home schooling question - quick response needed!

[HouseofWool]

For a variety of reasons, we are looking for pre-algebra/algebra curriculum for the 8th grader who lives with my parents. The school's books suck and he is completely lost, and I cannot help him because the texts are so incomplete.

What have you used and liked? I would really like to pick this up used if at all possible. We are stuck right around using the quadratic equation to solve problems and are hoping to use the homeschooling materials to supplement the district's.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I don't have any specific homeschool curriculum, but if you go here: http://phschool.com/webcodes10/index...&wcsuffix=0099 there are a lot of good resources including the "Homework Video Tutors". The tutors are basically a person walking through problems like a teacher would in class. I used them when I lost my voice a few years ago instead of teaching

Let me know what else you might need!

[v-girl]

When I was shopping for new math curriculum, all my teacher friends recommended Saxon math. My girls and I love it -- I haven't seen their algebra though. My girls are doing some algebra in 5th and 6th grades though.

[houseelf]

Since you said this is timely, I'm going to be a butt-insky because I don't know if Kris/Fiona saw this in a timely fashion. I know that she has had two children use Stanfords EPGY program which she has recommended to me for my children. I think her daughter just started BYU's curriculum pursuant to Jennifer (Rapunzel's) recommendation.

I'm a homeschooler, but my children are grammar age However, on a very busy HSing board that I belong to, I see Saxon, Math-U-See and Life of Fred recommended ALL the time. Hope that helps! If you can't find anything used, rainbowresource.com has pretty good prices.

I'm a homeschooler, but my children are grammar age However, on a very busy HSing board that I belong to, I see Saxon, Math-U-See and Life of Fred recommended ALL the time. Hope that helps! If you can't find anything used, rainbowresource.com has pretty good prices.

I might be too late on this, but my sister also highly recommended Life of Fred.

Here's her list:

Life of Fred - great for a struggling kid, very cheap, hilarious, self-directed (click here and scroll down for ordering)
Teaching Textbooks - computer program, might be able to find it used. It's not a rigorous program, but it will get a kid to pass a class. What it teaches, it teaches well, and kids like it. (We would have used this for DH's brother, but we didn't have a laptop for him.)
Harold Jacobs - Elementary Algebra book - more comprehensive, requires a parent or teacher's guidance

I know this has been challenging. Hang in there!

[HouseofWool]

Thanks guys - I am forwarding this information to my mom. Hopefully there is something there that will work for them.

The books that the school supplied asks him to solve a problem using quadratic equations, but I can't figure it out based on the examples in the book.

[DCJenn]

Just the words "quadratic equations" make me want to quiver and shake in the corner. Oh, please tell me that the Army gods will not deploy my husband when it's time for higher math....

J.

You can try Key to Algebra, Book 10 (from the Key Curriculum series). I don't have experience with that particular workbook, but it's a very small investment, and specifically for quadratic equations.

[HouseofWool]

The gist of the problem was to figure out how to maximize the area of a rectangle with a perimeter of 240 meters. With no explanation of how to do it.

[DCJenn]

I don't even understand what that means. Thank God for Liberal Arts colleges.

J.

[v-girl]

figure out how to maximize the area of a rectangle with a perimeter of 240 meters

I know you're speaking English, but I don't understand what your saying.

[HouseofWool]

yep - that was my reaction too. Cripes - I have a BA in freakin' Portuguese. I didn't HAVE to take math!

[bobk]

Google is your friend:
http://www.analyzemath.com/calculus/...mize_area.html

I assure you I'm not a math whiz, but I do remember a little bit about this from high school. Using derivatives as in the above link is pretty advanced. What you're really looking for whatever dimensions give you the best square, as that would be the most efficient use of fencing (and is also a rectangle). Since 240m is easily divided into four equal sides, the answer is that each side should be 60m.

[PrincessFiona]

I'm late seeing this. My experience with a Math struggler is that web resources are of limited value. Since you don't want to enroll him in a homeschool program (I don't think) I would suggest talking with his teacher to set up a time for extra help or contacting the math dept of any nearby college for tutoring info.

One thing I realize as my daughter works through algebra is that she missed some key concepts along the way that made taking the next step impossible. Frustration set in which led to a complete math mental block!

Hurry to a math tutor!

Kris