Play-Mastermind.com

I plan on going back to school soon and needed a study guide so I would’t have to end up in remedial classes. Since I have to pay my tuition all out of pocket, it would just be a waste of money, so I figured I should learn and relearn everything that I either copied off of someones’ paper in high school or just winged without knowing a thing. This book is very helpful and it does every chapter in a way that builds up from the one before so you really get it. I believe I got stumped in school when we began doing multiplication and negatives. I have a BAD, and I mean BAD memory (kinda like Dory a la Finding Nemo), and seeing the huge times table really threw me for a loop that I had to remember all of that. This book cuts it down to half which of course is a no brainer as 3×8 is 8×3, but you couldnt tell me that when I was 10, that thing had me so discombobulated (Yay, big word! Im ready for colige now!). Flashcards may seem kiddish and might embarrass you if, say, you leave one at your work desk accidentally and a coworker sees it(ehem). They really do work though, even for me, who can’t remember a thing. I had to keep THREE flashcards on my desk for a WEEK and look at them sporadically or think of them when I was away from my desk to remember just THREE! It really, really helps to remember those pesky X tables as much as I hate to admit it. Negatives I never really could wrap my head around until now. I suppose its because once you’re an adult and have a bank account, you know a negative, or an overdraft = an overdraft fee, a bad, bad thing, lol. So it makes it easy to say -$3(overdraft)- $8(the overdraft fee your bank charges to your account, i wish!)= -$11 since it would give you MORE of a negative bank balance so its easy to remember that the answer would still have a negative sign, instead of memorizing all the rules rules rules. After that I was on a roll. The rest of it is rather methodical and easy if you memorized your x tables and negatives. The workbook is a must if you want it to sink in, so the bundle is your best option if you’re really serious about studying. Its also a great refresher course if you happen to be one of those lucky people that did learn it all but forgot after so many years of cobwebs in the brain(the mnemonic PEMDAS, remember that?). The only downside is the book does have a few typos, but its nothing you can’t decipher for yourself. The moral of the story here children, is really learn your stuff early on becuase you will have to waste your time doing it all over again someday anyway if you want to get anywhere in life.
Rating: 5 / 5

Last week I borrowed the textbook from a friend and it’s amazing, I’m even having fun with what’s in there and even though I haven’t even reached page 100, I’ve already found the answers to all three nagging questions I’ve had for years;

1.- What am I supposed to do with this equation?

2.- Where do I start?

3.- When am I supposed to drop the parenthesis?

I’ve got to have my own copy, can’t wait to see what’s in the workbook.
Rating: 5 / 5

This is a great package deal: 2 books – “Basic Math & Pre-Algebra for Dummies” and “Basic Math & Pre-Algebra Workbook for Dummies”. Purchased this way you save a bit of money over purchasing them separately, and one reinforces the concepts laid out in the other. A great purchase for the beginning Pre-Algebra student or anyone who wants to understand the building block basics of what Pre-Algebra is and how it works.

First, a bit of background on me. The only ‘D’ I got in college was in Algebra. All A’s and B’s otherwise, and I think the ‘D’ was given to me out of pity so I could get my Bachelor’s and move on! Little did I know that years later I’d have a daughter, who in 6th grade would then be taking Pre-Algebra and need my help. “Ask your Father…” was my first inclination, and then I spotted these books.

Now I am reading these books and using the knowledge I’m gaining to help her gain a basic understanding of the subject. Concepts I missed way back when, are clearer now and I find that I’m able to explain concepts with ease after reading about each subject. (Maybe that’s because I’m no longer getting graded, but I do think the books help too!)

The workbook and book have tear-out cheat sheets, with basic explanations about the Order of Operations, Inequalities, Place Values, Negative and Absolute Values, Basic Algebra Conventions, and Solving Algebraic Equations. Practice exercises in the workbook are coordinated with the chapters in the book, for easy reference. Comments throughout both the book and workbook are peppered with humor. The simple organization of each book makes the ideas being covered seem far less daunting that I remembered too.

These ‘For Dummies’ books cover the following and more:

- Understanding fractions, decimals and percents.

- Algebra word problems.

- Prime numbers, factors and multiples.

- Graphing and measures.

- Solving single and multiple variable equations.

The books also cover ‘how to use the book’ and explain what the icons mean throughout the book. Definitions are clear and illustrations are often accented by a ‘tip’ that helps you know how to ‘think’ about attacking certain problems. I liked that feature!

The book touches on Basic Geometry and alternative numbers (Roman numerals, Mayan numerals, Binary numbers, Hexadecimal numbers, Prime-based numbers and 10 Curious types of numbers). Preparing the reader for what comes next in their mathematics education – and probably sells more books!

Overall, this is an excellent bundled (book/workbook) supplement to any-age student of Pre-Algebra, or for any parent who wants to assist their child in understanding the basic concepts of this subject.
Rating: 5 / 5