Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra Expanded Edition

 

     The prerequisite for starting Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra Expanded Edition is a good grounding in the first year of high school algebra. 

     Let's find out how much first year algebra you have really learned.  Students who studied first year algebra using other curricula often find that there were a lot of topics that were left out.

     Here are some representative questions to ask yourself.  They are taken from Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra Expanded Edition.  Have them take out a piece of paper and play with these questions . . .

 

1.  What is the coefficient of 34.7abc?  (page 68)

2.  Army regulations require that their pickle relish use 10 pickles per pound of relish.  In one giant bowl, the cooks have relish that only used 8 pickles per pound (too weak).  In another bowl, they have relish that has 16 pickles per pound (too strong).  They need to make 200 pounds of relish.  How many pounds of each bowl should they use?
(p. 170)

3.  The point (a, b) is directly below (4, 9).  What can you say about a?  What can you say about b? (p. 228)

4.   The cooks at the army camp have four different dinner menus.  In the next four days, how many ways could they serve them so every dinner will be different? (p. 273)

5.  Solve  1/(x-1)  + 1/2   =  2/(x² -1)   (p. 357) 

6.  Suppose there are two elements in the domain of some function and two elements in the range.  How many possible functions could there be?  (p. 492)

7.  Solve 48 - 3x > 36  (p. 521)

 

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Don't scroll down past here so the answers won't be visible

 

 

 

Here are the answers . . .

1.  34.7
2.  150 pounds of the weak and 50 of the strong. 
3.  a = 4 and b < 9
4.  4! or 24 
5.   x = -3 is the only answer.  (not x = 1)
6.   There are two possible functions.
7.   x < 4   (or  4 > x)

      If only 5 of the 7 are answered correctly (71%), then it would be silly to push into Advanced Algebra at this point. 
Instead, start with Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra Expanded Edition. 

      This will give you a firm foundation for starting advanced algebra. 
      This book will take the reader through beginning algebra in 104 daily lessons.  (The lessons aren't that long.)  If some of the beginning algebra is remembered, two or three lessons might be done in a day.  In any event, this book will: (1) restore some fun into mathematics; (2) fill in the holes left by other curricula; and (3) give a sense of confidence rather than despair.

 

     Many other second year algebra books leave out a lot of mathematics.  Sometimes they stick it in other books or leave it out altogether.  Here are some important topics that many second year algebra books leave out.

       1. Permutations
       2. Matrices
       3. Linear programming
       4. Series
       5. Sigma notation
       6. Sequences
       7. Combinations
       8. Pascal's triangle
       9. Math induction
       10. Partial fractions—needed in calculus
       11. Graphing in three dimensions
       12. Change-of-base rule for logarithms

   

     After completing Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra Expanded Edition you will have all the algebra necessary for college calculus.  You will still need geometry and trig. 

    Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra Expanded Edition will take you through all of second year algebra in 105 daily lessons.

     It covers two days of Fred's life on his bus trip back home from Texas. 

 

 

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