Reviews

Trigonometry: A Unit Circle Approach (8th Edition)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the worst math book I have EVER used. Awful awful. When I needed help, did I turn to my outrageously priced trig book? Nope! Google was of more help than this book.

So, what is wrong with it?
No background. I hadn't been in school for 7 years. I was a bit rusty and this book was of no help. It has really bad examples (if you are lucky enough to get an example for the type of problem you are working) that skip steps and don't give any explanation of the concepts.

The my mathlab that comes with this book is great. It really supplements where the book fails.

I am very surprised by the other reviews of this book. I have been teaching myself trigonometry with this book as a text for an online class. The concepts are presented in a way that makes sense and there are many different approaches given to derive the answer. Learning trigonometry has been an enjoyable experience for me with this book and the online MathLab that can be purchased to accompany it.

The book itself does not come with the correct way to work the problems in case you get them incorrect, although the correct answer for the odd numbered problems are given. Because of this, you have to figure out for yourself what you are doing wrong, but if you look at it positively, this can help to solidify what you are learning. Another note: There are not many sample problems although the book does come with a disk and perhaps it contains more.

The book features an alegebra review section, are you prepared problems, problems to try as you are learning, common problem warnings, step-by-step problem examples, and the skill building and applications & extensions sections. There is a notation whenever you encounter information necessary for calculus so that you can be better prepared in case you plan, as I do, to continue in sequence. There are also instructions given for how to calculate the problems, when applicable, on the calculator.

The explanations in this book could be more concise for students who have other assignments to study and fulfill. Throughout all my years in reading mathematical textbooks, this one does not head straight-to-the-point. The author spends more time introducing the subject than explaining how one step is derived from another in the examples, which leaves the student to spend time figuring how one concept abruptly transitions into the next. Aside from that, the exercise questions sometimes do not relate to the examples given in the book.

Underneath all of the special features, that are common to see in beginning math textbooks these days, one finds the essential kernel of a solid course in trigonometry in this text, as well as a nice review of college algebra. Naturally, the additional "stuff" provides a whole level of organization above the basic concepts, definitions and theorems of trigonometry. Thus, the wise student can tailor a course of study for her or his needs. This makes this textbook very suitable for classroom settings such as in community colleges in which one finds students with a diversity of learning styles. Although this makes learning trigonometry optimally easy for the student, this does not signify that the typical student would be wise to neglect working substantial numbers of problems. The text is especially rich in "word problems", which are the valuable types of problems to prepare one for courses such as physics, that involve applications of mathematics for which trigonometry is important. The level of rigor is suitable for beginning students. The question arises as well as to what extent a text like this would be a wise investment for a student who wishes to learn trigonometry by self-study. My personal view is that in a setting apart from teachers and tutors for guidance, this book would be too demanding for most beginning students.

The textbook does not have central focus and all the formulas are not explained properly. The explanations are overbroad and vague and do not focus on the most important stuff. I would not recommend this textbook to any student. The two stars I give is for the nice paper it is printed on.

This book is so bad. I have to use it for my Trig class, and it is very unclear, your lucky if you get an example in the book, and its just horrible. Formuals and concepts are BARELY explained. I hate this book. It makes you totally depend on your teacher for help, becasue this won't do you any good.

This book is one of the most unclear concepts i have ever tried to learn. The examples are really tough and sadly have nothing to do with the exercises themselves which made my self learning very long, boring, and pretty much a waste of time. I understand the graphing, but i dont understand why they add calculus problems to it like the difference qutient. But on the plus side, the cover and the pages are really nice and good looking. But the examples themselves are long and a waste of paper, no offense. I wouldn't really recomend this book for self teaching, but u can use it maybe if u have a tutor which i dont have. Good luck shopping for a trig book! :P

Book delivered in good condition, quickly. Book itself is user friendly with section on graphing calculators at end which is very helpful.

This book has everything that one might need to know about college trigonometry from a unit circle perspective. It was produced as a special edition for Brigham Young University so some of the sections are in a different order than in the current book(Sullivan; 8th ed.) With the exception of the practice questions, it has all of the same content. If "Trigonometry: A Unit Circle Approach 8th edition" seems prohibitively expensive, I recommend purchasing this one.

If you want to kill yourself then this book will definitely help you! oh my God this book is made as a REVIEW material for "super scientists" from far far away alien planets, if you are really hard working, honest, learning oriented college student then please for your own good avoid this material at any cost and if you see it in bookstore shelf then run run from it as far as possible or if you already unfortunate to own this textbook then give it as a present to someone you REALLY hate ONLY! on a Halloween night. Otherwise it will destroy your last will to live in this world... it is such an twisted textbook that i as a college student will not go deep inside to even try to explain whats wrong with it, but i beg you just trust me!!!! don't spend not your precious time nor your hard earned money on this peace of cr**p and change your college to other one if necessary to avoid to even face its green cover and totally confused poor college professors mumbling trying to explain anything humanly possible from this God forbidden "textbook".... you have been warned !