Algebra is the gateway to success in future math and science courses in high school. Students who have a solid algebra background will have no trouble with the algebra problems from SAT and even the GRE. Understanding Algebra I highlights vocabulary, notation, and has examples from the history of math.
This book is a one year Algebra I course for upper middle school and high school. What makes this book unique and different from other algebra textbooks is that it is built from the experiences of an award-winning algebra teacher with over 30 years of teaching experience.
Many textbooks are written by a committee of authors, and many of those authors have little experience teaching beginning algebra students in middle school or high school. These authors divide their work by chapters and often do not consider how concepts in each chapter are connected to later chapters. This leads to textbooks that teach concepts without providing the necessary prerequisite knowledge and skills students need to understand the concept being taught.
Understanding Algebra I presents the most essential concepts and skills needed to fully understand and gain confidence in algebra in a step-by-step fashion, teaching students that algebra is generalized arithmetic. It helps students see the connection between mathematics that they already know and algebra so that learning algebra becomes easier and less abstract.Understanding Algebra I provides students with real strategies to succeed in solving word problems by using charts and translating strategies that guarantee success.
Drawing from the author's extensive experience teaching algebra to many students with varying strengths, this book explains algebraic concepts simply and effectively and gives special attention to concepts students frequently find confusing.Understanding Algebra I also uses critical thinking questions to help students improve their understanding and master the core concepts and skills of Algebra I. Students who complete this work successfully develop confidence in their algebra skills and many even develop a love for algebra and the power of higher level mathematics.
